Stencil artist C215 creates portraits of humanity; family, friends, and people who live on the street.
His clarity of detail and multi-lined visages can even give the impression that something more is employed than simple stencilling, but that’s why the word “master” enters the conversation sometimes when people discuss his work.
This street artist has shown in Brooklyn galleries as well as most of the world (most recently in Toronto), and he receives regular invitations to participate in exhibitions.
He’s also partial to running art workshops for local kids and counts Brazil, Morocco, even Senegal among the places he’s had the pleasure of playing art teacher. This love for kids is easy to see in the many depictions of nearly glowing children.
We don’t know when he is coming to New York, but we always know when he has been here.Suddenly these new faces are peering from the sides of dumpsters, doorways, and de-commisioned fire boxes.
His images are often portraits of fellow humans of all ages and genders. He captures his models’ character with compassion – You can almost feel the emotions of his models just by looking at their portraits: pain, sorrow, happiness, peace, longing and loneliness seep through the rivers of creases and wrinkles on their faces.
The intensity of gaze and the way in which he draws their eyes is a captivating invitation to go inside their souls and glimpse their lives. It can be difficult to draw yourself away from their piercing and sometimes furious gaze.
His portraits of children in particular are always inspiring and reassuring. With those images he manages to convey a sense of hope and innocence that we hope is no lost yet. By his own account, he makes a new stencil every week of his daughter to remind her that she is on his mind. In that way, every new stencil is really a snapshot.
The technique of using multiple pieces in one stencil means that he can achieve effects that few stencil artists do, and the details – facial hair, folds in fabric, wrinkles… all transcend the pedestrian act of cutting and spraying.
C215 is reported to makes stencils of people in the particular city he is visiting at that time. It is quite possible that some of these stencils are only found here in Brooklyn.
These images are just a few of C215’s work in Brooklyn as well as a couple of old pieces that have not yet been published here before. Hope you like looking at them.
Other Articles You May Like from BSA:
Since its explosion of pigment and hue on subway cars and in the streets of New York and Philadelphia a half century ago to its spread to the hundreds of cities worldwide, the truly grassroots movemen...
Thank god Saype finally gets to go to the beach! – after hanging around in those dreadful Swiss Alps painting on the side of a grass-covered mountain, he can finally get some surf. The “Beyond Walls”...
In the vibrant neighborhood of Brindisi, nestled in Italy's southern region, a new mural bears the distinct signature of artist Francesco Ferreri, widely known as Chekos'art. Aptly titled "Goddess of...
"Hello amigos, how are you? Hope super fine! " Argentinian abstractionist Elian is in Ekaterinburg riffing on a Russian rhythm of pop-hued panels. Well, except one. He calls the acrylic painting “...
We've been supporting the work of the New York organization Art In Odd Places (AiOP) for years and are always intrigued and inspired by their productions and the artists they select to offer their pr...