All posts tagged: ILL

Tehran To NYC / NYC To Tehran, Curated by Icy & Sot

Tehran To NYC / NYC To Tehran, Curated by Icy & Sot

Iranian Brothers Generate Cultural Exchange Between Two Homes

Icy & Sot, the Iranian Street Artists who have been making their mark on the New York scene for just two years are again making news by curating a gallery show that introduces Iran and the US to one another through the visual vernacular of Street Art.

With two shows running concurrently in Tehran and Brooklyn, the stencil loving spray painters have successfully exposed fans of this genre to the artists in another country with actual examples of art in a gallery setting rather than simply through the Internet. During the South Williamsburg opening on June 13th guests at the TBA temporary space were treated to works by 10 Iranian artists as well as a video projection on the wall of their counterparts  viewing the US artists show at Seyhoun Art gallery, which was recorded only hours earlier.

brooklyn-street-art-ck1-tehran-to-nyc-jaime-rojo-06-2014-web-6

Iran’s CK1 in “Tehran to New York” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Without diplomatic relations between the two countries, it is a wonder that this exchange could be cultivated, let alone executed. Given the restrictions imposed upon music, film, literature, and art since the revolution of 35 years ago, it added a layer of incredulity for gallery goers to measure the implications while viewing the works by a youth culture that has as its DNA a certain strain of rebellion.

New York sent the work of 35 artists, an impressively sized roster of participants who were each given size restrictions to keep shipping simpler and costs lower. While the brothers were clearly elated to bring new work to both cities, one might have surmised that the more excited feelings were directed toward their recently departed home where about 55% of the population is estimated to be under 30 years old and a youthful cultural evolution is said to be happening in the artist underground.

brooklyn-street-art-ck1-tehran-to-nyc-jaime-rojo-06-2014-web

Iran’s CK1 in “Tehran to New York” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Work from the Iranians reveals an accurately studious affinity for the pop of Warhol and irony of Banksy alongside polished versions of wildstyle and more modern graffiti lettering and loose splattering. The larger cross section of New Yorkers sampled from that pot as well as the myriad influences on the streets today including illustration, photography, geometric patterning, cartoon, and collage.

BSA spoke with the brothers as they were installing the New York show:

Brooklyn Street Art: So would you say this is primarily about cultural exchange?
Sot: Yeah, I mean the fact that there hasn’t been any relationship between Iran and the US, but this is totally about the relationship between the artists.

brooklyn-street-art-ill-tehran-to-nyc-jaime-rojo-06-2014-web

Iran’s Ill in “Tehran to New York” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: What do you think that a viewer at the New York show is going to realize when seeing these works?
Icy: First of all they are going to get to know the artists because they are not familiar with their work and haven’t had a chance to know them before. Also they will realize the fact that there are people in Iran doing this kind of art. It is underground, it is just a small scene, but still.
Sot: It’s a good chance for these artists to show their work.

Brooklyn Street Art: Would you say that these artists are taking real risks by showing their work like this?
Icy: I mean, for the street artists there everything is risky, putting works in the street… like having the show is stressful but luckily the people there have gotten their permits and stuff.

brooklyn-street-art-cave2-tehran-to-nyc-jaime-rojo-06-2014-web

Iran’s Cave 2 in “Tehran to New York” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: Who did they have to ask for permission and what did they need to see?
Sot: It’s hard to translate the name but it’s an official organization
Icy: They have to check out the work and see it and they have to approve it.
Sot: Yes they have to do that for everything – for music performance or for art exhibits or anything, they have to go through this – but for this show it is at one of the oldest galleries in Iran so.

