All posts tagged: Praxis

BSA Images Of The Week: 09.17.23/Los Angeles

BSA Images Of The Week: 09.17.23/Los Angeles

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

This week, we found ourselves amidst the vibrant energy of Los Angeles, uncovering hidden gems and reconnecting with old friends. One highlight was a visit to Roger Gastman’s dynamic ‘Beyond the Streets’ gallery, which celebrated its first year with a captivating show featuring Tim Conlon, HuskMitNavn, and Pose. A thrilling moment was when we had the privilege of moderating a panel that featured the artistic brilliance of Layer Cake’s duo – Patrick Hartl and Christian Hundertmark (C100), the iconic Chaz Bojórquez, recognized as the godfather of graffiti and the epitome of California Chicano artistry, and our host, the ever-passionate artist and activist, Shepard Fairey. The venue buzzed with artists and connoisseurs, each directly or deeply ingrained in the world of art in the streets. And as LA’s streets echoed with the spirit of Mexican Independence Day, the youthful beats of Mexican music star Peso Pluma serenaded us from passing cars. Truly, a week to remember.

Here is our weekly interview with the street: this week featuring Shepard Fairey, Vhils, Invader, Keith Haring, Nychos, El Mac, Add Fuel, Praxis, Hueman, Estevan Oriol, Hijack, Tempt, David Howler, Loks Angeles, Kook, Madre, and Downtown Daniel.

Downtown Daniel was inspired by a photograph by Estevan Oriol in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

El Mac in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
El Mac in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey and Vhils collaboration in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey and Vhils collaboration in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey and Vhils collaboration in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey and Vhils collaboration in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Invader in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Invader in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Invader in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Tempt in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Madre in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hijack in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
KOOK in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Loks Angeles (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Keith Haring in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nychos in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nychos in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nychos in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nychos in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Add Fuel in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hueman in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Howler in Los Angeles. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 08.20.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 08.20.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Back in dirty old Brooklyn from squeaky clean Norway, nothing has changed, and everything has changed. The Pokémon GO Fest is bringing 70,000 players to Randalls Island and elsewhere in the city, city government is banning TikTok from all official devices, and stabbings are up by 26% so Stay on your A-game out there people. The city is still beckoning you to Summer Streets, and we do too because wherever you go in New York, there is always a show, and sometimes you are it.

Back at home we have around 100,000 new immigrants from Mexico over the last year, central and south America this year because of buses full arriving from the southern border, and the city is struggling to find them sufficient shelter, let alone housing. Now the governor is joining league with President Biden to tell the mayor that it’s his problem. The paucity of vision here is regrettable, especially when, A. the city benefits greatly from new immigrants, B. the money is nearly pouring into the Ukranian war daily, now reaching at least 78 billion in aid (with a new 24 billion just proposed) only so Blackrock can sweep in and take all the contracts to rebuild when it is finished, C. New York has a surplus of office space ready to become residences, and D. NYC is historically a highly diverse city of immigrants who have kept us in business and made us culturally rich beyond belief, brothers and sisters. Not everyone has forgotten what made us great, even today. It’s us.

We lead the images this week with street artist Nimi’s poetic interpretation in Stavanger of Norway’s famous cliff Preikestolen, or Pulpit Rock. There are not sufficient words to describe certain examples of natural beauty, so it is more fitting that a street artist address it – in this case possibly creating a parallel between its scale and the depth of love the artist has for his family. According to online accounts, the subject is his daughter Sophia.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Praxis VGZ, BK Foxx, Snik, Calicho Art, Sonny Sundancer, Nite Owl, NIMI, Pinky, Heal Hop, and Silvia Marcon.

Nimi’s poetic interpretation of Norway’s famous cliff Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock. Norway. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lysefjorden. Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock. Norway. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nimi’s poetic interpretation of Norway’s famous cliff Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock. Norway. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lysefjorden. Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock. Norway. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Snik. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Silvia Marcon’s portrait of the Mona Lisa was made with mosaics. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pink is hot this summer, thanks to BlackPink, Barbie and Messi. Houston/Bowery Wall, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist. Houston/Bowery Wall, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BK Foxx for East Village Walls. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BK Foxx for East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sonny Sundancer for The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sonny Sundancer for The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sonny Sundancer for The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sonny Sundancer for The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Heal Hop (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nite Owl (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Calicho Art (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Windmills off the coast of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Summer 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 07.02.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.02.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! Happy 4th of July Weekend.

