All posts tagged: Goons

A Chicago Humorist Named “Dont Fret” Cracks Up The Street

A Chicago Humorist Named “Dont Fret” Cracks Up The Street

Oh, so you’re a comedian now hah? A real funny boy hah?

Art on the streets is not always neatly folded into archetypes. Street Artists and graffiti writers are not all anti-social miscreants intent on running afoul of the law, although that is a satisfying and simple characterization some critics default to.

 

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

In truth, these days there are a variety of voices in the conversation on the street. Some are social commentators, others are anarchists, showmen, activists, nihilists, narcissists, dreamers, storytellers, poets.

Then there are the comedians. We’ve noticed that a surprising number of them come from Chicago. Possibly the harsh winters in that windy city turns people silly on the street. Among the funniest Chi-town hoodlums we’ve seen are Left-Handed Wave, Nice One, and of course the incorrigible Goons.

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Add to this list the humorist human Don’t Fret, who knows how to depict us in all our eclectic and imperfect wonder without passing judgment but causing a cryptic cackle of recognition when you run into him. It’s a sophisticated comedian who knows how to pull off common scenes with an insider wink. It’s not that you know his people personally – wait, that is exactly what it is like. Even when he is just using text to describe a person, you know the people he’s referring to because they live in your neighborhood, cook your Halal street meats, coach little league, cook your books, are at your family barbecue.

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

To quote ourselves when we talked about Don’t Fret last year “His acute eyes and poignant observations as an artist enable him to put everyday pedestrians on the wall for everyday pedestrians to look at.  He captures what he sees and transfers his musings into wittily drawn characters that are hand colored and wheat pasted.

More acute than ever, Don’t Fret was recently in New York and we caught the jokes he was pitching. Ready?

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Don’t Fret (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

 

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This article is also published on The Huffington Post
 
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BSA Film Friday: 04.26.13

Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.

Now screening: “The Cracks” in Jaffa (Tel Aviv), Sixe/Okuda/Radio in Lima, Stinkfish in Bogata, and Goons World in Chicago.

BSA Special Feature:
“The Cracks” in Jaffa (Tel Aviv)

A rocking psychedelic treatment of the archetypical abandoned graffiti building, here with fresh faces from the Tel Aviv Street Art scene as curated by Daniel Wechsler. You may have seen BSA’s piece with Yoav Litvin on the scene this week Here and Here: – now check out the group in da house live featuring 11 artists : Wonky Monky, Untay, Slamer, Signor Gi, Ross Plazma, Nitzan Mintz, Natalie Mandel, Latzi, Kipi, Dioz and Dede. (image above screenshot of Roz Plazma © Daniel Wechsler)

Sixe/Okuda/Radio in Lima, Peru

A quick taste of their new walls, stylishly cut with some product integrations.

 

Stinkfish in Bogata, Columbia

Presented by Offprojekt, flourescent volts of energy jump of this portrait by Stinkfish while a curly haired cherub named Beta smacks up the hand prints next to him and street dogs meander on the sidewalk looking for scraps. Carlos Perez Ocampo wields the camera.

Goons World in Chicago

Neo primativist Street Artists Goons are introducing lucky guests to their world tonight in their hometown of Chicago. Check it son.

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Galerie F Presents: “Goons World” (Chicago Illinois)

Galerie F presents “GOONS WORLD

“Anything Is Possible. When the restrictions of this physical world are chipped away, all that remains is ‘Goons World’. A world which the imagination rules, and laws of man bend and crumble.” -Goons
AND THE SAME NIGHT AT THE SAME PLACE:
View the world premier of GOONS WORLD…an animated film only at Galerie F

Opening Reception: Friday, April 26th [6-10pm]

GOONS ‘GOONS WORLD’

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Making Deals Zine and Trumbull Studio Present: RELIEF: Silent Art Auction & Raffle Benefit. (Brooklyn, NYC)

Relief

Making Deals Zine and Trumbull Studio presents:RELIEF: Silent Art Auction & Raffle Benefit to support New York Residents Affected by Tropical Storm SandyFriday, November 9th, 2012

