All posts tagged: Steven P. Harrington

Doze Green Spirits – Nice Surprise Festival – Stavanger

July 18, 2023 Artists

Doze Green. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

Bam!

Here’s the latest hit from the first-time street art festival Nice Surprise in Stavanger, Norway – a novel fusion of historical roots and contemporary brilliance showcased in the latest mural by the artist Doze Green. Born and bred on the vibrant streets of New York City, Green’s trailblazing journey in graffiti writing and breaking crews during the 1970s and 80s resonates deeply in the telling of this street art culture. With this modern expression as a mature visual artist today, it may strike you as a rare gift of great significance here – given his direct relationship to the foundational early days of graffiti and hip-hop.

As an original member of the iconic Rock Steady Crew, a pioneering force in hip-hop culture, Green’s mastery in breakdancing and subway-tagging graffiti informs the bedrock of his studio practice and public artworks. Venturing into uncharted territories, Doze Green’s contemporary canvasses embody a signature style of figurative abstraction and letterforms, interwoven with metaphysical inquiries about narrative, time, and the essence of existence.

Green has described his pieces as “biological entities; a swarm of arrows coming in from infinite perspective.” In this newest creation, “Spirits of the Midnight Sun,” Green draws inspiration from Norway’s enchanting 24-hour daylight periods that grace the northern region for three months every summer.

It is a pleasure to witness the artistic journey of Doze Green, and to see how it intertwines with the pulsating rhythm of life, art, and this modern city so far from his own. With his language of symbols and iconography, Green nods to the rich historical Nordic lore surrounding Norway’s natural wonders with much respect. The title also indicates that for the artist, the mural captures supernatural energies and mythic storytelling – through a lens of abstraction. In this context, the new work reads as an amalgamation of historical roots and contemporary vocabularies – and a reflection of the authentic voices of these streets.

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.16.23

July 16, 2023 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! And how beautiful this city is, even when the heat is on. The amount of talent on our streets is so overwhelming, thank you New York.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Homesick, Mort Art, Optimo NYC, Savior El Mundo, Neckface, Lungebox, DEK2DX, Hektad, Paolo Tolentino, Jappy Agoncillo, SMURFO, Mike King, Mat Lakas, Lasak Art, Snith Node, Big808, Talia Lempert, Individual Activist.

Optimo NYC continues the organic and self-curated takeover of the Houston Wall. We’re not sure what The End refers to, but as we appear to be on the precipice of so many things as a society and as a nation, you can choose. Based on the sunny yellow, we prefer to think of it positively, like a high school graduation. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Here it is again! It seems that Sticker Maul took to heart Optimo’s THE END message above. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

But if this unidentified artist’s message proves correct, the end will be sooner than we’d like. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mort Art adds to the conversation, especially after the dangerous air quality of the last few weeks due to the wildfires in Canada. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This news makes me HOMESICK. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A bit of love from HekTad proves to be restorative. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Savior El Mundo tribute to Jean-Michel Basquiat on the facade of his old studio which was owned by Andy Warhol but leased to JMB. During a very busy week news-wise, it was announced that Angelina Jolie signed an eight-year lease to run a sustainable atelier from the building. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Queensbridge represent! Nas by Paolo Tolentino (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Talia Lempert. Individual Activist. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Looks like we are going to have to do a lot more of this. Mike King (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jappy Agoncillo does a great tribute to Mac Miller(photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A message from Neckface. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Summer 2023. NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JDL is “Dancing With My Eyes Closed” in Padova, Italy

July 13, 2023 Artists

Sponsored and curated by Biennale Street Art, this new wall in Padova, Italy is by muralist JDL, who has said that she makes art about people who are not being seen and not being heard. In this case, she says the mural is inspired by a person she calls ‘F’, “who knew his life would fall apart soon due to a personal crisis but still lived life fully. I spent a happy moment with him, learning to find joy in difficult times and how to dance with my eyes closed.”

JDL. *Dancing With My Eyes Closed*. BIennale Street Art/Superwalls. Padova, Italy. (photo © Mirco Levorato)

JDL (Judith de Leeuw) says she chose this topic because it is on the façade of a building that houses the public institution INAIL (Istituto Nazionale per l’Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro), which provides insurance coverage for workplace accidents and occupational diseases in Italy. Operating under the supervision of the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, INAIL’s primary responsibility is to ensure that employees in Italy are protected and compensated for any injuries or illnesses they sustain as a result of their work. It offers mandatory insurance coverage to employers, which helps to provide compensation and benefits to employees who experience work-related accidents or develop occupational diseases.