The smoke from forest fires revisited our fair dirty city again this week, causing the air to smell like a summer campfire wherever you rode your bike or walked, or scootered. In some neighborhoods, it was a new smell that almost overcame the smell of urine and garbage, so that was a silver lining. Also it served as a trigger for people who have gone camping to buy marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate to make s’mores in the kitchen. Or maybe we are just talking about ourselves.

Also, the results of having a right wing leaning Supreme Court came in this week; Rulings striking regarding affirmative action, GLBTQ+ rights, limitations on student loan forgiveness, and domestic abusers and guns – all took serious hits. Welcome to the increasingly conservative US courts, even as annual polls conclude that a majority of US citizens hold more liberal and progressive views every year.

This week we have an assortment of murals, street art, and graffiti for you. Enjoy!

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Skewville, Matt Siren, Praxis, Lexi Bella, Eternal Possessions, Didi, BK Ackler, Enivo, Smile Boulder, Mena Ceresa, Jeff Rose King, Eye Know, Girlly, MS Chainker, Green Villian, XIK Art, and BustArt.

XIK ART in Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Green Villian x Skewville (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Didi x Lexi Bella (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MSChainker (photo © Jaime Rojo)
We don’t recognize this artist’s signature in Wynwood, Miami. Please help. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ENIVO (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BUSTART (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BKAckler (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Smile Boulder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MSChainker (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Girlly (photo © Jaime Rojo)
PRAXIS (photo © Jaime Rojo)
PRAXIS & Eye Know (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jeff Rose King (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Eternal Possessions (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mena Ceresa (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Matt Siren (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NBC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enter (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2023. NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 04.30.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 04.30.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Where is the mafia news? Have you noticed how there is no news anymore about the mafia in the US? No sting operations, uncovered networks, perp walks, or wagging tongues? The New York tabloids used to go for days about Don this and Don that, accompanied by blurry surveillance photos in black and white. Did the mafia disappear? All our companies and industries and institutions are relatively free of corruption now, right?

Now our gripping concerns across the country are wokeism, racism, transphobia, ableism, ageism, pronouns, immigrants on the border, the government itself, abortion, and gun control. There are two teams, two sides; One is patently evil, and the other clearly is virtuous. Patriot vs Terrorist. Your solemn, weighty decision is to pick which team you are on and to join in the great debate as we head into election season, evidence of our thriving democracy! Go Team Good!

This week we wander through the seemingly emptier streets of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, The Village, and Soho to discover what street artists are bringing to their audience with earnest amor de primavera. The results are bracing, racing, effete, mysterious, hip hop, heady, graphic, and subversive: even as the flowering trees and ground vegetation is abloom, and the April rains have been prodigious.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Praxis, CRKSHNK, VOZ, Lexi Bella, Pear, Zexor, CP Won, Ollin, Phetus88, Eternal Possessions, Humble, Font147, and Whatifier.

Humble (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Humble (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Humble (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Humble (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Humble (photo © Jaime Rojo)
CP WON for East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
#whatifier (photo © Jaime Rojo)
PEAR (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FONT147 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FONT147 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FONT147 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
CRKSHNK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lexi Bella (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lexi Bella (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
LOSO! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Phetus88 and Hip Hop Is My Religion (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Phetus88 and Hip Hop Is My Religion (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Phetus88 and Hip Hop Is My Religion (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ZEXOR. This roller piece has been on this wall for a minute; we’ve published it before. What’s remarkable this time around is that the city just completed the renovation of three small parks in the area, and this was one of them, and they left the graffiti intact. That hasn’t always been the case with municipal property. Graffiti is/was usually the first thing to get buffed/painted over, involving a beautification project by the city of New York. Not this time. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
The palimpsest at the Houston/Bowery Wall continues… (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Eternal Possessions (photo © Jaime Rojo)
They It Forward (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ollin Crew (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ollin Crew (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Pink Dogwood. Spring 2023. NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 02.19.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 02.19.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! We’re in the middle of a long weekend thanks to tomorrow’s President’s Day. Usually, its a good weekend for some people to get out of the city to go skiing, but seriously there has been no snow here this year, which is troubling. We might as well stay at home and get to know our friend ChatGPT. Maybe make some comfort food and play board games with it. What? Why did you make a face?

