Down in the dank dingy dirty tunnels my sense of direction is effectively erased by the screeching noise of the trains hurtling over century-old tracks, the disembodied robot women scatting on the P.A. system, and those colorful ads for the Dr. Zitzmore dermatology disaster recovery clinic.
This happens to tourists and 1st semester college kids almost every time they come upstairs to the street from the subway. They don’t know east from west, north from south, Harlem from the Village, Carnarsie from Sunnyside, Bedford from St. Marks Place – you have to look around to see signs and re-set the internal compass.
Isn’t this the Williamsburg Industrial Neighborhood?
This Skewville looking sign recently appeared in the run-down garbage-strewn lot next to this subway entrance, which may be the only welcoming sign on the block.
Of course there still could be someone lurking in the bushes waiting to mug you – the property has been ignored so long that weeds are now trees. But at least when you glance up you will know what neighborhood you were robbed in.
New Train Company Hires Well-Known Street Artists/ Graffiti Artists to Paint Trains
Vandalog Blog Writer Publishes New Book About Upcoming Street Art Show in London: “The Thousands”
Veng from Robots Will Kill painted this image one week ago in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Now it is going to be in the book “The Thousands”, by RJ Rushmore
Michael “RJ” Rushmore, founder of Vandalog, and bloggy friend of BSA, is still toiling in the fields of street art, turning out an impressive exhibition of street art next month called “The Thousands”, featuring work by some better-known street art names as Faile, Skewville, Banksy, Chris Stain, KAWS, Robots Will Kill, Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Herakut, and Barry McGee. To accompany the show RJ has written a cool book called “The Thousands: Painting Outside, Breaking In.” It is so up to date it features an image of Veng’s mural from last weeks MBP Urban Arts Fest! Damn son, those pics travel fast!
Says RJ on his blog “I am ecstatic. This is a street art book with all the artists I’ve always wanted to see in a book together. Plus, it’s not just me writing standard bios for the artists (though there is a bit of that), a lot of the book was written by other contributors. Mike Snelle from Black Rat Press wrote the forward (did you know he is an amazing writer?), Panik ATG wrote about Burning Candy, Know Hope wrote about Chris Stain, Gaia wrote about Know Hope… the list goes on.”
A sale on melons at Met Supermaket this week? (Celso) (photo Jaime Rojo)
A melange of soot, chain links, and dark clouds (Dark Clouds) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Elbow Toe (photo Jaime Rojo)
“That’s funny, we’ve had a bumper crop of tomatoes this year. We’ve been canning them, freezing them, Arlene even made chutney! Maybe you should have the soil tested,” offered Farmer Bob at the Union Square green market. (Elbow Toe) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Skewville lending words of support to Elbow Toe (photo Jaime Rojo)
Going through life as a lone wolf may not be as romantic as it sounds. (Yote) (photo Jaime Rojo)
I’m a male 9 year old adventurous intuitive Libra, medium-sized with brown eyes and no ear-tufts. I like squirrels and woodrats and occasional truffles. I’m looking for a lady soulmate who likes flying across the park on sunny days and enjoys long stretches of sitting on a branch just observing and talking about the mysteries of life. (Yote) (photo Jaime Rojo)
The healthcare debate is inspiration for commentary on the streets these days (Infirm Society) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Keely and the bridge (photo Jaime Rojo)
Michael Defeo, Smart Crew, and a tall glass building jutting through space (photo Jaime Rojo)
You two are just a couple of lovebirds, anybody every tell you that? (QRST) (photo Jaime Rojo)
Looking forward to that applebee honey! (Shin Shin) (photo Jaime Rojo)
The throngs of Norwegian fans were finally allowed the NUART Gallery space last night in at the end of a productive week by the street artists of Brooklyn at Stavanger!
The pictures here are primarily of the last preparations, but here’s one of the opening.
The crowds roll in and Skewville looks wild. (photo Evan Roth)
Hi-Jacked! (photo Evan Roth)
Two people almost talking, but not quite (Swoon) (photo Logan Hicks)
The bros in repose (photo Logan Hicks)
Leon Reid getting his piece ready for a large outdoor installation (photo Logan Hicks)
David Cho taking a break (photo Logan Hicks)
Logan Hicks outdoor piece plays with parallel lines (photo Logan Hicks)
detail (Logan Hicks)
Working man (Chris Stain) (photo Logan Hicks)
Inspired photography of Swoon by Logan Hicks
David Cho in skater's paradise (photo Logan Hicks)
It's Skaterworld! (photo Logan Hicks)
Golly, Dolly is tired (James Powderly) (photo Logan Hicks)
Bridge and Tunnel Doyenne Judith Supine has arrived, Logan has pretty much finished his new piece, GRL’s Evan Roth is analyzing Chris Stain’s graffiti skills electronically, the Skewville brothers haven’t cut off any fingers nor bonked heads while working.