Silent Auction & Raffle begins at 6 pm – Final Drawing at 9:30 pm
@ Trumbull Studio, 143 Roebling St, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NYA huge group of established and emerging urban artists will have work for sale, and all proceeds will support LOCAL charities. Our goal is to help our fellow New Yorkers who have been hardest hit from areas like Far Rockaway, Staten Island, Breezy Point, and Red Hook. This is going to be a great event and all proceeds from the sale of your donation will go to our designated charities for the victims of Hurricane Sandy: New York Cares (nycares.org), Red Hook Initiative (rhicenter.org) and the Red Cross (redcross.org).Artists who have generously donating work for sale include (list is not yet final):

Abe Lincoln Jr.
Adam Lawrence
Adam VOID
Aimee Lusty
Alexander Heir
Alexander Richter
Anthony Sneed
Beater
Baser
Borf
ButtsUp
Brandon Haynes
Carnage
Cash For Your Warhol (The Collection of Brooklyn Street Art)
CRASTY
Daniel Feral
DB for Stuck-Up
EKG
Emma D.
Gloomer KTS
Goons
Herm
Howard Shindler
Ian (Pop Mortem) McGillivray
Isabel LaSala
JAMES
James Ivan Bailey
Jason Mamarella
Jon Bocksel
Jon Handel
Jowy Romano (Subway Art Blog)
Julian Gilbert
Kevin Foxworth
KOSBE
Lily Staley
Matt Dobbs
Matthew Hoffman
Martha Cooper
Mike Ion
Miss Night Catcher
MRS
Overunder
Pawn Works
RAE
Ribo 22KIDS
Roycer
RUSK
Scott Meyers

This is Awkward / Russell Lee
Tuse
Vickipages
Wisher914
Zato One
and more…

 

KosbeThere are several ways to donate at the event:
– An art raffle will be held where patrons have a chance to win artwork of their choice for as little as a $5 donation! The drawing is scheduled to be held at 9:30 pm and winners can take home their new artwork the same night.
– Select artwork will be up for silent auction. Bidding is scheduled to end at 9:30 pm.
-Blind monetary donations and credit cards will also be accepted.
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Fun Friday 10.05.12

Happy Friday Everybody

Our Fun Friday Stories This Week

1. Mitt Hunts Big Bird for Thanksgiving Dinner #defendthearts
2. Stormie Mills in Melbourne
3. Ambush Group Show (Sydney)
4. TrustoCorp at Outsiders (Newcastle, UK)
5. Guy Denning Solo at Signal (London)
6. Goons Go Inside (Chicago)
7. Graffitimundo Needs Your Help to Finish Documentary (VIDEO)

Today is going to be 80 degrees in New York so we’ll be outside checking out some new stuff on the street – ya’ll hear that MOMO is in town? We’re still reeling a bit from the debate Wednesday night where Mittens threatened to have Big Bird for Thanksgiving dinner and that makes us think of Saber’s skywriting campaign to #DefendTheArts.

Image courtesy VH1

Stormie Mills in Melbourne

Stormie Mills has a solo show “Peoples and Places 2012” at the Metro Gallery in Melbourne, Australia that’s open to everybody and Mr. Mills will delight you with his funny, industrious little characters done mostly in monochrome palette. Also, it was snowing at the opening Wednesday. Kind of stormy.

Stormie Mills entry on this summer’s Welling Court. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Ambush Group Show (Sydney)

The Australians are putting in a good game it seems as the Ambush Gallery in Sydney has an interesting line up of dozens of Aussies for their group show “Living In A Glass House”. This exhibition is now open to the general public. Also interesting because all the profits go directly to the artists.

For further information regarding this show click here.

TrustoCorp at Outsiders (Newcastle, UK)

The Outsiders Gallery has invited American Street and Fine Artist TrustoCorp to come and mint wads of money, honey. Currency is power and with this show titled “The International Bank of TrustoCorp” you’ll find plenty of both. Opening today.

TrustoCorp on the streets of Brooklyn always has a variety of subversive messages posted on official looking signs. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Guy Denning Solo at Signal (London)

Guy Denning’s solo show “Paradiso” at the Signal Gallery in London, UK is now open to the.  This show is the last of a trilogy inspired by Dante’s The Divine Comedy. Go and be tempted.