The guys related some of the exigencies of putting a show like this together and Sot talks about one of the artists who is an old classmate of his who doesn’t use the tools of communication that so many of his peers in the west would. “He doesn’t have a website for his art and he’s not on Facebook,” says Sot, “so I was like Facebook messaging another friend to ask him to call this guy for me and ask him to be in the show, and then to ask him for the status of shipping of his piece or information about the piece.”

brooklyn-street-art-hoshvar-tehran-to-nyc-jaime-rojo-06-2014-web

Iran’s Hoshvar in “Tehran to New York”(photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: So with the Superman and the Warholian Marilyn, I like this idea where there is a mixing of the two cultures together quite literally.
Sot: Yeah, for these shows there wasn’t really a theme but some artists, because they knew where they were going to be displayed made specific choices to communicate something. Like Gilf! wanted to write something in farsi so she picked the words “I am You” in farsi.
Icy: And El Sol 25 did the words “Iran So Far Away”, which is inspired by the song. (by Flock of Seagulls)

brooklyn-street-art-mad-tehran-to-nyc-jaime-rojo-06-2014-web

Iran’s MAD in “Tehran to New York” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brooklyn Street Art: What is one of your favorite pieces here, or rather, which one would you like to talk about?
Icy: I like them when they talk about social issues.
Sot: Like this one with CK1 – it has all these pictures from newspaper with the Shah

Brooklyn Street Art: They look like they may have been around ’81 or ’82…
Icy: Yeah, then the hijab came after the revolution and then the women had to wear the hijab.
Brooklyn Street Art: So before then they didn’t have to wear it?
Sot: No, before that they could choose.
Icy: Then they had no choice.
Sot: And this one with Superman and on his chest it says “love” in farsi and there is Tehran in the background and there is the freedom tower in the background?

Brooklyn Street Art: Is that called “Freedom Tower”?
Sot: Yeah, or Liberty Tower, it’s like the symbol of Tehran. It’s like you have the Statue of Liberty here and that’s the freedom tower in Iran.

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-9

Iran’s CK1 in “Tehran to New York” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-FRZ-tehran-to-nyc-jaime-rojo-06-2014-web

Iran’s FRZ in “Tehran to New York” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-shb-tehran-to-nyc-jaime-rojo-06-2014-web

A more traditional piece by sh’b varies from the Street Art theme and displays the artistic influence of distinctly Persian origins. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

“NYC TO TEHRAN”

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-8

Tony De Pew, Sonni, Hellbent and Bishop203 (photo © Rana Ahmadi)

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-6

Gilf! on the wall with Joe Iurato on the pedestal. (photo © Rana Ahmadi)

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-2

A screened piece by Chris Stain based on a Martha Cooper photo. (photo © Rana Ahmadi)

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-4

Buttless Supreme and El Sol 25 on the bottom. (photo © Rana Ahmadi)

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-7

QRST, Cruz, Phetus (photo © Rana Ahmadi)

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-3

Enzo and Nio, Russell King  and Gilf! (photo © Rana Ahmadi)

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-1

Cern and Contemporary Adult Music (photo © Rana Ahmadi)

brooklyn-street-art-tehran-to-nyc-06-2014-web-5

The mood in Tehran (photo © Rana Ahmadi)

The Exhibition NYC to Tehran is currently on view at Seyhoun Art Gallery in Tehran, Iran. Click HERE for more details. The sister exhibition from Tehran to NYC is now closed.

 

 

<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA

Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!

<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA

 

 

 

 

 

Read more
Images of The Week: 09.22.13

Images of The Week: 09.22.13

brooklyn-street-art-rambo-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

First day of Autumn, Yo! And we have been harvesting images for you as we enter the new season in NYC. Here is our weekly interview with the street, including CAM, Dasic, Icy & Sot, ILL, Jessie and Katey, MAD, MOR, Paolo Cirio, Pigeon, Rambo, Rubin, Stefan Sagmeister, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, and Yuko Shimizu.

