We’re celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of the next by thanking BSA Readers, Friends, and Family for your support in 2025. Picked by our followers, these photos are the heavily circulated and “liked” selections of the year – shot by our Editor of Photography, Jaime Rojo. We’re sharing a new one every day to celebrate all our good times together, our hope for the future, and our love for the street. Happy Holidays, Everyone!
The splasher approach to graffiti has morphed into a kind of visceral graphic abstraction on the street, closer to Abstract Expressionism than to traditional tagging. Where the goal once might have been to weaponize a fire extinguisher for sheer scale, now it’s pure gesture—more Pollock drip, de Kooning slash, even a bit of Gutai thrown onto brick and metal.
It gives your eye a new way to read the streetscape, turning motion and emotion into something immediate and bodily. The obvious gets re-framed through force and speed rather than letters. This red splash comes out of nowhere and suddenly feels unavoidable—an unannounced painting that interrupts the city or reframes it. Catch it while you can.
Spring is in full swing, and so are the artists. We’re expecting a few international names to pass through New York this week, including Saype, who’s creating something extraordinary at the UN.
It’s also New York Art Week — a citywide celebration of contemporary art that brings together fairs, gallery openings, and museum shows across all five boroughs. Among the marquee events are Frieze New York at The Shed, Independent at Spring Studios, and NADA at the Starrett-Lehigh Building.
In fact, this week New York hosts Frieze New York, Independent Art Fair, The Other Art Fair Brooklyn, NADA New York, TEFAF New York, SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Future Fair, 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, The American Art Fair, and Clio Art Fair.
With so much happening against the backdrop of a turbulent political and economic climate, we’ll be keeping our eyes open for artists and artworks that speak with clarity, urgency, and heart.
So here’s some of this week’s visual conversation from the street, including works from City Kitty, Degrupo, Qzar, Ollin, Stu, Smile, Erotica, Son, H Kubed, VEW X, The Splasher, Never Satisfied, Salem, 1992 Crew, Brady Scott, Chris Bohlin, Frozen Feathers, and Monk.
“People have the Power” from musician and poet Patti Smith.
“Where there were deserts I saw fountains like cream the waters rise and we strolled there together with none to laugh or criticize and the leopard and the lamb lay together truly bound I was hoping in my hoping to recall what I had found I was dreaming in my dreaming God knows a purer view as I surrender to my sleeping I commit my dream to you
The people have the power The people have the power The people have the power The people have the power”
Chag Sameach to all who are celebrating Passover. The Hasidim in Brooklyn kicked off the public festivities by lighting fires on sidewalks in various neighborhoods—a surprising and bright flickering of orange, yellow, and white dancing flames are a sight against the cold gray downpour of April. As the smoke wafts through the streets, there’s a moment of panic—wondering if a building is on fire or if war has broken out.
Yes, there are wars of many kinds across this country and worldwide—and times of tumultuous change like these may augur even more conflict. We’re tempted to say “Dark Times,” as it appears we are amid a slow-motion demolition, but we want to reserve such pronouncements.
On the street, New York is—as ever—bratty and bright, bracing and beatific. Someone may cut you off to grab a subway seat, but another person might offer you theirs. We know things aren’t right, and the fog of propaganda seems designed to make us fearful of one another. However, New Yorkers largely settled the identity politics conversation a quarter century ago, and we’re generally not interested in rehashing it. We’re more likely to wonder why the subway still feels rickety, why prices on everything from rent to groceries to concert tickets and restaurant entrées keep jumping out of reach. At the same time, the official inflation rate still claims it’s 2–3%. Really? Where did you get that number?
The most remarkable image we caught this week comes courtesy of someone who may be a new “Splasher” in New York—bloody flash installations dripping down walls and onto sidewalks. The symbolism could apply to so much happening in the world, and the beauty of most street art is this: you create the narrative.
We continue with our interviews with the street, this week including CRKSHNK, Modomatic, Michael Alan, Alex Itin, Word on the Street, Mini Mantis, The Splasher (2?), AS+ORO, Baz Bon, Winnie Chiu, and Priz.
Named in honor of photographer Martha Cooper—whose lifelong commitment to documenting everyday life, cultural expression, and human dignity has shaped …Read More »
Reprinted from the original review. Spanning twelve years of studio and mural work, public interventions, installations, and collaborations, Los cimientos …Read More »
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BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