Big things are happening in the Bronx right now, thanks to Tats Cru and the cultural ecosystem surrounding them and the community of Hunts Point in the Boogie Down. See some new images below and look out for some new serious Hip Hop & graffiti collaborations this year.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Praxis, Tats Cru, Dmote, Bio, Ribs, Andaluz the Artist, BG183, Qzar, Anahu, R. Flores, XSM, OTL, Skemes, Sheek Louch, The Lox, and YesOne.

Anahu & R. Flores. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Anahu & R. Flores. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Anahu & R. Flores. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Anahu & R. Flores. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Welcome to Bronxlandia, a marketplace, with local vendors, symposia, events and performances in Hunts Point. Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Welcome To…The Bronx. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Memorial wall by Tats Cru to celebrate life and in memory of Djay. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Memorial wall by Tats Cru to celebrate the life and in memory of BIG PUN who passed away in 2000. Christopher “Big Pun” Rios was a Hip Hop artist and a master lyricist. His two classic albums “Capital Punishment” and “Yeeahh Baby” are among the most revered among the Hip Hop community and fans. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
XSM QZAR (photo © Jaime Rojo)
DMOTE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
OTL SKEMES (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BIO TATS CRU (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BG183 TATS CRU (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Andaluz The Artist mural in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop turns the spotlight to Sheek Louch, Mr. David Styles, Jada Kiss, and The Lox. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Yes0ne, Ribs, and BG183 wish you a Happy New Year 2023 with the help of Frank Sinatra, “New York, New York”. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Yes0ne. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ribs. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BG183 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
A constellation of graffiti writers gathered at Hunts Point in The Bronx to hear KRS ONE The Teacha’s proposal for a project celebrating the 50 years of Hip Hop. KRS ONE and Tats Cru will create an exhibition with 50 graffiti writers to mark this momentous milestone in Hip Hop. BSA will keep you in the loop as the project continues to develop. (photo © Jaime Roj

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BSA Images Of The Week: 11.13.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 11.13.22

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

One of the hardest weeks of our lives. But we’re still here to give you another posting of new shots of street art and graffiti on the streets. Thank you for your support, and thank God for the creative spirit that keeps us inspired, our cities alive, informed, and in-touch with the common person.

The so-called ‘Red Wave’ (red tsunami, red hurricane, etc.) didn’t materialize in the mid-term elections Tuesday despite the drumbeat on corporate media. On the other hand, the Democratic party can’t be too proud of their “squeaker” win – or their incremental moves to the corporate right for four decades. Nothing to sing and dance about.

Meanwhile, a large swath of previously middle-class people continues to slip into poverty every day – working 2, 3 jobs at a time and still not able to make ends meet. It is more obvious than ever in this modern age, there is no party run by the people.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Praxis, SRKSHNK, Lexi Bella, Homesick, Chupa, Ivanorama, Kimyon333, Sinclair the Vandal, Cramcept, SORE, Qzar, Lasak, Uwont, Aidz, Delae, SGVT, and NYC Kush Co. and Sean9Lugo.

Mobb Deep tribute by Sean9Lugo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cramcept. Is it just us, or do we see mushrooms everywhere lately? (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NYC Kush Co. See?(photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sinclair (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Qzar (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Son (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Homesick (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SGVT (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Kimyon333 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
CRKSHNK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis with The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis with The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
What a clown. Ivanorama (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SORE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
UWONT. AIDZ. DELAE. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lexi Bella (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lasak. Chupa. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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What’s The Word On The Street?

What’s The Word On The Street?

Oh, Word? Word.

We may take them for granted, but these can be the most powerful, impactful things that we can do during our lifetime. That is why we follow the street scribes and listen to what is said and how. Because of the effort that it takes an artist or a poet, or a preacher to prepare these texts for us to read in the public sphere, we give them a little more respect. Perhaps you find them inspiring, puzzling, angering, or a waste of time.

If well chosen and well placed, the written word has the power to move mountains.

