Street Artist NohJColey keeps bringing it, even if you don’t know what “it” is.

The quality of line and rendering continues in this 12′ x 8′ large metaphor that incorporates a human figure with other symbols of explosives in some sort of race against time.  If the missing fingers are any indication of this guy’s safety record, you may want to run.

NohJColey (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

An entirely hand painted wheat-paste of this size is fairly rare in a street art vernacular that looks increasingly mass produced, but a small number of the new generation are distinguishing themselves from the pack in this way – QRST, Gaia, Cake, Over Under, and others come to mind. This is not simply a linotype that’s been inked and printed – there is only one of these and yet a strong rainstorm could crumple it.  It’s fragility in a hostile street environment makes it even more curious, and makes the viewer feel like they have experienced something individual, impermanent, irreplicable.

NohJColey (Detail) (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Thematically, this Street Artist never makes it easy for you. His pieces can feel like a frustrating riddle, but the level of industry shows that he’s not simply doodling; there is a message or two or five – maybe intended only for the artist.  But in the street art world messages are often shrouded and left for you to determine. Even one of Street Art’s older relatives, graffiti, can be so stylized that only the writers’ peers can decode it.  Ah, well. When it comes to the work of NohJColey, we’ll keep listening.

238

138

45