Top image, a new billboard with some sage street life advice from RAMBO (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-Tatyana-Fazlalizadeh-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

True that. Tatyana Fazlalizadeh from her project “Stop Telling Women To Smile” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-rubin-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

Rubin (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-dasic-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

Dasic. Detail of a wall in progress. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-paolo-cirio-street-ghost-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web-3

Paolo Cirio. “Street Ghost” Series. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-paolo-cirio-street-ghost-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web-1

Paolo Cirio. “Street Ghost” Series. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-paolo-cirio-street-ghost-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web-2

Paolo Cirio. “Street Ghost” Series. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-paolo-cirio-street-ghost-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web-4

Paolo Cirio. “Street Ghost” Series. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-jessie-katey-richmond-virginia-09-13-web

Jessie and Katey. Richmond, VA. (photo © Jessie Unterhalter)

brooklyn-street-art-cam-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web-2

CAM. Detail for Dumbo Walls Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-cam-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web-1

CAM. Detail for Dumbo Walls Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-yuko-shimizu-stefan-sagmeister-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web-2

Yuko Shimizu and Stefan Sagmeister for Dumbo Walls Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-yuko-shimizu-stefan-sagmeister-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web-1

Yuko Shimizu and Stefan Sagmeister for Dumbo Walls Project. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-pigeon-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

Pigeon (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-icy-sot-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-gaia-richmond-virginia-09-22-13-web

Gaia shares with you this sketch for his upcoming installation at Rice University Art Gallery in Houston, TX. (photo © Gaia)

brooklyn-street-art-gilf-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

Gilf! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-artist-unknown-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-mor-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

MOR (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-mad-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

MAD (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-ill-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

ILL (photo © Jaime Rojo)

brooklyn-street-art-jaime-rojo-09-22-13-web

Untitled. Harvest Moon over Manhattan. NYC. September, 2013. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA

Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!

<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA<<>>><><<>BSA<<>>><<<>><><BSA

Read more

The HotBox Mobile Gallery Presents: “The Good Guys” A Group Exhibition. (Chicago, Illinois)

The Hot Box

 This Saturday the HOTBOX Mobile gallery is opening a new show featuring local chicago street artists.
“The GOOD GUYS” celebrates the good guys who wear masks – a group show with some of the most notable street artists from Chicago.  Left Handed Wave, Brooks Golden, Clam Nation, Don’t Fret, Espir, Nudnik, and ourselves Lucx and Nice-one.  Opening this Saturday 13th 12pm-10pm @  2381 n. Milwaukee (in FRONT of) Gallery F Chicago IL 
Read more

Don’t Fret Makes You Laugh in San Francisco (VIDEO)

It’s good to have sense of humor in life, helps you get through it actually. Like remember when your dog died and you thought that pretty much that was the end of the world as we know it and you didn’t want to live and you didn’t ever want to see another Collie or even a German Shepherd ever again and you avoided that TV channel that played re-runs of “Lassie”? Then your brother came home and told you a bunch of new fart jokes he learned out behind the school that day while the jocks were practicing football? Those were wicked funny right? That helped a little, right?

Don’t Fret is the name of a Chicago Street Artist who has been putting up comedically human wheat-pastes for a couple of years now and every time you see one you gotta chuckle. He makes inside outside jokes that you can relate to – but doesn’t pander. Tonight if you are in San Francisco you can go see a bunch of new work by Don’t Fret and get a greater appreciation for the scope of internal thoughts and considerations that this creative mind gets sidetracked and entertained with.

A giant rickshaw man shows the folks around town. Don’t Fret. San Francisco, 2012. (photo © Don’t Fret)

Thank God for these front wheel brakes! I nearly ran us into a light pole. Don’t Fret. San Francisco, 2012. (photo © Don’t Fret)

Don’t Fret. San Francisco, 2012. (photo © Don’t Fret)

Don’t Fret. San Francisco, 2012. (photo © Don’t Fret)

Don’t Fret solo show “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Chardonnay” Opens tonight at the Grand Bizzare Gallery in Chicago. Click here for details on this show and make sure to watch the teaser video below:

Read more

Pawn Works Gallery Presents: Jon Burgerman “The Hungry Games” (Chicago, ILL)

Jon Burgerman

Jon Burgerman’s,

‘The Hungry Games’ :

Hungry for Sugar, Fat and Money!