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Words are free. It’s how you use them that may cost you.” -KushandWizdom

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“…But the human tongue is a beast that few can master. It strains constantly to break out of its cage, and if it is not tamed, it will run wild and cause you grief.” -Unknown

Failure Is Not An Option. Sticker Maul. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Savior El Mundo (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble.” -Yehuda Berg

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“My task, which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel–it is, before all, to make you see.” -Joseph Conrad

Captain Eyeliner (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Don’t mix bad words with your bad mood. You’ll have many opportunities to change a mood, but you’ll never get the opportunity to replace the words you spoke.” -Unknown

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
KING (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” -John Keating

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“If we understood the power of our thoughts, we would guard them more closely. If we understood the awesome power of our words, we would prefer silence to almost anything negative. In our thoughts and words, we create our own weaknesses and our own strengths. Our limitations and joys begin in our hearts. We can always replace negative with positive.” -Betty Eadie

Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 10.09.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 10.09.22

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

As the graffiti and street art high season draws to a close, we remark on the stunning array of new faces on the New York scene this year, as well as a large crop of maturing talents from the last decade or so. The length of the cycle for artists working on the street varies some, but we’ve been around enough to see many of the early 2000s stars fade away or move on to other things. The voice of this new generation is as challenging as ever and perhaps more savvy in many ways. Still, it’s good to see the re-appearance this month of folks like Hera in New York – a talent whose global and studio escapades have made her a revered street artist over about two decades.

Our thanks to all the artists of all persuasions and longevity for giving voice and character to our public spaces.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Queen Andrea, Praxis,CRKSHNK, Lexi Bella, Danielle Mastrion, Homesick, Hera, Panic, Seo, Insane 51, Habibi, Didi, Keops, OSK, AAA, EXR, RJG Rock, L.O.U.R.S., Nohemi, Hazard One, and Emesa.

Hera AKA Herakut with Didi. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hera with Didi. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hera with Didi. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hera with Didi. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hera with Didi. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danielle Mastrion (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Emesa (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hazard One (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lexi Bella (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nohemi (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Insane 51 for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Insane 51 for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Queen Andrea (photo © Jaime Rojo)
L.O.U.R.S. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
L.O.U.R.S. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
RJG Rock (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Keops (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Homesick (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SEO PANIC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
AAA x EXR (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis in collaboration with OSK. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
CRKSHNK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Habibi (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Manhattan. October 2022. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 09.11.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 09.11.22

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

21 years since the Twin Towers came down here in New York City. We remember today in our hearts.

Reliably, street art plays a role in bringing up the socio-political topics that are in the public realm. This week we see artists addressing gun violence, the ongoing battle for/against legal abortion, and LGBT rights. Also, there are just a lot of fun, colorful exhortations that we may or may not understand but which tell us all that the streets of New York are alive and well.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Stikman, City Kitty, Praxis, Sinned, Miyok, Trap, Spite, Tea, Goomba, John Domine, WoWi, and Helaenable.

Raddington Falls (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Eternal Possesions (photo © Jaime Rojo)
GOOG (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Trap (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Spite (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Tea (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Goomba for East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stikman (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Raddington Falls (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentifed artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
City Kitty in a collab with John Domine. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sinned and Ria for Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
WoWi (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Miyok (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Helaenable (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2022. Chihuahua, Mexico (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 08.21.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 08.21.22

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Robert Vargas starts us off this week with a compelling trio of faces, or sides of one character. In each case she has been silenced. “Painting my “STOP” mural is a call to action to stop our #Indigenous sisters from going missing and murdered. The red hand over the mouth is the symbol of a growing movement that stands for all missing sisters whose voices are not heard.”
The streets are speaking. Will we hear them?

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Royce Bannon, Jason Naylor, Praxis, No Sleep, JPO, Le Crue, Hiss, Slow Boil, SKJ 171, Mike 171, D. Brains, Dan Alavarado, Panic Rodriguez, and Robert Vargas.

Robert Vargas (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Le Crue in collaboration with The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roycer (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roycer (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
No Sleep (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Panic Rodriguez. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentifed artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dan Alavarado. Welling Court Mural Project NYC.Panic NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor / JPO (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SKJ_171 / Mike_171, D. Brains. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Slow Boil (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hiss (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2022. NYC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 07.03.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.03.22

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Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

It’s 4th of July weekend here, a patriotic holiday that marks the US independence. This year the overarching oft-repeated phrase is that America is more polarized than ever, perhaps on the verge of a civil war. But really? Where is this theme coming from? Is someone trying to con us into being deeply distrustful of each other and angry? Does anyone gain by making us fight?

We see New Yorkers, who are some of the most diverse and varied lot you are likely to ever find, treating each other daily with fairness; giving each other more space than ever to be who we are. We walk into restaurants, museums, buses, stores, laundromats, delis, offices, gymnasiums, parks – and usually find people being considerate, warm, respectful of differences, more inclusive than ever. New York proves time and again that people WANT to get along, and we DO get along with each other despite our huge differences, because we really have more things in common. That’s not rhetoric or glossing things over; that’s daily experience in this big weird melting pot of beautiful New York City.