“I am very happy and honored,” says JDL, “that my piece and its meaning meant so much to the people who, for instance, lost a hand because of an accident.”

JDL wishes to extend her gratitude to her assistant @ukfatcap

Nychos Surprises Surreally – Nice Surprise Festival, Stavanger, Norway

July 11, 2023 Artists

Nychos, the distinguished Austrian illustrator, urban artist, graffiti artist, and muralist, has gained international acclaim for his incisive and scientifically anatomical creations exhibited across numerous cities worldwide. Born during the early 1980s, his surrealist style gradually took shape, evolving through a process of experimentation enriched by influences stemming from hunting, heavy metal, tattoo culture, and associated subcultures. Nychos consistently taps into his profoundly introspective nature and a yearning to deconstruct objects to unravel their inner workings.

Nychos. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

While participating in the inaugural Nice Surprise Festival in Stavanger, he presents “The Girl with the Tiger Tattoo,” a work imbued with profound personal significance. In a departure from his customary practice, Nychos even composed an Ode dedicated to this piece, a novel endeavor for the artist. While some may find themselves taken aback by the thematic content of his latest creation in this particular town, Nychos is well aware of the discerning nature of this audience, which has long celebrated the presence of exceptional artworks in the public realm.

Expressing his sentiments on his Instagram page, Nychos declares, “Stavanger has undeniably etched a special place in my heart.”

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.09.23

July 9, 2023 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! Hello Friends! Lots of good new graffiti and street art and murals out there this week as the city was pausing for some fireworks – nearly every day including the official ones on Tuesday night. The illegal fireworks never completely go away, but they ebb and flow from year to year. The rotating sculpture of the Statue of Liberty that was made of drones really impressed the crowds of New Yorkers this year as they were waiting for the show on the 4^th.

In the news, our Mayor may have had some curious donor scheme, our delivery people are getting resistance from corporate powers to a minimum wage for their work, and our ultra-rich citizens, whose income tax is capped so they pay only about 1% of it – are positioning themselves to take away Social Security from millions of their fellow Americans who depend upon it.

And a word on cluster bombs, which America is intending to deploy in Ukraine? They are not “controversial”, they are immoral. According to the Guardian, “More than 100 countries, including the UK, France and Germany, have signed an international treaty – the Convention on Cluster Munitions – that outlaws the use or stockpiling of these weapons due to their indiscriminate effect on civilian populations.

Children are particularly prone to injury as the bomblets can resemble a small toy left in a residential or farmland area and are often picked up out of curiosity.

Human rights groups have described cluster munitions as “abhorrent” and even a war crime.”

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: finDAC, Jenna Morello, DepsOne, TomBoy NYC, Tom Bob, Hiroshi Masuda, Cale K29, Fel 3000 Ft, Edospac, Seb Bouchard, Quaker Pirate, GOAT, and Trasheer.

Cale K29 in Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Fel 3000 Ft in Wynwood, Mimai. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Queens in Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

An old Findac surrounded by graffiti in Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Sunset. Summer 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“C TO KINGSTON – THROOP”

July 6, 2023 Artists

As most people know, Kathy and Erwin are the co-founders of the Bed-Stuy Art Residency. Their love for the arts and the artists has guided their principles of sharing what they have with others. The residency provides a living space and a studio, free of rent, and a modest stipend to a very eclectic selection of international and American artists to create in a safe and quiet environment. At the end of the residency, which lasts for a month, Kathy and Erwing organize a party and an informal art exhibition for the visiting artist, and with their encouragement, the artist exhibits the works of art they created during their residency. Twelve artists participating in the residency have been selected to exhibit in a group show at LaMamaGalleria opening today.