Guy Denning. (image courtesy of the gallery)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Goons Go Inside (Chicago)

Goons, the Chicago based Street Artists are exhibiting at the Maxwell Colette Gallery in Chicago with a solo exhibition titled “Welcome to Goonswood”. This show opens today.

Goons on the streets of Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Graffitimundo Needs Your Help to Finish Documentary (VIDEO)

Graffitimundo in Argentina is working on documentary “White Walls Say Nothing” to capture the art and activism on the streets of Buenos Aires. Take a look at the trailer for the film and please help them to raise the funds needed to complete their film by clicking on the link to their Kickstarter campaign.

“White Walls Say Nothing” link to their kickstarter page: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/whitewallsdoc/white-walls-say-nothing-buenos-aires-street-art-an

 

 

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Maxwell Colette Gallery Presents: Goons “Welcome To Goonswood” (Chicago, IL)

Goons

Maxwell Colette Gallery Presents:
Welcome To Goonswood
October 5, 2012 – November 9, 2012
Opening Reception: Friday, October 5th from 6pm to 10pm
 Maxwell Colette Gallery is pleased to announce
Welcome To Goonswood, a solo show of new work from Goons. Known for their
signature big lips, Goons’ characters are as unmistakable as they are engaging. The
exhibition will be on view from October 5 to November 9, 2012 with an opening
reception on Friday, October 5th from 6pm to 10pm.
“Goonswood is a secret city just beyond the sight of eyes. It is a place where anything is
possible. All the colors are brighter, all the shapes are richer and everything is bigger.
Welcome to Goonswood where all dreams come true.” -GOONS
About Goons:
Goons is a native of Chicago who currently resides in Vermont. In July 2012 he was the
judge’s choice winner of the Red Bull Curates Competition in Chicago and in December
2012 will be going to Art Basel in Miami to exhibit work with them. His ‘Clean It Up’
video for Orbit Gum is an viral sensation with over a million views on You Tube.
Maxwell Colette Gallery
908 N. Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
Twitter: @maxwellcolette
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Images of the Week 06.05.11

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Our weekly interview with the Streets, this week including images from New York, Detroit, and Amsterdam, and work by C215, Dan Sabau, El Sol 25, Gilf!, Goons, Karma, Nice-One, and Specter.

brooklyn-street-art-c215-jaime-rojo-06-11-webC215 (photo © Jaime Rojo) C215 says he has put more than 90 stencils in Williamsburg in the last three years…we just found another.

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Street Artist Gilf! has been trying something new by adding to her stencils a bit of  toule, which is a departure from earlier work and a hard word to try and pronounce.

Gilf! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Gilf! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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El Sol 25 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Dan Sabau (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Goons meditates and levitates (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Nice-One continues with his series of fantastic space ships  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Nice-One has suddenly appeared in many places in BK, including this large wall directly over a long running Lister (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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A portrait on a postal mailing sticker in marker, cut out. Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Specter on a flash trip to Detroit managed to paint this stark black portrait on a boarded up building (photo © Specter)

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Specter (photo © Specter)

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Karma in the Chinatown section of Amsterdam (photo © Courtesy of the artist)

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Karma in Amsterdam (photo © Courtesy of the artist)

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Fun Friday 05.13.11

Fun-Friday

A GUIDE TO WHAT’S UP, BROTHERMAN AND SISTERWOMAN

This weekend is a perfect storm of shows that are opening on the East, West and points in between.

Up Close And Personal: RJ Curates Street Artists Into an Upper West Side Apartment (NYC)

In the intimacy of a private residence in the Manhattan suburbs of UWS, RJ Rushmore of Vandalog fame along with Keith Schweitzer and Mike Glatzer of newly minted M.A.N.Y. have mounted a fresh new open house show just off Broadway. An exquisitely curated show with marquee names and a few newbies the selection is solid in quality and unusual in it’s scale.