Thanks to all the street artists who keep bringing it and sharing it.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Praxis, Gane, HOACS, Degrupo, Such, King Baby, Nemze, L.A. Hope Dealer, MFK, Renda Writer, Peek, and RB.

Praxis (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Justice (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Unidentified artist (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Unidentified artist (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Degrupo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
King Baby (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nemzs (photo © Jaime Rojo)
L.A. Hope Dealer (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MFK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hoacs (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
“Jesus is coming. Look busy.” Unidentified artist (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Isn’t this just a logo? Are graffiti tags and pieces just logos as well? Discuss. Such (photo © Jaime Rojo)
If public space can be appropriated for corporations to put their message, can you do it also? Such (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Renda Writer (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Peek!! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
R-B (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Gane (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Gane (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Birds understand abstract concepts. We all know this. Unidentified artist (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 02.06.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 02.06.22

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Happy New Year of the Tiger! We found some on the street this week in New York, no surprise perhaps.

In other news, OG train writer Chris “Daze” Ellis captured the attention of The New York Times this Friday with his new contemporary art show “Give it All You Got” at P·P·O·W Gallery, and in a related story, according to the New York Daily News, there were 120 graffiti-related incidents on subway trains in January 2021, a 21% increase compared to the same period last year.

The differences between the 1970s/80s and today, as it pertains to graffiti and street art, are vast; Phillips auction house has an exhibition of graffiti artists that we estimate to be valued well into the millions, author/critic Carol Diehl is on a tour promoting her book “Banksy Completed” (MIT Press) which argues that we all complete his works, BSA has officially opened a new library with Martha Cooper at Urban Nation (Berlin) dedicated to being the penultimate resource for academic research and literature related to graffiti and street art around the world, street artist Shepard Fairey just sold out a 7,400 piece generative NFT art project on OpenSea, and 1970s/80s artists/graffiti writers like Futura and Zephr are being interviewed by iconic cultural critic Carlo McCormick at the Wexner Museum.

In his curatorial incarnation, Carlo has been organizing an enormous new exhibition about New York’s ‘downtown’ scene that he’s curating with Peter Eleey to open this July at UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing featuring “several defining works of this generation, such as paintings and drawings by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring.”  McCormick, you will remember, originated the concept and title for his book Trespass : a History of Uncommissioned Urban Art, which made the direct connection between fine art, the avant-garde, and the various street/public art practices of serious radical art movements like those popularized in the 1960’s by Guy Debord and the Situationistes Intérnationales. With these movements and arguments informing our view, it’s simplistic to be so polarized when assessing the value given/damage done by illegal graffiti writers and street artists.

Today our public/private debates about whether someone’s aerosol creation is vandalism or art are far more complex, more palpable than before. Thanks to the validation of graffiti and street art as a cultural force by fashion designers, toy manufacturers, home goods stores, clothing chains, commercial brands, film directors, art collectors, auction houses, artists, writers, professors, and respected education and art institutions, these practices of art-making on the street are enmeshed in the culture, fully a part of it.

One of these days a train car covered with graffiti will head to the yards for buffing… and reappear at an art fair, a Sotheby’s auction, or in the back yard of an avid collector. Our thoughts turn to the “Fun Gallery” refrigerator covered with graffiti tags in that is currently on display at the Phillips “Graffiti” show on Park Avenue right now.

And so we turn to our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Billye Merrill, BK Foxx, Crash, DrewOne, Elle, Eraquario, Eskae, Jenkins2D, Lamour Supreme, MAD, Manuel Alejandro, Osiris Rain, Praxis, REDS, Sipros, The Creator, The DRIF, and Twice.

Manuel Alejandro, The Creator. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Billye Merrill with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BK Foxx with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BK Foxx with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Crash and The Drif with The L.I.S.A. Project NYC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Crash in Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Eraquario (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Individual Activist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ben Keller with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Elle and REDS in Miami (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Elle and REDS in Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
LAmour Supreme in Miami is tagged by Twice and Eskae. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
LAmour Supreme in Miami is tagged by Crons, Fume, Mad, Twice, and Eskae. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Osiris Rain in Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jenkins2D with East Vialle Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sipros and DrewOne in Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Wallabout Channel. Brooklyn, NYC. January 2022. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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