All posts tagged: Sofles

BSA Film Friday: 03.17.23

March 17, 2023 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. Sofles “Gold Fat Cap”

2. Thomas Medicus -Best Before.

3. Edward Hopper’s New York: First Impressions via The Whitney Museum

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BSA Special Feature: Sofles “Gold Fat Cap“

Fresh paint from Sofles, a night session from a beyond-writer at the height of his powers and using a single gold fat cap. To the sounds of breezes, traffic, and the muffled strains of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Chuck Berry. Followed in the sunlight by birds chirping. Isn’t life rich?

Thomas Medicus -Best Before

His sculptural works are usually more involved than this. Still, it is entertaining to watch the active destruction of this piece using at least some of the vocabulary of deconstruction and urban decay.

Unpacking Hopper’s New York: First Impressions via The Whitney Museum

“Edward Hopper’s first impressions of New York with exhibition organizers Kim Conaty, Steven and Ann Ames Curator of Drawings and Prints, and Melinda Lang, Senior Curatorial Assistant. In 1899 when he was seventeen, Hopper began commuting to New York from Nyack by train and ferry to study art. In 1906, he entered the commercial art field and worked as a freelancer for several New York advertising agencies and magazines. Starting in 1913, Hopper lived and worked at 3 Washington Square North and, with his wife Jo, he remained until his death in 1967.”

BSA Film Friday: 09.16.22

September 16, 2022 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. Sofles / Elevate. By Sofles and Aftermidnight Film Co.
2. Queen Elizabeth II Almost Died / The Simpsons
3. SAABE, “I’M NOT DONE YET” Via Montana Colors

BSA Special Feature: Sofles / Elevate. By Sofles and Aftermidnight Film Co.

Oh yes, the oppressive, stultifying, soul-sucking corporate office job. It deviously diminishes you, taking credit for your ideas, and uses a thousand cuts to demoralize you slowly but surely (human “resource”, anyone?). Australian graff/street artist Sofles plays the role here as a character lifted from a graphic novel; the unwilling cog in the machine whose urge to create bucks the system.

“Awesome editing and story!” says one of the hundreds of comments amassed on this 5-day-old video that suggests no one gives up on their dreams, especially you.

Sofles / Elevate. By Sofles and Aftermidnight Film Co.

Queen Elizabeth II Almost Died / The Simpsons
During this period of mourning where many are reflecting on QE II’s influence on society, culture, art, even Homer Simpson…

SAABE, “I’M NOT DONE YET”

Sabe knows. After three-plus decades getting up he has inspired a lot of fans and peers with his wild style writing in Europe, making him what some call a true legend from Copenhagen. He’s known for a wide range of styles, bombs, burners, and panels, seemingly talented at them all. Stay to the end, as they say, to hear some of the insights that he shares about himself, his work, and his life.

This is not your average graff head video because he keeps it real, even if painful to say or hear.

“I feel like I had a family.”

“Maybe I feel like a loser.. but Iam happy because I can paint.”

“I’m not done yet.”

BSA Film Friday: 04.08.22

April 8, 2022 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. Chris Pape: The Freedom Tunnel via VICE
2. SOFLES: The Humble Rollerdoor
3. Stargazing Mojave/Joshua Tree National Park
4. Angel and Z Podcast Interview NECKFACE
5. Tripl Stays True to the Name

BSA Special Feature: Chris Pape: The Freedom Tunnel

All time Top 10 stories in NYC graffiti lore will invariably name-check the “Freedom Tunnel,” so called in the 1980s because of its most famous writer, Chris “Freedom” Pape. You may not know where it is located, but you know that it is cavernous, that the sun is filtered into it from grates above like jolts of raw power, and that it is also home to many New Yorkers who are off the grid. That’s just one of the many ironies of calling this “Freedom Tunnel.”

One of the revelations of this intimate interview is that Freedom is rational in his rather laissez-faire approach to people and painting, preferring his own counsel and leaving others to theirs without judgment. These could be the gifts of later life on display – certainly rarely heard sentiments from your average vandal. He says he chose the tunnels as a strategy to avoid the withering criticism that he heard other writers had of train pieces while reviewing passing cars. An illustration painter, his time-intensive works based on more classical fine art works and techniques were unusual on the graffiti scene, perhaps presaging the coming Street Art movement.

SOFLES: The Humble Rollerdoor

With his customary ease and can-control panache, SOFLES is aided here by sophisticated variations in pacing, focus, gaze of the camera. Drop in a few visual glitches and slights of hand – all against a non-background audio that sounds like pouring rain, and he takes us somewhere else again, again.