U.K. born artist Jon Burgerman has risen to become a prominent figure in the recent boom of practitioners who traverse the disciplines of contemporary art, design, illustration and entrepreneurism. His award winning work can be seen globally from gallery and bedroom walls to cinema and iPhone screens. A sense of British self-deprecation, dry humour and modern-day anxiety imbues his work along with an enthusiasm for salad.

Four years ago Burgerman applied to tender for a job for ‘a large sporting event’ (one which he is not legally allowed to disclose). It involved the devising of a set of mascots. Having designed many variations of mascots, tweaking and adapting them to the feedback of the event organisers after many meetings, presentations and pitches spread over two years, Burgermans work had made it to the final two options. Excited and nervous about the possibility of having his characters chosen for the large sporting event a concern also loomed that the large sporting event would in fact own his work and exploit it for as much financial gain as possible. Whilst away in China, Burgerman received a phone call explaining that his characters had not be chosen.

To soften the blow of not having his art work grace the grand worldwide stage of a large sporting event he has now decided to create his own tiny, localised, sporting event in response, entitled The Hungry Games.

As well as devising a series of artworks, mascots and sundries for the exhibition, Burgerman has invented a collection of sporting activities. Much like the arts, new, young sporting events also need patrons, with sponsorship an integral part of the project. Each event will have its own local sponsor, who will also be represented in the exhibition. The opening night will feature a series of actions that require audience participation, such as The Soda Pop Race, Vegetable Toss Off, Cheese Grating Racing and more.

The artwork surrounding the exhibition will include a series of paintings relating to the events and sponsorships from the likes of The Empty Bottle, Very Best Vintage, Bite Cafe, Color Wheel Studio and more,  referencing popular sporting actions and slogans. Also featured will be merchandise, multiple cut outs and medals designed by the artist.

The Hungry Games, aims to satisfy the viewer in their desire for mascots, commercial tie-ins, collective experience and spectacle, whilst leaving them hungry for more.

The Inauguration will be held on Saturday July 21, 2012 at 6pm sharp with the help of our frineds at The Color Wheel Studio in Chicago’s Wicker Park.  The Opening Ceremonies will continue until 10:00pm and the show will be on display through August at Pawn Works 1050 N. Damen Ave. Chicago, Illinois.

Read more

Pawn Works Gallery Presents: “While Supplies Last” (Chicago, ILL)

Pawn Works Gallery

Pawn Works Presents: While Supplies Last

While Supplies Last is a concept store providing an alternative retail environment for the discerning customer to browse and purchase exclusive products and unique gifts. With the visual aesthetics of NYC artist 5003 and Agent Gallery, we will be transforming the space into a fully functioning retail shop featuring an array of titles from German based publishing company Gestalten books, apparel from Scumbags & Superstars and The Joneses, and other small edition products created by the participating artists specifically for this project.

Throughout the store’s limited run we will be releasing exclusive items including prints, zines, sticker packs and other multiples from a variety of artists like SHAWNIMALS, SKEWVILLE, KOSBE, 5003, ADER, AMUSE 126, SNACKI, JC RIVERA, MONTGOMERY PERRY SMITH, LEFT HANDED WAVE, MAX KAUFFMAN, NICE-ONE, SWIV and more while featuring a heavy involvement from famed U.K. illustrator JON BURGERMAN.
“Submerged in  a period of kitsch, we persevere, taking part in some of the fun along the way”

Grand Opening
Saturday March 31

12-7pm
While Supplies Last!!
Store Hours:
Tuesday-Saturday 12-7pm
Sunday 12-6pm
Read more

Pawn Works Unveils Sticker Collection: Nick and Seth Tell the Story

Do you geek out on stickers?  Come on, you know you do. To you, the world is a place where slapping and hitting are good things to do on your daily travels, especially if the surface is dust free.  We are regularly smacked in the email with exhortations to come out to huge sticker fests and New York has probably a few hundred doorways that are so slapped up and multi-layered with gluey handmade postal labels and mass produced vinyl tags that if a bomb blasted inside the whole door would blow off in one piece. Most sticker fiends point back to the late 70s, early 80s as the time of genesis for this phenomenal addiction and passion, possibly encouraged by Miss Marsette, your second grade teacher who had a pretty figure and pleasing perfume and who used to put a Papa Smurf or unicorn sticker on your History report to award your good work.