Judith tries to make new friends with the other artists but they just turn their back (photo Logan Hicks)
Look at this too long and your head starts to hurt – Judith Supine (photo Logan Hicks)
Guess I put lip sunscreen on a little heavy – Judith Supine (photo Logan Hicks)
Logan is looking into Logan’s eyes. Does this make the piece introspective?
Have you seen my comb? (Skewville) (photo Logan Hicks)
No jokes should be made around power saws (Ad Deville) (photo Logan Hicks)
Watch your thumbs! (photo Logan Hicks)
AND NOW FOR SOME LOCAL COLOR
STAVANGER, a seaport of Norway, capital of Stavanger amt (county), on the west coast in 59° N. (that of the Orkney Islands and northern Labrador). Pop. (1900), 30,541. It lies on the south side of the Bukken Fjord, and has a picturesque harbour well sheltered by islands.
THERE, THAT WAS REFRESHING WASN’T IT?
Seriously though, 30,541 people? That was my graduating class!!
And Now, Back to the Artists and their good work…
It’s not unusual to catch Swoon whistling as she works, bless her (photo Logan Hicks)
Here she gives Chris his daily Geography lecture (photo Logan Hicks)
Group consultation (photo Logan Hicks)
James Powderly uses the scheduled “downtime” for play and idea-ating. (photo Logan Hicks)
Shards of streaming light bid us fint bye for this visit. (photos Logan Hicks)
Evan and Chris are fooling around with the tablet and pen. Patience, people, it’s the experimentation phase.
Nuart Main Gallery: It’s peaceful setting and appearance belie the great struggles of humanity inside (photo Logan Hicks)
What is it with that Norwegian air that makes some people so fresh? Or maybe that’s the beer…
One off-handed reference to Empires and before you know it, some closet soldiers start falling into character and spouting military metaphors and going off about seiges and skullduggery.
We aren’t completely positive what our in-the-field reporter is talking about but until they have a live blogging tent at Nuart this is what we can pass along your way, dear reader…. (The apparent rift between Baltimore and Non-Baltimore contingents has been independently verified however)
In the field, Chris Stain breathlessly relates the events as they unfolded;
“Yesterday BK converged in Stavanger at 1200 hours and planned a city-wide assault under the guise of NUART. During the meeting Skewville and Chris Stain were informed by Swoon that Stockholm and Copenhagen were not in Germany. ”
Lessons in geography.
“Swoon and accomplice Ben Wolf formed a plan to conquer the eastern wing of SKUR 2 by setting up an ambush in an adjacent alley.” (photo Chris Stain)
“Infantryman Logan Hicks wasted no time breaking into a full war cry with a new tactical approach on stenciling” (photo Chris Stain)
“…while the diabolical Leon Reid got busy drafting his piece for installation to take out a bank in the city center.” (photo Chris Stain)
“David Choe was meet with resistance when attempting a mission in allied territory.” (Photo Logan Hicks)
Finally, it was brought to the attention of NUART commander-in-chief Martyn Reed that two of the BK artists were originally from Baltimore and subsequently were made to ride in the back of the bus and eat at separate lunch counters to keep from contaminating the rest of the troops.
End apartheid in Stavanger! I’m putting this on my Facebook profile and if you really cared you would too. (Now, Baltimore is in Sweden right?)
“But seriously folks this sh*t is gonna be a classic!” – Private Stain
Okay, not to get carried away – and anyway there are a fair number of anti-empire peeps out there….The next phase of Nuart begins tonight and street artists from New York have started in earnest deep into the Norwegian night to bring the best of Brooklyn to the walls. While Brooklynites are back home celebrating the long Labor Day weekend with backyard, rooftop and sidewalk barbecues, Brooklyn street artists have begun the hard labor of installing brand new works in the main exhibition space for the Nuart Opening Weekend coming next.
Skewville is unpacking the suitcases and rolling out the orange caution fence and milk crates.
Chris Stain lightly sketches the outlines of a working fella.
Unveiling a new piece and style that he’s been working on, first to appear is a stairway by Logan Hicks
Brooklyn favorite Swoon anchors her piece with a figure.
David Choe is already pulling out the stops at 3 a.m.