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Troy Lovegates aka Other (image courtesy of the curators)

Participating artists include:
Aiko, Chris Stain, Clown Soldier, Don Leicht, Edible Genius, Elbowtoe, Gaia, How & Nosm, Jessica Angel, John Fekner, Know Hope, Logan Hicks, Mike Ballard, OverUnder, R. Robot, Radical, Retna, Skewville, Tristan Eaton, Troy Lovegates aka Other and White Cocoa.
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Aiko’s cans are on proudly on display at the bachelor pad, and that’s not all (image courtesy of the curators)

Dates: May 12th– 15th, 2011
Times:
May 12th, 7 – 9pm
May 13th, 7 – 9pm
May 14th, noon – 9pm
May 15th, noon – 7pm
Note: Due to the limited exhibition space, people may be admitted in block times every half-hour.
Location: Apartment on the Upper West Side (217 West 106th Street, Apartment 1A, New York, NY 10025) – Between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues.
Cost for entrance: Free

Go to Hellbent and John Breiner Tonight in Brooklyn (NYC)

Mighty Tanka is presenting a show with two Brooklyn based artists: Hellbent and John Breiner.
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Mr. Hellbent says of the show: “The best part of making a show like this is to finally see it up on the wall and the way that everything interacts. I have been thinking of these pieces as parts of a quilt, different fabrics being stitched together. The different colors, floral stencils, animals, and jaw bones melding together and playing off one another, even down to the different depths and sizes of panels, but until it was hung they were just pieces, not yet a whole. Its given me an opportunity to show the different elements that i am working with and how they have grown out of one another and to display all the different carvings and stencils patterns together, where on the street they are separated in different locations.”

To learn more about “Smiled Distress” at Mighty Tanaka tonight please click on the link below:

Matt Siren and My Plastic Heart present “Ghost in the Machine” (NYC)

25 spirits in the material world have made tributes to Street Artist Matt Siren’s Ghost Girl character for this show on the Lower East Side tonight. The custom toy show transforms the character that appears in doorways around New York, each putting its own unique spin on his character.

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The show includes work from 64Colors, Royce Bannon, Steve Chanks, Chauskoskis, DarkCloud, Deeker, Gril One, J*RYU, Jester, Keely, Abe Lincoln Jr., Map-Map, Marka27, Brent Nolasco, Lou Pimentel, Reactorss, Marc Reusser, Todd Robertson, Robots Will Kill, Chris Ryniak, Matt Siren, Scott Tolleson, Julie West, Wheelbarrow, Wrona

Click on the link below to learn more about this show:

http://www.myplasticheartnyc.com/gitm_051311/preview/gitm_051311_preview.html

210 Forsyth St   New York NY 10002 | 646 290 6866
Ghost in the Machine
May 13th 2011 – June 12th 2011

Chicago Street Art Show Tonight (CHI)

Tonight the book “Chicago Street Art” is being released at the the Chicago Urban Art Society  in conjunction with a show titled “The Chicago Street Art Show”

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Brooklyn’s AD HOC has a New Puppy in Los Angeles (LA)

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On the West Coast the dynamic duo and husband and wife Garrison and Allison Buxton have curated a group show “I have a dream, I have a nightmare: Friday the 13th” at The New Puppy Gallery opening this Friaday from 7:00 to 11:00 pm

Artists include: Alison Buxton, Beau Stanton, Bill Fick, Broken Crow, Bunnie Reiss, Chor Boogie, Chris Stain, CRASH, Dabs & Myla, Daryll Peirce, David Loewenstein, Don Leicht, Ezra Li Eismont, Garrison Buxton, Hellbent, Joe Iurato, John Breiner, John Carr, John Fekner, Jordan Seiler, Know Hope, Lady Pink, Michael De Feo, Mikal Hameed, Paul Booth, Peat Wollaeger, Ray Cross, Rex Dingler, ROA, Robert Steel, Sean Starwars, TheDirtyFabulous, & Thundercut.

Ad Hoc Art – www.adhocart.org

New Puppy LA – www.newpuppla.com

WHERE: 2808 Elm Street, Los Angeles, California 90065

English Kills Group Show Saturday, “The Mother Ship” (NYC)

Chris Harding, owner and ringmaster of the Bushwick Brooklyn-based space station English Kills brings out his strong stable of artists for this group show aptly titled “The Mother Ship” opening this Saturday at 7:00 pm. It’s not necessarily Street Art – but this is a hotbed of new ideas so it is always worth your trip.

