All posts tagged: Urban Art Festivals

Axel Void and DalEast In New Delhi for St+ART India 2015

March 2, 2015 Artists

Axel Void and DalEast are somehow brethren here in New Delhi at the 2015 edition of St+Art India, if not because of a shared style then because of a shared appreciation for things you cannot see – alchemists with an uncanny ability to reveal.

Axel Void begins his mural. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

Today we have excellent shots of the new murals by both of these artists taken by photographers Pravan Mehta and Akshat Nauriyal, sure to make you step back a little and appreciate some people’s ability to re-cast a public space into something much more.

Axel helps us out here with a description for his mural in Azadpur Market entitled “जिं द गी” (life), part of his “Mediocre” series. It is a simple depiction of a still life, he says, ” One of the most frequently recurring themes in the history of classical painting.”

Axel Void. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

He says he was inspired by the Azadpur fruit and vegetable market, one of the (or possibly the) largest in Asia, where he was surrounded by people, cars, sounds of the metro, buyers, sellers, a family of monkeys, and goats, chickens, pigs, and cows. “The wall is painted over the Delhi Cold Storage and next to the Azadpur Mosque,” he says.

After the Axel Void piece you’ll see DalEast, who tends toward the philosophical and spiritual in his compositions of forms taking shape before you. DalEast takes a somewhat typical piece of architecture and transforms it with a flooding rush of birds flowing through an open arched doorway. It is a constellation of energy and life that flying at you when the curtain goes up, instantly metamorphosing a public space into a possibly sacred place.

Axel Void. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Axel Void (photo © Pranav Mehta)

Axel Void. The finished mural on the wall of Asia’s largest fruit and vegetable markets. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

DALeast. Process shot. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

DALeast. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

DALeast (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

DALeast. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

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Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!
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AIKO in New Delhi for St+Art India 2015

February 28, 2015 Artists

New York Street Artist Aiko is cutting a new stencil in a dusty warehouse space with huge windows, but instead of being in an industrial neighborhood in Brooklyn, this time she’s in New Delhi. The new image of a woman and child and sword is not quite standard fare for the feisty streetwise Aiko, who has depicted scantily clad women in very sexualized scenes as a way of expressing power in the last few years. Perhaps bowing to local norms, the new Indian mural is much more modestly attired, yet still an image one will interpret as powerful.

Aiko cutting the stencils at the studio in Delhi. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Here for the 2015 edition of St+Art India, a mural festival featuring mainly Street Artists from around the world, the artist whose work has appeared on New York walls many times is here with the help of the Japan Foundation. With excellent assistants on the ground Aiko knocked out the first of many murals in India’s capital which we’ll be posting for BSA readers.

Aiko at work on her wall with the help of assistants. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Aiko at work on her wall with the help of assistants. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

Aiko at work on her wall with the help of assistants. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Aiko (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

“Big City Life Rome” Exclusive Shots of All the Walls

February 26, 2015 Artists

The first thing you’ll notice is that all the walls are the same size. For “Big City Life Rome” all of the artists were given equally large walls for their murals, which is good because you avoid fights that way. We have seen a few festivals where there are heated discussions about which artists have what walls, how large or small they are, and where they are located. This sort of uniformity is rather unique in that way.

Seth (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

The second thing you may notice is that there are only men here. Even the children in photos on the website are male. There may be a couple of females on the Street Art scene here, but this is a male dominated game in Rome.

“Big City Life Rome” brings some of the names you are familiar with, and undoubtedly one or two of your favorites are represented here. Given the similar generous scale of the walls the artists have it is easier to make comparisons between the geometric minimalism of Moneyless, the calligraphic pulsating patterning of Domenico Romeo, and the metaphoric wrestling musclemen of Jaz. Each of these artists has a distinct voice and seeing them revealed over a the period of 7 week festival provides you ample opportunity to appreciate them individually and as a group.

Our very special thanks to Stefano S. Antonelli, who curated this show for the 999 Contemporary Gallery, for sharing these exclusive images with BSA readers.

Seth (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Gaia (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Domenico Romeo (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Moneyless (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Alberonero (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Diamond (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Jaz (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Mr. Klevra (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Philippe Baudelocquebig (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Philippe Baudelocquebig tracing the hand of his muse. (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Philippe Baudelocquebig (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Reka (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Lek . Sowat (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Lek. Sowat. “Veni, Vidi, Vinci” (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

“Urban Xchange: Crossing Over” A New Festival in Penang, Malaysia

December 11, 2014 Artists

Urban Exchange: Crossing Over 2014 is a brand new street art festival in George Town, Penang in Malaysia. In November they hosted 16 artists to paint walls throughout this city of two and a half million on the Strait of Malacca.

It is not a city that has hosted Street Art traditionally and one that frowns strongly on graffiti, but ever since Lithuanian Street Artist Ernest Zacharevic did some very successful installations here in 2012 which drew crowds and cameras, the citizenry and elected officials have become very hospitable to the idea — and have even enacted a formalized process for approving public art.

Skolo brings tradition, sport, and modern communications together in this brand new mural for Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Today we travel to Penang to see the brand new pieces for this first-year show, co-curated by Gabija Grusaite and Eeyan Chuah, who run Hin Bus Depot Art Centre, a creative space in the ruins of a bus depot that hosted a corollary gallery show. Alongside Berlin based Urban Nation’s director and curator, Yasha Young, the two invited a mixture of local and international artists to complete murals and to host some community workshops.

“There’s never a dull moment at Urban Nation’s exchange program,” says Young, “after a year in the planning we were excited to finally make the journey.”