Stargazing Mojave/Joshua Tree National Park

Is life magic? Are there holes in your dreams into which birds can drop into? Is the earth in movement at all times, always dancing? Yes, it is.

Angel and Z Podcast Interview NECKFACE

It doesn’t get better than this. Interview with a writing/fine art legend in a fleabag hotel. Who knows what kind of wisdom he’s about to lay on you.

Tripl Stays True to the Name

Okay okay okay you win!

Tripl broke trainwriting with this one 🤯

Watch to the end pic.twitter.com/YxreprAHkw
— Montana Colors (@MontanaColors) April 8, 2022

BSA Film Friday: 10.08.21

October 8, 2021 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. Sofles: Same As It Ever Was (Feat Tuesy) by After Midnight Film
2. ShenShen210
3. Shipo All Night Long: Madrid via SystemBoys

BSA Special Feature: Sofles: Same As It Ever Was (Feat Tuesy) by After Midnight Film

Oddly you’ll see little or no mention of New York art-rock geniuses Talking Heads in this new video of Sofles and Tuesday painting. The video and song are both called, “Same As It Ever Was”, and it is good to see a new generation blown away by this music, recontextualized here as a graffiti writing soundtrack.

Sofles: Same As It Ever Was (Feat Tuesy) by After Midnight Film

ShenShen210

“ShenShen210: was the first female graffiti artist on the West Coast to do quality work, and graffiti is the most important art movement in the last 40+ years.” – Jim Prigoff, photographer, art historian, author of “Spraycan Art with Henry Chalfant”

Shipo All Night Long: Madrid via SystemBoys

Staying up all night with graffiti writer Shipo in Madrid as he jumps, climbs, lays down next to walls under the cover of darkness to leave his mark.

BSA Film Friday 08.20.21

August 20, 2021 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. Banksy: Great British Spraycation
2. NYC! Sound (Back) On
3. Sofles in Brisbane featuring Gamo & Kitsa

BSA Special Feature: Banksy : Great British Spraycation

The summer days begin to wane and you’ve played all the games with your siblings and cousins three times or more. Before heading back to school, time to rummage around Uncle Bob’s garage and find a can of spray paint he used to fix a kitchen chair for Aunt Keisha. You wonder to yourself, “What could we do with this?”

BANKSY: Great British-Spraycation

NYC! Sound (Back) On

Been waiting for Covid to give us a break so New York could get back to our version of normal. This summer it’s still been hard but New York is definitely back in all its many ways. Makes us wanna dance!

Sofles in Brisbane with Feat. Gamo&Kitsa

You been getting up lately? Just released here’s a Brisbane, Australia wall jam with Sofles in collaboration with honored guests Gamo and Kitsa from Marseille, France.

BSA Film Friday: 08.06.21

August 6, 2021 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. FEM – Graffiti Documentary
2. GRAFFITI TV: HUNGR
3. SOFLES / MARVEL

BSA Special Feature: FEM – Graffiti Documentary.

Now from Bremen, Germany – “Just like a sports addiction, or a sugar addiction, I’m basically addicted to graffiti.” Fem says she is like Sherlock Holmes, Crocodile Dundee, and Pipi Longstocking all rolled into one.

FEM – Graffiti Documentary. Via Spray Daily

GRAFFITI TV: HUNGR.

Speaking of crocodiles, here’s a summertime Hungr spraying out a wall ankle deep in water, wearing a pair of crocks.

SOFLES / MARVEL

Here you are again, about to be drawn into the Sofles vortex, this one particularly MARVELous.

BSA Film Friday: 07.09.21

July 9, 2021 Artists

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

Now screening:
1. Case Maclaim for WallStoryTown in Bad Vilbel, Germany
2. Sofles / Blood Moon
3. Okuda San Miguel. RONDA
4. Riton x Nightcrawlers – Friday ft. Mufasa & Hypeman (Dopamine Re-edit)

BSA Special Feature: Case Maclaim for WallStoryTown in Bad Vilbel, Germany

Delabrave coming on strong in the one-minute category with Raül Acuña directing and a concise track progression on a master. Here in Bad Vilbel, Case Maclaim has no bad angles.

Case Maclaim for WallStoryTown in Bad Vilbel, Germany.

With mastery of a differently complex language using only cans, Sofles generates a fantasy with cities in clouds and the reflections of the Blood Moon overhead, a plump and racing belt of graffiti adventures sustaining the action underneath. High marks to After Midnight Film for editing and solid choice of Spooky Bizzle for the soundtrack.