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Participating artists include:

Brent Owens, Andy Piedilato, Vilaykorn Sayaphet, Jim Herbert, David Pacheco, Hiroshi Shafer, Gyles Thompson, Sarah H. Paulson, Holly Faurot, Tescia Seufferlein, Peter Dobill, Steve Harding, Judith Supine, Lenny Reibstein, Andrew Ohanesian, Jason Peters, Don Pablo Pedro, Steven Thompson, Andrew Hurst and Rob Andrews.

English Kills is located at:

114 Forrest St. Ground Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11206
(718) 366-7323

Specter is a “Repeat Offender” 5/14 at Pawn Works in Chicago (CHI)

Brooklyn based artist Gabriel Specter’s solo show “Repeat Offender” opens this Saturday at the Pawn Works Gallery.

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Opening Reception Saturday, May 14, 2011/ 6-10pm

PawnWorks
1050 N. Damen Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60622

Ph: 312.841.3986

London Police in Denver, “Amsterydynasty”

In Denver Colorado Black Book Gallery brings back the glamour of the 80’s with The London Police and Handiedan in a show titled “Amsterydynasty”

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Opening reception May 14th at 7pm

Click here to learn more about this show

Olek Crochets for a Bicycle in Poland

ROA in San Francisco

Women’s Faces in Art

500 Years of Female Portraits in Western Art by Philip Scott Johnson.

MoCA Art in the Streets. Wisk, Ser, Chubbs and Prime destroy a wall.

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“Chicago Street Art” Debuts with an Exhibition and a Book

Author Joseph J. Depre has been traveling around the world to photograph and write about Street Art for the last few years and and when he returned to his hometown of Chicago he rediscovered his love and appreciation for the art in the streets of his city. The images in his first book just released give a very good documentation of the current scene while his essays are personal, poetic and passionate.

Brooklyn-Street-Art-CHICAGO-STREET-ART-bookOpening tomorrow at the Chicago Urban Art Society is a retrospective of work by many of the artists on that scene today.  With brand new works curated in this not-for-profit gallery environment developed by Lauren Pacheco and Peter Kepha, visitors will have the chance to see the Street Art talent that is growing in their community, including pieces by Artillary, Bonus Saves, Brooks Golden, Chris Silva, CLS, Senor Codo, Cody Hudson, CRO, Cyro, Chris Diers, Don’t Fret, Emen, 80 Legs, Tom Fennell IV, “It’s Yours, Take It”, Goons, The Grocer, Juan Angel Chavez, Kepto Salem, Melt, Nick Adam, Oscar Arriola, Poor Kid, Safety First, Saro, Sighn, Solve, Tiptoe, The Viking, You are Beautiful, among others. More information about the show at the end of the post.

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Debuting his book “Chicago Street Art” for the first time at the opening, Mr. Dupre is very excited to see the show come to fruition after nearly a year of planning. Brooklyn Street Art asked him about the Chicago scene today and his new book and he gives us some insights here. We also had an opportunity to shoot some art on the streets of Chicago last month – see photos by Jaime Rojo after the interview.

Brooklyn Street Art: How long have you been preparing this book “Chicago Street Art”?
Joseph Depre:
I originally had the idea for a book on Chicago Street Art when I started to integrate into the Chicago Street Art community in 2004. I think that is about the time I started writing. I was fascinated by these unique artists and was lucky enough to be able to talk openly with a good number of them, bounce ideas off the artists and they helped me refine my thoughts. As I traveled I was able to get together with Street Artists in cities like New York, Berlin, Barcelona, and Sao Paulo. After experiencing the Street Art in these cities and got back to the States my thoughts reflected back to Chicago and the incredible history of Street Art we have here and I thought it was important to give Chicago the recognition it deserves. So I’ve sent the last 9 months talking to all of the Artists and putting this all together.

brooklyn-street-art-chicago-street-art-Solve-Combo-Oscar-Arriola-webBrendan “Solve” Scanlon (photo courtesy of the author © Oscar Arriola) from “Chicago Street Art”

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Brendan “Solve” Scanlon (photo courtesy of the author © Oscar Arriola) from “Chicago Street Art”

Brooklyn Street Art: Can you introduce us to the Chicago Street Art scene at this moment from an artist and creative perspective?
Joseph Depre: I won’t be so forward to say I can tell you anything from an artist perspective, but as a conscious observer I can say there are a lot of good things happening in Chicago at the moment. Nice-One seems have refined his characters with an air-brush technique that looks really nice. Don’t Fret has really been putting in his time and effort. His characters are always fun and expressive. He’s turning into to a great storyteller. Mental 312 has been hitting the streets hard and doing some really beautiful work. He’s one of my favorite artists right now.

