Street art brothers Willow and Swil have just populated the streets with their wheat-pastes toward the end of summer here in Brooklyn. Urban Naturalists, that’s what we call them – studies and sketches and paintings of fauna and reptiles, bears and busts of figures and friends and music heroes.
Swil (photo © Jaime Rojo)
These are sketchbooks that come alive on the streets, their meditative compulsive renderings willing to meet you where you are, eager for your feedback and opinion. The two have overlapping themes and styles, perhaps their rural roots and regard for the hunting, trapping, and agricultural influences of back home, now seen clearer when viewed from the distance of the urban BK streets. There is an increasing level of detail, a steady respect and love for the beauty of the natural.
Willow “Smoke Signals” (photo © Jaime Rojo)
But there are differences as well, with Willow outdoors and exploring many species and metaphors of nature and Swil taking various internal trips to explore examples of our own human variations and archetypes. As their unique voices evolve and emerge with time before our eyes, it is a generous momentary gift that these mottled and pocked walls can hold for you to discover in your travels on the street – at least until the rain and winds and the blistering sun erode them all away.
Willow. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Willow and Swil collaboration. “Looming Overhead” (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Willow. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Swil (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Willow. “Head-On” (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Check out the ears on the fox from North Africa. Willow (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Swil (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Swil (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Swil (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Swil (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Willow (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Other Articles You May Like from BSA:
“This history represents the aboriginal ghostly inscription that circulates between the past and the present, says Mexican Street Artist and muralist Said Dokins as he describes his two new murals in ...
French-Swiss artist Saype is continuing on his ambitious worldwide project, "Beyond Walls," bringing it to Japan with an awe-inspiring display across multiple cities. From April 22nd to May 14th, 202...
Photographer Lluis Olive took a quick trip recently to Madrid and he did what he loves to do; took photos of graffiti and shared with us his new discoveries. This one caught our attention. On Cal...
It is surprising to see this image reflected back to us again in the harried flurry of Williamsburg’s supercharged real estate development along the waterfront. Posted here on a construction wall pro...
Here's our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Adnate, Ben Angotti, Cekis, Cesism, Damien Mitchell, Danielle Mastrion, Dirt Cobain, Evan Paul English, Gongkan, Li-Hill, MeresO...