For many Street Artists and graffers and collectors and fans of stickers, it is a life-long love: Just ask Dave and Holly Combs, who have run Peel Magazine in print and online since 2003 , or MAD One, who has been running Sticker Phiends in Phoenix since ’08, and King Rid and Jice of Brass Knuckle Crew, who hosted a proper show this summer in New York with contributors from around the world.  Add to that list Seth Mooney and Nick Marzullo, founders of Pawn Works in Chicago, who this week formally proclaimed a long love affair with the humble sticker by mounting a personal tribute with a lot of history totally taking over the gallery windows – a moving and triumphant event in their sticker geekery. They’ve been minting their own line of home-made stickers for a little over a year, but this installation takes in a couple of decades.

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

Brooklyn Street Art is lucky that photographer Brock Brake was on the scene to capture the momentous proceedings and even more fortunate to get this very personal insight into some of their history and personal favorites from the guys:

“As sticker heads and collectors ourselves producing and distributing stickers for artists from all over the world via the Pawn Works Sticker Club we have obsessed since day one. All the way back to the days of repping Cruella DeVille and The 101 Dalmation’s, He-Man, Scrooge McDuck, G.I. Joe and other childhood favorites on our sippy cup’s. Both Seth and I can remember holding certain stickers over 18 years ago back to before we were teens. Some of those stickers and many more hoarded over the years as well as new jewels created through the club over the last year, reached their final destination.

 

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

We committed our ‘priceless’ stickers to an intense vinyl sticker collage representing the essence of what Pawn Works is about, the love and support of those responsible for the culture in which we are ensconced in. We often reminisce of our time as harmless teen deviants taking Stussy Clothing labels off of shirts from the mall back when the price tags/labels doubled as unique, hard to get, vinyl stickers. Anyways, we spent most of February last year making this collage to have on permanent display at Pawn Works. This year we are going to display it publicly along with the help of our friend Lucas Blair from Hedrich Blessing Photographers and Vinyl Wrap Technician from Roll Out Industries in Brooklyn, Michael Yrigoyen.

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

A few of our personal stand-outs include the instant classic logo of street wear boutique Bodego spelling out their name using the logos of Major League Baseball teams, which was quite common in the 90’s into the early 2000’s. The use of the Montreal Expo’s logo as the ‘e’ plays on so many levels for us, we love this sticker so much that we don’t feel bad it was taken off a hostess pad at a pub so many years ago. We can’t forget an all time favorite in the 513 OG Circle Sticker. Representing Cincinnati and the grime of their streets, this sticker was everywhere long before we were anywhere. This particular sticker thrived on a privately-owned Tetris Arcade game for so many years and thankfully was salvaged along with the Tetris machine from a damaging personal relationship. Got away with the sticker! Collectively, we love this sticker.

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

The Beastie Boys Ill Communication window sticker 4 pack and J-Dilla’s The Shining album cover sticker top our music charts. With a strong representation of stickers from the music, street and skate cultures, representing brands, boutiques, and important figures in the scene and our lives from Harold Hunter, Keith Haring, Mark Gonzales, Harmony Korine, Jeff Staple, The Dude and more we pay homage to the artists, designers and players on all levels. More notable stand outs include the original Cost and Revs stickers from the Early 90’s, Skewville’s Keep On Grass 1st edition on clear vinyl (small), many hand drawn labels from Evoker,Amuse,Poor One,Full Quip, KWT Crew, ATAK, DMS crew, Full Bleed and more, the scratch ‘n’ sniff pot leaf stickers are always a favorite for us as well. As are the original Ox-Fam Banksy stickers,the endless amount of hand-cut vinyl’s from SKAM Sticker Artist out of Portland, the over-sized classic ‘not for the handicap’ sticker from Gabriel Specter and anything by The Grocer.”