Sofles / Blood Moon

Ever loosening his familiar components of representation, OKUDA reappropriates with skill and humor to create this dual portrait. Intercut with the majesty of flamenco, the strumming, swirling, finger-snapping, hand clapping bailaora lays the foundation for our visual cantanto, Okuda San Miguel.

Okuda San Miguel. RONDA

Riton x Nightcrawlers – Friday ft. Mufasa & Hypeman (Dopamine Re-edit)

The newest anthem that helps you dance your way into the weekend!

BSA Film Friday: 06.11.21

June 11, 2021 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. “Bubble Tea” with Sofles
2. Doug Gillem Discusses Stereotypes in Street Art
3. Vero Rivera in Columbia, SC. Via Tost Films

BSA Special Feature: “Bubble Tea” with Sofles

Sofles gives us such beautiful Fridays – with a jump in his step and a flair in the sweep of his arm. It’s bubble time!

Our Expectations of Street Art’s Role in Projecting and Reflecting Values

It is not a surprise that street art reflects the culture back to itself, including elements that some will find objectionable or disgusting – this has always been true. As the so-called “culture” of street art becomes professionalized and monetized and regarded as legitimate by institutions and commercial interests like brands, we continue to hear that it is now being, to some extent, more closely examined. Doug Gillen of FifthWall TV explores criticisms of one artist’s work – FinDac – in regard to Asian tropes and stereotypes.

People have mentioned FinDac’s work for the last half-decade at least, so it is interesting that a current heated awareness regarding identity politics is pushing the conversation further. Truthfully, stereotypes about blacks, gays, the police, media, the military, women, men, religious institutions, politicians, sex roles, gender roles, political parties, geopolitics… have always been on display in myriad forms in street art and graffiti. It can be a worthwhile exercise when we begin to examine them in greater detail.

Vero Rivera in Columbia, SC. Via Tost Films

A commission for a suburban coffee shop mural, this hand painted work by Vero Rivera is a few steps removed from the street art and graffiti scene that first sparked out interest decades ago. The dynamics are different, but the spirit of creativity is the same.

BSA Film Friday: 05.21.21

May 21, 2021 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. SOFLES / Spillway
2. SOFLES/ Geometric 2
3. Abandoned Places with Cycki and Gienio via Dope Cans
4. The Day the Dollar Died 5/20/21

BSA Special Feature: SOFLES / Spillway

Did they say spillway or speedway?

In this edit by After Midnight Film Co, the low shutter speed effect ramps up the excitement of bombing.

In his comment on Youtube, Maxwell Morris says, “What in the actual f? Best bombing I have ever had the pleasure to witness. Pushing form, color combinations, abstraction, technique and motion and energy to a new level.”

SOFLES / Spillway

SOFLES/ Geometric 2

Abandoned Places with Cycki and Gienio via Dope Cans

In a return to smart sound and video editing, these two remind us how delicious silver bubble tags are. Satin sheeny and crunchy dopeness.

Song shout-out to Nicolas Jaar – “Space is Only Noise if You Can See”

The Day the Dollar Died 5/20/21

“We expect to play a leading role in developing standards for CBDCs,”
~ Fed Chairman Jerome Powell

“So, bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them good ol’ boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye
Singin’, “This’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die”

~ Don McClean

BSA Film Friday: 04.16.21

April 16, 2021 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. Nadia Vadori-Gauthier and Friends Dance Through Parisian Empty Spaces
2. New Burner from Olivier Kosta-Thefaine – Symphonie / Hangar 107
3. Sofles / Mega Bunsens With Sirum
4. “Ingobernable” with C. Tangana, Gipsy Kings, Nicolás Reyes, Tonino Baliardo

BSA Special Feature: Nadia Vadori-Gauthier and Friends Dance Through Parisian Empty Spaces

Nadia Vadori-Gauthier: Dances in places of art and culture closed to the public during the Pandemic.

“In the almost-silence of these emblematic places, usually punctuated by the passage of crowds, vibrates an intense life: those of works, feelings experienced, memorial traces of art experiences, of the succession of eras.

Dancing in this context is, for me, both a resistance and a manifesto. It is an act of solidarity, a gesture of love and recognition. Because I would never be who I am without the familiar attendance of these extraordinary places where, over time, through the face-to-face with the works, a look is forged that embraces otherness, the new, the difference, a look that invites participation in life. ”

Nadia Vadori-Gauthier

New Burner from Olivier Kosta-Thefaine – Symphonie / Hangar 107

During his residency at Hangar 107, artist Olivier Kosta-Théfaine patterned the walls using a lighter, selectively burning 70 square meters to create a new carbon visual symphony.