“Rooted in compassion for artists’ struggles and a deep love of art, our family-run (Kathy Kupka, Erwin Bakx, Marshall Kupka-Moore) initiative ensures a supportive, inspiring environment. We foster diversity, cultural exchange, and community engagement with a vision to empower artists globally through mentorship and resource provision” – Bed-Stuy Art Residency

“C TO KINGSTON – THROOP”
A GROUP EXHIBITION BY BROOKLYN ART RESIDENCY
TO BE FEATURED AT LA MAMA GALLERIA

47 Great Jones Street. NYC
JULY 6 – AUGUST 4, 2023

La MaMa Galleria is honored to present “C to Kingston-Throop,” an
exhibition featuring the works of twelve accomplished alumni of Bed-Stuy Art Residency. These
amazing artists have brought life into their craft through their dedicated work ethic and distinctive artistic voices. Each artist has a deeply rooted and personal connection to their work, which radiates an enriching, authentic, emotive power. Their narratives are informed by their journey through various life situations, speaking on their personal growth and ability to navigate and contribute to the contemporary art landscape. The participating artists are esteemed Bed Stuy Art Residency alumni in Brooklyn, NY.
Their work has been displayed in galleries, museums, and art fairs and has received worldwide awards and recognition. This exhibition opens Thursday, July 6, from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm and will be Bed-Stuy Art Residency’s first group exhibition with their artists.

Don’t Fret. (photo courtesy of BedStuy Residency)

ARTIST TALK
“The Artistic Journey: Bed Stuy Art Res Alumni Reflect”
Date & Time: July 15th, 1 pm – 3 pm
In conversation with Bed-Stuy Art Residency alumni artists, provide a brief overview of the exhibition, and discuss the panel artists’ journey in art and how they have evolved as artists since
their time at Bed-Stuy Art Residency. This event has been curated to encourage artists to freely share their thoughts and stories and engage with the audience to create a memorable and enriching experience.

Happy 4th of July 2023

July 4, 2023 Artists

Wishing you a safe and fun 4th of July celebration. In these tumultuous days, it is good to remember that the Boston Tea Party was the people’s rebellion against an unholy alliance of government and corporations – and state-sponsored monopoly.

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.02.23

July 2, 2023 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

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)

We don’t recognize this artist’s signature in Wynwood, Miami. Please help. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Words On The Street. Alex Itin. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Eternal Possessions (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sofles & Mathis – Nice Surprise – Stavanger

June 29, 2023 Artists

Experience the synergy of history and contemporary urban art practice during this summer’s Nice Surprise street art festival with BSA in this Norwegian city. Join us as we celebrate Stavanger’s 900-year milestone with a new cadre of artists and programming that continues the modern heritage of this fortunate city on the North Sea with street art and graffiti.

Brisbane-based Sofles is an Australian graffiti writer and street artist known for his exceptional skills in both graffiti and mural art. Known for his distinct style, and mastery of many styles in graffiti, he’s been honing his skills since the late 90s. He’s developed a unique and versatile style that blends graffiti lettering, characters, and abstract elements – always infused with movement and a limitless sense of discovery.

Sofles & Mathis. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

Here’s a wall he did a collaboration on with Mathis, a straight up Norwegian painting pro with lots of commercial experience and respect in the graffiti game. Mathis Anvik has a lot of great work in many styles on his social media, including stuff from Vestfold Kunstdekor, a company that specializes in painting buses, or RUSSEBUSSER – often known as party buses used by Norwegian high school graduates. But that’s another story

Sofles was the very first artist to paint in Stavanger, Norway for this first edition of Nice Surprise!, an auspicious and new Street Art Festival that will get its wings throughout the summer in this Nordic city. While in town, Sofles painted a whole train with his pals Smug One, Milliana, and Norse, which you can read all about it here. He also painted this wall in collaboration with Mathis and a wall in the downtown center of the city by himself. Tor Ståle Moen, a resident of Stavanger and frequent BSA collaborator, shared the photos of the murals with BSA readers to enjoy.

Sofles. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

Nice Surprise! Stavanger, Norway – Sofles & Friends Paint a Train for New Festival

June 27, 2023 Artists

Experience the synergy of history and contemporary creativity during this summer’s Nice Surprise street art festival with BSA in this Norwegian city. Join us as we celebrate Stavanger’s 900-year milestone with a new cadre of artists and programming that continues the modern heritage of this fortunate city on the North Sea with street art and graffiti.

Sofles, Smug One, Milliana, and Norse. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

The street art community is abuzz with anticipation for the newly sprung Nice Surprise! street art festival taking center stage in Stavanger, Norway (pop 150,000). Stavanger, as a champion for street art and graffiti, is perhaps better known for Nuart, the long-running transformative event that breathed new life into the city, attracting acclaimed artists from around the world and elevating intellectual discourse studying graffiti and street art. Now the city is giving the seal of approval to Nice Surprise to bring its own distinctive blend of artistic brilliance and community-based camaraderie to this oil capital of Scandinavia.