~ Nick Marzullo and Seth Mooney, from Pawn Works

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

Pawn Works Gallery: Sticker Collage (photo © Brock Brake)

<<>>><><>>>><BSA>>><<>>>>BSA>><>><><><BSA<<>>><><>>>><BSA>>><<>>>>BSA>><>><><><BSA

Click on these links for more stickerness on Brooklyn Street Art:

Slap Happy: The Humble Sticker Gets The Job Done

Stuck in Love With New York’s Stickers

Read more

Specter Sidebusts Banksy in Chicago

The city of Chicago is famous for many things, one of them is the city’s zero tolerance for Graffiti and Street Art. Lore has it that if a piece runs for more than one day before “The Buff” hits it with a drab splotch of municipal death, it’s because they thought it was an ad.

One piece that has survived the wrath of The Graffiti Blasters (as they are officially known) is the only known Banksy piece in Chicago. It’s a vintage baby carriage tumbling down the ghosted remnant of a staircase. It brings to mind the movie ‘The Untouchables” with mobsters and police and screeching cars and a panicked baby just for the hell of it. But, really, no one knows why this Banksy baby has survived so long.

The faded Banksy baby carriage and the mysterious woman this summer in Chicago. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Compounding the question this summer was the appearance of a mysterious unfinished non-Banksy body lying further down the staircase. Oddly stiff and praying, nobody knew the cadaverish forms’ origin as we looked through a lense at  the Banksy in all it’s faded glory, looking more poignant and beautifully decayed, tagged but not destroyed. The unfinished form appeared to be levitating above the steps, it’s incompleteness adding an eerie feel to the Banksy carriage. Who painted it? Why was it not finished? Que significa?

Today we can report to you with certainty that the unfinished piece was by that side-busting Specter. And it is unfinished no more.

According to one account, it looks like the Brooklyn Street Artist had gotten in a little deeper than he intended when he began his unwanted collaboration with the biggest name in spraybiz, and he lost his concentration, one could say.

The resulting work, the “restoration” of the original Banksy, will surely infuriate some BSA readers. In the context of Specters other “sidebusts” and his own semi-rigid rulebook, however, it makes it’s own curious sense. And the woman who appears to have inched her way closer to the baby carriage as she become more complete? What of her? Reached for comment, Specter only said that in this unwanted collaboration he “used the Banksy baby carriage to make a reference to the conservative agenda that attempts to control women’s reproductive systems.”

Mystery solved.

Right?

Banksy/Specter (photo © Specter)

Banksy/Specter detail. (photo © Specter)

“In this colab I used the Banksy baby carriage to make a reference to the conservative agenda that attempts to control women’s reproductive systems”. Specter

Banksy/Specter (photo © Specter)

To read our interview with Specter last year as he explains “Unwanted Collaborations / Sidebusts” here >> Specter Spot-Jocks Shepard Fairey in New York City

 

Read more

Fun Friday 11.18.11

1. Occupy Wall Street This Weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Repeat)
2. The London Police at Opera Gallery
3. “Fresh Kills” Anonymous Gallery Opens in Mexico City
4. “Groundbreak” behind CBGB’s in the Alley Tomorrow
5. “Paperboys” at Pandemic Saturday (BK)
6. POSE and KC Ortiz show “White Wash” at Known Gallery
7. Sixeart at N2 Galeria in Barcelona, Spain
8. “Dissidents” A group show at West Berlin Gallery
9. “SelfEst” at Kind of – Gallery.
10. Bask solo show “Box of Fun” at William Rupnik Gallery
11. VIDEO PREMIERE! TEEBS by Brock Brake in Chicago
12. JM Rizzi “Day Dreaming Under Streetlights” (VIDEO)
13. Nuria Mora”2 Estrellas” (VIDEO)
14. New from Snyder : “Carlsbad Toreador” (VIDEO)