Thanks to on-the-spot Workhorse Logan Hicks for letting us all take a look behind the scenes.
After being in development for 13 years, Droo says the new Skewville site is ready to roll!
Actually, that’s not how long it took to build the site – just it’s content. This roll-through left-right scroller is a quick primer for the uninitiated on the history and accomplishments of Skewville and the multiple projects they have embarked on over the last decade plus.
Or, as Ad and Droo say, “If you don’t know – now you know.”
All the round the whirl with Skewville irony
From launching galleries to launching thousands of pairs of their wooden dogs over wires around the globe, to offering shows to their peers and participating in shows internationally, and always adding their smart-aleck commentary about the street art “scene” to the discussion, these brothers have piled a sizeable stack of HYPE.
Complexity and mastery comes with practice. Blah Blah Blah
This must be the place. Skewville actually was a physical location and a lifestyle for the middle class and unfamous.
No strangers to sarcasm, the brothers have conceived and built a number of contraptions to get their message out.
Currently the Skewville Corporation is participating inNuart, a festival in Stavanger, Norway that celebrates the contributions of Brooklyn Street Artists.
Check the Tubeness below to see a piece that MTV Brasil did – After the first minute in Portuguese, Ad DeVille pretty much takes the show!
Vandalog’s RJ Hard at Work on “The Thousands”
His first “Pop-Up” is taking shape this November in London
An open and sincere voice in the street art blog world, RJ Rushmore is a stone cold street art lover. Albeit still in his teens, this guy posesses a maturity and modesty that many of his peers may not develop for another 10 years. More significant; his industry is matching the size of his dreams.
This time the dream is a “Pop-Up” show featuring the big names in street art today, exposing a larger audience to the genre that has captured the imagination of the youth culture.
RJ has been planning the show for many months methodically and feels secure about it’s ultimate success but he is very aware that he is taking a big leap to undertake this labor of love, where most of the work won’t even be for sale.
So far the 40 pieces in the show are from most of the big names in street art – Adam Neate, Banksy, Barry McGee, Jenny Holzer, Bast, Swoon, Kaws, Os Gemeos, Shepard Fairey, Herakut, Blek le Rat and others.
People are jumping into “The Thousands” every day as word spreads, and RJ’s been sorting out the details that come along with this kind of show – Artists, Collectors, Permissions, Love. In addition he’s working on a companion coffee table book to be published by Drago in November with photos and bios and a few guest contributors like Gaia and Panik.
His first exhibition includes some of the better known names and he’s looking forward to doing a future show with more emerging artists, but he’s smart to limit the scope the first time out. “The purpose of my efforts is to bring street art to the attention of a wider art community, and the best way to do that is to take the very best street artists’ artwork instead of all the emerging artists that I might love and think are promising”, says Mr. Rushmore.
The Thousands will be open from November 18th through the 22nd of November at Village Underground in London. Keep up on the details at the blog for “The Thousands” HERE
Eastern District, a 400sf gallery opened for about a year in Bushwick is looking to extend it’s reach by asking street art veteran gallerists Allison and Garrison Buxton to curate a new show in the ED space next door. Most people know that Ad Hoc Art recently announced it’s downsizing it’s square footage due in their 49 Bogart space and stories of ED’s impending closure have been swirling around also.
Well, this is how neighbors do it in Brooklyn: by reaching out and working together. If either one of these parties had been the snooty white-box types, it never would have worked. But this is an arts community that knows that the resulting strength is greater with two. When asked by ED to partner on shows, Ad Hoc Art happily and quickly accepted the invitation to curate and bring their peeps too. Now they are looking at ways to bring more great shows to ED. That’s very good news for the nascent Bushwick gallery scene, not to mention the artists who get to show there.
And that brings us to today. Garrison says, “AHA & ED have a Bushwick-focused show opening specifically highlighting very local talent from the hood where it all started.” Included are AHA/Bushwick favorites like like Destroy and Rebuild, LogikOne, Michael Allen, Molly Crabapple, Pagan, and Robert Steel”
Ad Hoc Art’s is now planning a fall exhibition featuring the work of Joe Vaux and Gilbert Oh to open in November at Eastern District and more shows planned into the winter, such as veteren British/French street artist Jef Aerosol in January. For now, it sounds like the Ad Hoc extravganza and shenanigans will continue!
Prepare for exciting art extravaganzas and shenanigans in the present and continuing into the near future, for Bushwick and beyond.