Nice Surprise likes to say that it is a festival organized by artists for artists. Pøbel and Atle Østrem are artists, co-founders, and part of the team. They are internationally known as pioneers and proponents of the street art scene and have been active for at least two decades. Nice Surprise is working this summer to bring some high-profile international and local artists – and some surprises – to the city from June through September.

In addition to being a meeting place for like-minded individuals passionate about street art, Stavanger is preparing to commemorate its 900-year anniversary. Nice Surprise will embrace historical neighborhoods like Pedersgata, Domkirken, and Ullandhaug to bring fresh ideas and art into these cherished locations. By merging contemporary street art with the city’s strong cultural legacy, the festival hopes to honor Stavanger’s past while sparking excitement with relevant new works that blend artistic brilliance with historical reverence, possibly provoking some introspection.

This summer BSA will be in Stavanger to bring you images and developments of Nice Surprise as an international and local roster of names come through town. Today we begin with a collaborative train piece by Sofles, Smug One, Milliana, and Norse. The train is what we believe is to be the first legal whole train to be put in regular traffic, where it will run over the entire festival period.

Sofles, Smug One. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

Milliana, and Norse. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

Seagulls like to build their nests next to the tracks to keep warm from the heat that emanates from the rails and the stones. The trains move at a very slow pace in this area going in and out from the workshop buildings. The area is not too busy with almost no predators to fend off. Nice Surprise! Festival. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Tor Ståle Moen)

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.25.23

June 25, 2023 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Be it ever so! The long summer days, the walls awash with fresh paint, the overspray and splatter a Greek chorus to cheer our hero/shero. Oh!

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Jason Naylor, Lexi Bella, Homesick, David Puck, Calicho Art, Atom, Hops Art, Caty Wooley, DLove, Stem and Thorn, Minvske, Jappy Agoncillo, KMS Crew, Vargas, Nicky Doll, Kanoy Muse, Bipolar, Nataniel Marreo, Voice, Mista, Carli Tops, and Pamela Rosenkranz.

Vargas for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jappy Agoncillo for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Minvske for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stem & Thorn for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Nataniel Marrero for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hops Art 1 for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

MISTA for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Carli Tops for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pamela Rosenkranz for The High Line Park. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Luz Interruptus: The Plastic We Live With

June 24, 2023 Artists

Humans, in all our complex existence, wield an undeniable influence, and yet, paradoxically, we pose the gravest threat to the very world we live in. With staggering magnitude, a deluge of trash, amounting to a colossal 2.6 trillion pounds, engulfs our planet in a single day, as reported by The Atlantic. Despite mankind’s incessant quest for technological marvels and ingenious solutions to combat this mounting crisis, an alarming revelation was published by National Geographic: a staggering 91% of plastics don’t make it through the recycling process, plunging us into a dire and global environmental cataclysm.

Given this statistic, it’s become imperative to perpetually educate and enlighten the masses to create awareness and make a difference. We must grasp the profound implications of our own small contributions to reduce the refuse we generate. From small steps of everyday life to the growing voices of global initiatives by NGOs our collective efforts must result in a drastic reduction of waste before it is too late.

A growing number of artists have emerged as environmental champions. Through their voices and craft, they visually illuminate the relationship between humankind and the debris we leave in our wake.

In May, the local government of Buenos Aires invited Luz Interruptus to celebrate World Recycling Day by creating an installation called “The Plastic We Live With” on the iconic El Obelisco monument. The artists aimed to highlight the issue of plastic pollution and its impact on the environment. They faced the challenge of creating the installation on a monument that is central to the city’s commercial and social activities. Using scaffolds and recycled iron, they constructed a structure over 25 meters high and covered it with panels made from recycled plastic collected through the city’s recycling system.

Powerful LED beams illuminate the installation, visualizing the persistence of disposable plastic despite bans. The artwork remained in place for a week, allowing visitors to reflect on the impact of plastic waste. Afterward, the materials were returned to the organizations that provided them, and the scaffolds and beams were reused for future productions. The artists expressed gratitude to the local government, the production company, and the volunteers for their support in bringing the installation to life.

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