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TipToe (photo courtesy of the author) from “Chicago Street Art”

Brooklyn Street Art: Chicago has a very active anti-graffiti program, which cleans or “buffs” pieces, good and not so good, quickly with brown paint. Can you talk about how Street Artists have responded to the efficient and rapacious pace of buffing?
Joseph Depre:
Most of the Street Artist I know really hate the buff and attribute the fact that Chicago has so little international Street Art respect to “the buff.” But all of these Artists just work harder in spite of the Buff. In New York one piece can stay up for years, in the Chicago the Street Artist has to do 20 pieces just to stay up through the season.

Brooklyn Street Art: Street Artists like Chris Silva and Cody Hudson have gone beyond two-dimensional painted works to create sometimes expansive sculptural set installations. Do you see more stuff like this around Chicago these days?
Joseph Depre:
Oh Yeah. The first artist that comes to mind is CLS. It is really amazing what he has been able with scraps of wood and branches he finds on the street.

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Photo courtesy of the author (© Thomas Fennell IV) from “Chicago Street Art”

Brooklyn Street Art: Borrowing a tenet from the flash mob street manifestations of the last decade, Street Artists like BonusSaves devised something called “It’s Yours, Take It”. Can you talk about this practice of giving art to the public and how it has become an international programmatic approach to engaging communities?
Joseph Depre: The Internet has really helped out with this. Through sites like Flickr, BonusSaves is able to organize and direct hundreds of people from all over the place. All with the same state of mind and love of giving art to people and bringing communities together through gifting creativity. But it is not solely his doing… All the artists really believe in the idea and have been running installations in cities all over the world all by themselves. It really is a testament to the power of people to come together and do something really good just for the sake of doing something good.

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Nice One (photo courtesy of the author © Chris-Diers) from “Chicago Street Art”

Brooklyn Street Art: You dedicate a few pages of your book to the occurrence of a piece attributed to London Street Artist Banksy on a wall in Chicago, and the response of the city and other street artists to it. Is there such a thing as a “Banksy Revolution”?
Joseph Depre: I cannot say what Banksy’s actual intent is – only he knows what that is. For my part, I hope he’s attempting a revolution. If not then we are all the butt of a pretty sick joke. I also hope that he doesn’t get discouraged, I think people are just starting to listen. Maybe not the people who were introduced to Street Art through “Exit, Through the Gift Shop” but others.

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Mental 312 (photo courtesy of the author © Thomas Fennell IV) from “Chicago Street Art”

Brooklyn Street Art: What do you think distinguishes the Chicago scene and why do you feel an affinity for it?
Joseph Depre:
Other than Chicago being my home and my introduction to Street Art, I think there are quite a few things that distinguish it from the rest of the world. The sculptural history exemplified by the likes of Juan “Angel” Chavez, Cody Hudson, and Chris Silva would be a good place to start. The other thing is that all of the artists are personally close here. Everyone knows everyone. They don’t just meet up at shows and events but talk on a regular basis and are invested in each others’ lives and success.

Brooklyn Street Art had the fortune to be in Chicago for a day recently where photographer Jaime Rojo got an afternoon to run around shooting as much as he could find. Brooklyn artist Gaia had recently been in the city and he left some nice gifts for the Chicago art lovers to enjoy.  The images below are from that visit to Chicago and are not a part of the book “Chicago Street Art”

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Mars Dynamo (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Gaia’s tribute to photographer Martha Cooper (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Gaia (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Gaia (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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“Left Handed Wave” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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“Left Handed Wave” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Buffer Chicago Style (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chicago Urban Art Society, 2229 South Halsted. The show will run until June 4. http://chicagourbanartsociety.tumblr.com/

Book Cover Artist: Chris Sliva

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Images of the Week 02.14.10

Our Weekly Interview With the Street

On Tuesday February 09 I found the roll up gates to the Deli on the corner of Bedford and N. 7 closed. I have never seen those gates down in my eleven years in the Burg. I was caught off guard and it made me anxious, until I learned that Al, the proprietor has passed away. It was with much sadness that I took this photo of a piece that Lister had done on those gates years ago. I dedicate this set of images to Al. He was gentle and kind and he was always jovial and ready to help you with whatever you need in his shop. RIP Al.