SuperDraw Keeps Developing – Now it’s an Iphone App
Remember BSA’s Projekt Projektor last year at the Dumbo Festival, full of new projectionists stretching the definition of Street Art? Remember the projectionists at the end of our Street Crush Show in February?
Then you’ll remember Josh Ott, or SuperDraw. Dude developed an interactive interface for people to project their own art through a project with their iPhones, and at our shows he eagerly transferred it to your phone for free so you could slap your work all over the Manhattan Bridge.
True, GRL keeps setting some of the standards, but we firmly believe that the future of street art may be vibrating in your front pocket right now. There is a whole crop of projectionists and video and multimedia artists that are sharpening their skillz for that Brave New Street Art World as we chase the wheat-pasters.
The Nuart Festival runs September 10 – October 9, 2009
EXCLUSIVE BROOKLYN SPECIAL! NUART-NUYORK
Stavanger Norway meet Brooklyn New York.
Some of the worlds leading street artists are flying for a week or two to Norway to participate in a street art festival that celebrates the Brooklyn Street Art with many of the same artists you’ll find right here. Leon Reid arrived yesterday, Chris Stain tomorrow, both to prepare to hold workshops with creatives and Norway National TV’s main cultural program “Safari” will be interviewing and following Swoon on the streets.
The roster includes;
SWOON, DAVID CHOE, BEN WOLF, JUDITH SUPINE, BRAD DOWNEY, LEON REID, GRAFFITI RESEARCH LAB, LOGAN HICKS, CHRIS STAIN, SKEWVILLE
As you know, New York is a city of immigrants, and the first Norwegians launched for New York 184 years ago and established their largest colony in the BK – creating a neighborhood of 200K plus people speaking Norwegian in bars, stores, and streets of Brooklyn.
The Nuart festival calls back the Brooklyn Flava by importing some of the greats from the streets of Brooklyn to exhibit, teach, and revel citiwide with panel debates, talks, film screenings, and fundraising. It’s all BROOKLYN, all the time.
Over the next few weeks BSA will keep in touch with events in our Sista City, Stavanger and get you some insight into the cool stuff that happens there for the Nuart Festival.
Previous Nuart festival artist Know Hope straightens out a line of tears.
Some work in progress on the gallery floor from Keely (photo Steven P. Harrington)
NYC’s unemployment rate is nearing 10% (higher than the national average by a point), the heat index in the City this week was as high as the crowd at Glasslands, we’re losing Arts programs in the schools left and right, Ad Hoc is shutting down their main gallery space, and Jennifer Anniston was thrown into the trunk of a car.
Who would believe in this topsy-turvey New York that a GALLERY celebrating Street Art is actually OPENING? You read it right. It’s called Pandemic (explanation below) and its on the South Side of Williamsburg Brooklyn in a space that used be the DollHaus, a Gothic-themed and deliberately disturbing gallery with Kewpies on skewers and mutilated cyborg dolls with Lydia-Lunch eyes. Even though it’s a little off of the main Williamsburg drag, it’s just a block from the first artist/hipster outpost “Diner”, and two blocks from the favorite place for Wall Street big-bellies to take guests for a daring trip across the river for steak on their corporate card , “Peter Lugers“
A bright “Welcome!” from 3 of Celso’s ladies (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Now the newly painted space has a fresh air of possibility that washes over you when greeted by the sunny owner of Pandemic, Keely Brandon, an artist and friend of the street art scene for some time. This week we stopped by during the installation and the gleaming walls, new lighting, and shiny floors bespoke a world full of possibilities. Saturday night the small gallery will host a group show of work by no less than 14 street artists, an impressive show of strength for the Grand Opening.
Brooklyn Street Art:A new gallery! How did you hook this up? Keely:It kinda just fell into my lap, I was apartment hunting and was offered a storefront instead. At the time it was a jewelry store. I started thinking about how awesome it would actually be to have a gallery space that I could run my own way. Free to display the art and merchandise of myself and other artists I respect. So I just went for it.
Always willing to lend a paw around the gallery! (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Brooklyn Street Art:Is “Pandemic” referring to something in particular, or just a general feeling of dread?
Keely: It’s the concept of a creating a worldwide epidemic, but in a positive way! expanding the global consciousness of our breed of art.
Stikman is mapping out the inner route (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Brooklyn Street Art:Have you ever had a gallery before? Keely: Nope
Brooklyn Street Art:How did you chose the artists that are involved with this show?
Keely:I chose a group of prolific street artists who’s artwork and dedication I really admire. Many have worked together before on projects, and create an awesome looking show.