Sofles / Mega Bunsens With Sirum

This video shows some mega bunsens being painted with SIRUM,” says Sofles in this brand new video filmed and edited by After Midnight.

“The sheer diversity of style Sofles has is unparalleled,” says only casual on Youtube. “I’ve seen the work of thousands and thousands of writers and nobody even comes close. It’s insane.”

“There is so much going on in every letter of that Sofles piece that each letter could be a video of its own! And also, I’m so stoked that they used some proper dope dnb for the tune!,” says Sciz. “Awesome work by Sirum too, whom I’ve followed for quite some time on Instagram; I always try to follow the artists whom I feel are breaking down barriers and this collaboration came out perfect because of the expertise of both artists.”

“Ingobernable” with C. Tangana, Gipsy Kings, Nicolás Reyes, Tonino Baliardo

Next time you make a video be sure to invite your sister, mother, and lots of aunts. It will leave the competition shaking in their shoes.

This guy is El Madrileño

BSA Film Friday: 04.09.21

April 9, 2021 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening:
1. Sofles / Kawaii. The artist paints a piece for his daughter Violet.
2. ACBR and ZONE take Rick and Morty Underground
3. Honet x Art Azoi in Paris

BSA Special Feature: Sofles / Kawaii. The artist paints a piece for his daughter Violet.

Remember when Nirvana did that concert without electric guitars? You can call this one “Sofles Unplugged.” He has no soundtrack revving up your adrenaline or accentuating his skills. He’s just pure skillz.

Sofles / Kawaii. The artist paints a piece for his daughter Violet.

ACBR and ZONE take Rick and Morty Underground.

Ahhh, here we go! Vandals, surreptitious underground graffiti pieces, knives, mad scientists, syncopated dance numbers, and a ripping soundtrack. Back to what we all expected from our graff videos.

Honet x Art Azoi in Paris

A creation by HONET on the wall of the Pavillon Carré de Baudouin (Paris 20th district).

BSA Film Friday: 03.05.21

March 5, 2021 Artists, BSA Film Friday

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

Now screening participants at Festival Asalto 2020:
1. FAITH XLVIII 410 BC – 340 BC
2. Ozmo / “La visión de Tondalo” via Urban Art Field
3. SOFLES / Geometric

BSA Special Feature: FAITH XLVIII 410 BC – 340 BC

You knew FAITH XLVIII was OG, but did you imagine she dipped back to the 4th century? In this newly unveiled clandestine scene, the South African street artist paints among the decay in Lexington.

She says it is part of her “7.83Hz Series”

FAITH XLVIII 410 BC – 340 BC, Lexington, Kentucky

Ozmo / “La visión de Tondalo” via Urban Art Field

Ozmo in Turin finds inspiration here from a Renaissance panel from the Bosch school and interprets it for Urban Art Field. In it, we find the journey of a dreamer in hell beneath the power of the Mole Antonelliana, the major landmark building that serves as a symbol of Turin.

SOFLES / Geometric

Professor Sofles takes us to school again with this brand new 3D-style graffiti piece he painted in a gym. He says he took inspiration from the interior wall design and climbing equipment.

RERO – “Ophiuchus” in Paris
June 8, 2023
The artist Rero began his journey as a graffiti writer in his teens, and a quarter century later, he is …Read More »
The River Congost With Aryz, Japon, Emak, Stain, and Zone.
June 7, 2023
When you have a minute, it’s good to stretch your legs and walk through your neighborhood to see the hot …Read More »
Danny Cortes and Team Master the Finer Details When Writing 80s Train for The Bushwick Collective Block Party
June 6, 2023
The Bushwick Collective’s Block Party 12th edition ended with a bang and big crowds. This year Joe Ficalora, the founder, …Read More »
AwerOne Traces the Contours of Flooded Lands and Imaginations in Castellana-Grotte
June 5, 2023
Graffiti writer, formally trained artist, graphic designer, muralist, and tattooist, Awer was born in Polignano a mare (IT) but is …Read More »
BSA Images Of The Week 06.04.23
June 4, 2023
Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! Remember last summer when you realized it was already August, and you didn’t …Read More »
The Bushwick Collective – Block Party 2023 Now Underway
June 3, 2023
The Bushwick Collective Annual Summer Block Party, now on its 12th edition, has established itself as an official opener of …Read More »
BSA Film Friday: 06.02.23
June 2, 2023
Our weekly focus is on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities. Now screening:1. Edoardo Tresoldi …Read More »