Occupy Wall Street This Weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Repeat)

Yesterday was the two month mark for this nascent people’s movement and the signs on the Street are bigger and clearer than ever. One of our new favorites is the addition of projection art, which has a powerful effect on the facade of iconic architectural structures, or non-descript ones. Dedicated projection art on the street simply takes a graphic, a hand truck, a projector, and a car battery. It is also non-damaging to property. In these new days of unbridled creativity set free on the street, you can’t beat a good D.I.Y. idea. Look ma, no cans!

Images © Chris Jordan

The London Police at Opera Gallery

“Who Cares Wins” opens to the public today, minus the Dandy Warhols singing songs about dogs like they did last night at the opening. The large show solidifies TLP’s place in Manhattan and the technical tightness belies a deep belief in the power of the fun, friendship, graffiti, architecture, and the imagination. Arrive in a playful mood and you’ll dig it.

 

The London Police (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here

Read BSA interview with TLP here

“Fresh Kills” Anonymous Gallery Opens in Mexico City

A downtown staple of inquisitive exploration, Anonymous Gallery is opening “Fresh Kills”, a group exhibition today in D.F., featuring their customary mixing of artists to create an ever more potent cocktail. The organizing principal for this show is the huge dump we have on Staten Island that will one day be a beautiful park for dogs to catch frisbees and teenagers to smoke pot in. NO LITTERING!

Swoon (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artists include Richard Prince, Tom Sachs, Aaron Young, Agathe Snow, Hanna Liden, Swoon, Barry McGee, David Ellis, and Greg Lamarche.

For further information regarding this show click here.

“Groundbreak” behind CBGB’s in the Alley Tomorrow

Curated by Joyce Manalo of ArtForward & Keith Schweitzer of MaNY Project, this outdoor small group show will be waiting for you to come by tomorrow. Featured are Abe Lincoln Jr., Ellis Gallagher, and Jon Burgerman, who doodled the hell out of the sidewalk this week, bless him.

 

Ellis G (photo © Jaimme Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

“Paperboys” at Pandemic Saturday (BK)

Okay, time to haul out to the south side of Williamsburg, Brooklyn Saturday night. With this show, you are at an epicenter for a solid new direction Street Art is going to. Wouldn’t want to be so bold to say “don’t miss it”, but…

Featured will be brand new work by ND’A, Labrona and Overunder.

 

ND’A – Labrona (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For further information regarding this show click here.

Here’s a bit of OverUnder to whet your snappy clappetite for more.

Overunder in preparation mode (photo © Overunder)

“Most of my contributions are gouache pieces referencing some of my favorite paintings and places. I feel so fortunate for being able to travel and paint so much the last 2 years. It has really been a blessing! But now I’ve begun sourcing all those past images and street pieces for this new body of work where I can combine the architecture features, the figurative wheat pastes, and the paper bird phrases. It’s been a real reflective period, which I think is beneficial for people like me that are constantly churning out work (whether good or bad) so that I can now begin to see it with fresh eyes.” ~ Overunder

Also happening this weekend:

POSE and KC Ortiz show “White Wash” at Known Gallery in Los Angeles. Click here for more information.

Sixeart at N2 Galeria in Barcelona, Spain. Click here for more information.

“Dissidents” A group show at West Berlin Gallery in Berlin, Germany. Click here for more information.

“SelfEst” at Kind of – Gallery. A group art event. Sydney, Australia. Click here for more information.

Bask solo show “Box of Fun” at William Rupnik Gallery in Cleveland, OH. Click here for more information.

VIDEO PREMIERE! TEEBS by Brock Brake in Chicago

BSA Video debut of Photographer and BSA collaborator Brock Brake of artist Teebs who was recently in Chicago for his solo show at Pawn Works Gallery.