Fresh from the East River! (Keely) (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Brooklyn Street Art:This place used to be a gallery for baby dolls dressed in gothic garb – babies with black lipstick and white eyes, etc. You find any heads rolling around in the closet?
Keely:Ha.. yea actually when i first moved in there i could have sworn the basement was haunted! No heads, but a lot of fuschia to paint over!
A box fer all yer stuff (R. Deeker) (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Brooklyn Street Art:Are you following a particular theme for this show, or is it mainly a group show?
Keely:No real theme… The name of the show is pandemic 37 – which is basically the gallery address. The show is just a grand intoduction to the place..
That IS Cheap! (artist Gay Sex) (photo Steven P. Harrington)
Brooklyn Street Art:Outside of the artists in the new show, what art excites you the most? Keely:hmmm.. I like alot of different things.. strange 70’s artwork. Peter Max, Marushka, and other obscure wall hangings. I love old illustrations in wildlife books, deep sea creature photographs and dinosaur everything. Anything with gnarly teeth!
Brooklyn Street Art:You ever have dinner at Diner? Muffins at Marlowes? Porterhouse at Peter Lugers? Keely:Dinner at Diner once, muffins at Marlowe… never. As for Peter Luger… I’m a vegetarian and I’m not rich!
You KNOW what time it is! (Royce Bannon) (photo Steven P. Harrington)
One of the more entertaining pieces in the show is the working clock on the face of one of two monsters by Royce Bannon. Royce explains the new development”
BSA: What made you make a clock? Royce: I made a clock because I like functional art. It looks cool and tells the time too.
BSA: What new skill did you use to install it?
Royce: No new skills were used in the making of the clock just the same old skills BSA: What room of an apartment would it be more appropriate for? Royce: Probably the kitchen.
BSA: Is it Monster Time?
Royce: It’s always monster time
From here to INFINITY (photo Steven P. Harrington)
In addition to celebrating the opening of the new gallery, everyone will be celebrating the new Street Art Blog by celebrated photographers Rebecca Fuller and Luna Park.
Their exciting new endeavor, The Street Spot, will feature many of the images of the street that fans have faithfully followed for the last few years. Besides being avid documentarians of the ever-evolving street art and graff scene in NY, Park and Fuller have a deep reservoir of knowledge and stories to draw upon.
TheStreetSpot.com will surely add to the richness of this vibrant scene for all the fans of the wacky world of street art. The AfterParty is where we’ll raise a glass to these fine individuals and their dream.
So that’s TWO great openings in one night! Things are LOOKING UP!
Familiar names in a new gallery, Bixby, Buildmore, Celso, DarkClouds, infinity, Judith Supine, Keely, Kngee, Matt Siren, R. Deeker, Royce Bannon, Stikman, Skewville, Wrona
My mom nearly busted her back one time trying to lift a couch.
So I spent a lot of time when I was 4 or 5 sitting in the chiropractor’s office waiting room.
Two things I remember are;
1. The receptionist actually played records on a record player next to her typewriter so there would be that dull and comforting waiting-room music on the speakers, and
2. They had these stoopid “kids” magazines that tried to be educational AND fun. NOT.
So, while Dr. Manhandle was cracking my mom’s back, I was sitting on a lime-green vinyl chair and listening to Lawrence Welk on wooden speakers, trying not to scribble on the walls with my no. 2 pencil and instead looking at “SPOT THE DIFFERENCE” pictures – two seemingly similar cartoons side-by-side. The trick was you had to find the 6 tiny little differences between the two by studying them closely. Maybe that is why I’m always spotting Street Art from 3 blocks away. Doesn’t explain why I can’t find my other shoe.
Here’s a fun game everyone can play. (CLICK on them to enlarge)
Okay here’s one very similar to the one’s in the waiting room. There are supposed to be six differences here – but I only saw the kat’s polly-lop first.
This one makes you think about all those official news pics you see on TV. Um, some slight differences here, people.
Very subtle changes in the original (on the left) and the knock-off (on the right) Are you observant enough to catch the differences?
I KNOW, it’s cheeky. Study hard.
No, their are actual differences. Take your time.
I Write the Songs that Make the Whole World Think I’m Sexy.
Okay, one’s in color and the other is in black and white. We’ll give you that. Anything else?
And finally….. courtesy of the street… (thanks to Thomas Goryeb)
So there you have it – how did you do? Are you observant?
If you are hooked on the game now – there is an iphone app too. Go crazy with your bad self,
This one caught our eye for the merging of classic graffiti nerve, blunt style execution, sentimental velvety roses, inspirational verses, …Read More »
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BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