Tank Petrol at work on is wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Among the various murals you’ll see a selection of figurative, realistic, and illustration styles that carefully walk a community moderated fine line, hoping to bring locals to be more actively engaged in the program. As a novelty outlier, you’ll also see Brooklyn’s Mr. Toll installing his colorful hand formed clay sculptures in unusual spots if you keep your head up.

In an interview with Malay Mail Online, Ms. Grusaite says, “We want to create an artistic international cultural exchange so that local artists can learn from international artists who will be here for the project while the international artists will get exposure to the local culture and art scene.”

Tank Petrol. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

As is the case more often, with Urban Exchange we are again seeing a new model of public art developing where at the forefront are artists who have laid their groundwork in graffiti rather than university exclusively. We’ve been using a term we’re calling the “New Muralism” to indicate the grassroots nature and populist generation of these works and we still think its definition is evolving. Not quite community murals in the strictest sense, and not seeking the approval of gate-keeping institutions either, these artists are looking for and finding new ways to challenge themselves creatively in the public sphere while being responsive to needs of the public. Huh!

Included in the Urban Exchange project are Antanas Dubra (Lithuania), Bibichun (Malaysia), Don John (Denmark), Donald Abraham (Malaysia), Elle (United States), Ernest Zacharevic (Lithuania), Fauzan Faud (Malaysia), Karl Addison (Germany), Kenji Chai (Malaysia), Rone (Australia), Sk10 (Singapore), TankPetrol (United Kingdom), Black Fritilldea (Malaysia), 4Some (a crew from Kuala Lumpur consisting of Donald, Black, Fauzan and Jojo), Mr Toll (New York) and Vexta (New York)

Our heartfelt thank you to Henrik Haven, who took a trip from Copenhagen which took 31 hours (and four different flights) for sharing his excellent photographs here with BSA readers.

Collaboration between Ernest Zacharavic and Etoja. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

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Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!

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Elfo Declares “I’m a Figurative Painter”… and I’m the Queen of England!
April 16, 2024
Elfo, the ever-witty Italian street artist, strikes again with his latest work scrawled across an abandoned building in Italy. Known …Read More »
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Welcome to BSA’s Images of the Week. We decided to dedicate this weekly survey to the artists of “Return 2 …Read More »
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Nestled within the bustling city of Nairobi, Kenya, Kibera is a testament to its inhabitants’ challenges and its collective indomitable …Read More »
“Tiempos Muertos”. Idle Time With Isaac Cordal in Madrid
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“Idle Time has become that free moment we have between one task and another in the production process. Productive inertia …Read More »
BSA Images Of The Week: 07.07.24
April 7, 2024
Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! To BSA’s Muslim brothers and sisters, we hope your Ramadan has been fulfilling …Read More »
Murals, Art, Childhood, and Community in Lwala: Martha Cooper and Seth in Kenya: Part 1
April 4, 2024
In the heart of Lwala, Kenya, a place where the warmth of the sun is matched only by the warmth …Read More »
Ingmar Järve aka Gutface: “Street Gnomes” in Porto
April 2, 2024
In the bustling street art/graffiti scene of Porto, Portugal, a fresh wave of new pieces informed by folklore gives rise …Read More »

Axel Void begins his mural. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

Axel Void. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Axel Void. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Axel Void. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Axel Void (photo © Pranav Mehta)

Axel Void. The finished mural on the wall of Asia’s largest fruit and vegetable markets. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

DALeast. Process shot. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

DALeast. Process shot. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

DALeast. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

DALeast (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

DALeast. Process shot. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Aiko cutting the stencils at the studio in Delhi. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Aiko at work on her wall with the help of assistants. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Aiko at work on her wall with the help of assistants. (photo © Pranav Mehta)

Aiko at work on her wall with the help of assistants. (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Aiko (photo © Akshat Nauriyal)

Seth (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Seth (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Seth (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Seth (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Seth (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Gaia (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Gaia (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Gaia (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Gaia (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Domenico Romeo (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Domenico Romeo (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Domenico Romeo (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Moneyless (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Moneyless (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Moneyless (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Alberonero (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Alberonero (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Alberonero (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Diamond (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Diamond (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Diamond (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Jaz (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Jaz (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Jaz (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Mr. Klevra (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Mr. Klevra (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Mr. Klevra (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Philippe Baudelocquebig (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Philippe Baudelocquebig tracing the hand of his muse. (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Philippe Baudelocquebig (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Philippe Baudelocquebig (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Reka (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Reka (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Reka (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Lek . Sowat (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Lek . Sowat (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Lek. Sowat. “Veni, Vidi, Vinci” (photo courtesy © 999 Contemporary Gallery)

Skolo brings tradition, sport, and modern communications together in this brand new mural for Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Tank Petrol at work on is wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Tank Petrol. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

RONE at work on is wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

RONE on the left with Karl Addison on the right. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

RONE. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Ernest Zacharevic at work on is wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Ernest Zacharevic. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Ernest Zacharevic. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

4Some Crew at work on their wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

4Some Crew (Donald, Black, Fauzan and Jojo) Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Vexta at work on her wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Vexta. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Vexta. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Bibichun. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Nikko Tan)

Don John at work on his wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Don John. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Elle at work on her wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Elle. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Elle. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Karl Addison at work on his wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Karl Addison. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Karl Addison. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Antanas Dubra at work on their wall. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Antanas Dubra. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Sliz assists Skolo. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Mr. Toll installing his clay sculptures. Urban Xchange: Crossing Over. Penang, Malaysia. (photo © Henrik Haven)