On Tuesday I found the roll-up gates to the Deli on the corner of Bedford and N. 7 closed. Located in the epicenter of rapidly gentrifying Williamsburg, I've not seen the gates ever down once since the 1990's. Besides the revelation of seeing the piece by Anthony Lister for the first time, I was a little confused to see it closed. Then I saw the cluster of lit candles and vases of flowers on the sidewalk by the entrance, and I learned that Al, the hard-working warm and friendly owner of the deli had passed away. Suddenly it was with sadness that I took this photo. Even though these images aren't specific to him, we dedicate this weeks images to Al, who really liked the street art in the neighborhood, and welcomed the artists who brought this neighborhood to life. Al was an example of what can make Brooklyn neighborhoods great - an open-hearted gentle and kind guy; he always had a moment to talk and joke with you and was always ready to help you with whatever you needed in his shop. R.I.P. Al and condolences to his family and friends. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Courtesy of your Friendly Neighborhood
A new alien piece by “Courtesy of your Friendly Neighborhood” (© Jaime Rojo)

Goons in Versace circa 1989
Goons in Versace circa 1989 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Lost Boy. This artist puts out small pencil drawings with fantasy/mithological imagery
Yes, she looks a little underdressed for this kind of weather. Lost Boy (the artist) puts out small original pencil  or pen drawings with fantasy/mythological imagery (photo @ Jaime Rojo)

Lost Boy
Another Lost Boy (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Goons'  dinner specials
Goons’ dinner specials (photo @ Jaime Rojo)

Tazz
Tazz got a couple gold caps (photo @ Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Beef on a bed of Steve McQueen Skewville
Brooklyn Beef with Steve McQueen on the background Skewville (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Flash Light Boy
Miniature Dick Nixon singing into a flashlight (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pet Bird
Pet Bird (photo @ Jaime Rojo)

Magnet Sculpture on metal door. Sculpture is hard to find in the street art
Magnet Sculpture on metal door. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stop Matt Siren!
Stop Matt Siren before he bites! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

It is always very peaceful when the snow is falling
It is always peaceful when the snow is falling (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Week In Images 03.01.09

I'm gaurding these bricks. Don't move any further. (Veng from RWK) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Halt! Step no further! I’m guarding this brick wall. (Veng from RWK) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Honey there's an Alien in the stairwell (UFO) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Honey there’s an alien in the stairway (UFO) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Been awfully windy lately (photo Jaime Rojo)

Been awfully windy lately (Skewville) (photo Jaime Rojo)

There's a party up in here (photo Jaime Rojo)

There’s a Party Up in Here! (photo Jaime Rojo)

(NohjColey) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Derivation of Contemplation (NohjColey) (photo Jaime Rojo)

(photo Jaime Rojo)
Which way is the wild side again? (Nobody) (photo Jaime Rojo)

pity party (photo Jaime Rojo)

Pass me a cupcake, with you? (Karat) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Okay Erykah is Hot but check out my (Goons) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Okay Erykah is Hot but check out my T-shirt (Goons, The Dude Company) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Tamed (Faile) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Tamed (Faile) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Wild Librarian on the Loose!  (Billi Kid) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Wild photog on the Loose! Watch out! (Billi Kid) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Hero to Lehman apparently (Billi Kid) (photo Jaime Rojo)

A hero to the Lehman family apparently (Billi Kid) (photo Jaime Rojo)

That's funny, bunny (Aiko) (photo Jaime Rojo)

That’s funny, bunny (Aiko) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Poster Boy and Aakash Nihalani (photo Jaime Rojo)

Overnight delivery in a flash! (Poster Boy and Aakash Nihalani) (photo Jaime Rojo)

(Aakash Nihilani) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Transformer Boxes (Aakash Nihilani) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Are you sure? (Zoso) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Are you sure? (Zoso) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Midwinter spring is its own season (Shin Shin) (photo Jaime Rojo)

Midwinter spring is its own season (Shin Shin) (photo Jaime Rojo)

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