 Brock Brake “Black Book”

JM Rizzi “Day Dreaming Under Streetlights” (VIDEO)

Nuria Mora”2 Estrellas” (VIDEO)

New from Snyder : “Carlsbad Toreador” (VIDEO)

Read more
Fun Friday 11.11.11

Fun Friday 11.11.11

I think I missed the morning rush today because I hit the street earlier than usual… and got a seat on the subway (!) because I woke up at 5 a.m. thinking about Papandreou, Berlusconi, Merkel, Obama, and the 3 ring circus shaping up as the 2012 election. The great thing about worldwide impending calamity is, political hypocrisy and economic depression makes artists dig deeper for ways to portray both. That’s why we’re starting today’s Fun Friday with hi-larious satire by the number 16 puncher of all time, Mike Tyson. Always look at the sunny side peepul!

1. CAIN! Mike Tyson for Herman Cain 2012
2. K-Guy’s solo show “Iconic Irrigation”
3. TEEBS at Pawn Works (Chicago)
4. Gregory Siff’s solo “G” at The Site Unscene (LA)
5. Poster Boy in Brooklyn at Might Tanaka Saturday
6. Augustin Kofie “Circulatory System” at White Walls (SF)
7. “Art As A Weapon” (VIDEO)
8. “Luck Be A Lady” – a Frank Sinatra 1965 performance

CAIN! Mike Tyson for Herman Cain 2012

Give it up for Mike Ya’ll! He don’t know karate but he knows KaRazy… just like in the Matrix!

K-Guy’s solo show “Iconic Irrigation”

Opening today to the public at the London West Bank Gallery, a solo show by Street Artist K-Guy, who’s political and social indictments range from Catholic Church hypocrisy to international banking scams portrayed as “crisis”.

K-Guy’s commentary outside the tent village at Occupy London. (photo courtesy of Graffoto)

For further information on this show click here

TEEBS at Pawn Works (Chicago)

A multi-talented California based artist and musician, Mr Teebs’ solo show is called “Lady Luck” opening today in Chicago at Pawn Works Gallery.

Teebs. Still from the video “The Art of Teebs” by Theo Jemison.

To see the video click here

For further information regarding this show click here

Gregory Siff’s solo “G” at The Site Unscene (LA)

Brooklyn born actor, film maker, Street Artist, fine artist Gregory Siff has his solo show “G” today in Los Angeles.

Gregory Siff across a Wall (photo © Carlos Gonzalez)

For further information on this show click here

See Greg hitting up a wall on BSA from this week.

Poster Boy in Brooklyn at Might Tanaka Saturday

There is only one, or maybe there are many, Poster Boy/s. The subterranean subway poster slicing hasn’t been so apparent for a minute, but maybe it’s because PB has been slicing at the old kitchen table in preparation for a proper show. “Not for Prophet” is the title, summoning up the Pharisees, the tax man, and the folks down on Wall Street. Let’s see who and what gets cut.

Poster Boy. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Image by Poster Boy. For further information regarding this show click here

Augustin Kofie “Circulatory System” at White Walls (SF)

Augustin Kofie solo show “Circulatory System” opens tomorrow at the White Walls Gallery in San Francisco.  Graffiti writer and fine artist. Old Skool Bomber. Wildstyle. Mid-Century Abstractionism. American Modernism. Choose One and Stick with it, right? Read our interview with him – Augustine Kofie in Studio

For further information regarding this show click here

“Art As A Weapon” (VIDEO)

Jeff Durkin documentary “Art As A Weapon” explores the intersection of Street Art, Democracy and Buddhisim. View the film’s teaser here.

Jeff’s film is currently in production please help him complete his film with your generous contribution by clicking on the Kickstarter link below:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/artasaweapon/art-as-a-weapon

“Luck Be A Lady” – a Frank Sinatra 1965 performance

Stick with me baby I’m the guy you came in with.

Read more