Welcome to Images of the Week. Our hearts are heavy as we think about our brothers and sisters in Los Angeles—their losses, pain, and fears. We’re deeply grateful to the firefighters and communities who are stepping up and looking out for one another. The bond between the graffiti and street art communities in LA and NY runs deep, and hearing some of the stories coming out of this disaster is heartbreaking.
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Here’s our weekly conversation with the street, this week featuring Judith Supine, Rambo, Degrupo, Werds, Seoul, Hektad, Appleton Pictures, EXR, One Rad Latina, Notice, TABBY, Caryn Cast, Cram, Ratch, GRIDER, Zooter, Arsenio Baca, Zwoner, and Nice Beats.
Wynwood Walls marked its 15th anniversary during Miami Art Week 2024, drawing artists and fans who packed into Jessica Goldman Srebnick’s walled compound to see the new round of murals, sculptures, and glassworks. A renowned showcase for a curated slice of contemporary street art, the new lineup featured works by:
The eclectic mix brought together old-school graffiti pioneers and contemporary street artists, with a standout contribution from Simon Berger. Goldman Srebnick made sure to highlight his work as we arrived, and for good reason—his fractured-glass portraits installed in the windows of the on-site subway car are a striking and unusual experience. Using a hammer to create detailed images by breaking glass, Berger’s work plays brilliantly with light, an understated yet shimmering result evoking comparisons to C215’s stencils and Vhils’ subtractive jackhammered murals. There was reportedly a live demo of his technique during the week, but unfortunately, we missed it.
Not all the walls feature new work; some still bear murals from past years. It’s always a delicate decision to replace pieces, but Wynwood eases the transition by “retiring” older works with an onstage champagne ceremony. The commemorative bottles, a thoughtful gesture, come with their own theatrics—Tristan Eaton made sure the first few rows got a celebratory spray, and Mantra spent much of the night reconnecting with his bottle as he darted between friends, fans, and the dance floor.
A highlight of the official artists dinner was a raucous set by iconic British DJ Fatboy Slim, whose hits like The Rockafeller Skank and Praise You brought the crowd to life – including a hot minute with Martha Cooper and Jaime Rojo – shared the following day on Instagram. Attendance figures for Art Basel Week are hard to estimate, but Wynwood Walls continues to attract enormous crowds, with thousands exploring installations and events throughout the week.
The anniversary also saw the launch of Street Art Icons, a retrospective book published by luxury house Assouline, chronicling Wynwood Walls’ 15-year legacy. A signing event featured a lively discussion between Goldman Srebnick and contemporary art dealer Jeffrey Deitch, adding their own memories to the origin stories and intentions of the first protagonist, Tony Goldman.
Having guided Wynwood’s curatorial direction for 12 of its 15 years, Goldman Srebnick’s speeches often reflect her connection to the artists and her perspective on their work. Every year brings shifts—subtle changes in the artists on view and the evolving tastes and attitudes that define graffiti and street art culture as it continually reinvents itself. Among the growing number of street art celebrations worldwide, Wynwood remains a key platform, bridging the gap between artists and audiences while providing its take on the pulse of the culture’s heartbeat.
Now, right next door, we begin the year with a vibrant and thought-provoking project by French graffiti writer, street artist, muralist, and natural scientist Mantra. Tasked with breathing life into the rooftop of a multi-story parking garage in Miami, Mantra delivers a masterclass on how art can energize and possibly educate.
Mantra’s artistry goes beyond aesthetics; his murals are environmental narratives intrinsically rooted in his passion for entomology and the natural sciences. This latest work transforms an otherwise overlooked rooftop into an expansive visual dialogue about conservation and the interconnectedness of ecosystems.
By showcasing the fragile beauty of species like the endangered ‘Miami Blue,’ Mantra forces viewers to confront what is at risk as urban landscapes encroach upon natural habitats. While some may marvel at the mural’s sheer scale and technique—achieved without projections or stencils—what truly resonates is the intimacy Mantra creates within the grandeur.
Each butterfly seems to hold its breath, inviting quiet reflection no matter your distance from it. It’s an extraordinary juxtaposition: the fragility of nature presented boldly against the Miami skyline, compelling us to consider our impact on the natural world.
As often happens when we see a finished piece by Mantra, this feels like a call to action, a vivid reminder that every city has room to nurture life beyond its asphalt and concrete. With this work, Mantra beautifies Miami and (possibly) deepens its cultural and ecological dialogue, proving that art can be both breathtaking and profoundly purposeful.
Only the richest, most aromatic coffee seems to linger in the breezes of Miami, where even winter days can carry a tropical heat that halts you in your tracks. Street art and graffiti flourish like a teenager’s restless energy, leaping unpredictably from block to block, wall to wall, driven by possibility and the city’s desire to reinvent itself. Just when you think Wynwood may have run its course, new work emerges, reminding us that the creative pulse is alive and insistent. When it comes to street art and graffiti it all starts with the artists – and the economic/social underpinnings of a city. Here are some recent highlights from this hub of creativity and inspiration.
Flags are at half-staff for former President Carter, with a national funeral service scheduled at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday. Meanwhile, former/future President Trump is set to attend his sentencing on Friday following a criminal conviction related to hush money payments. You may not find a more stark contrast between presidents. While speculation surrounds the sentencing outcome, it is widely thought that Trump will not serve any time behind bars, a fine message to young people everywhere.
In Brooklyn, the temperature is hovering around freezing, with biting winds signaling the arrival of harsher weather across this part of the country. Few expect much new street art or graffiti this week as forecasts predict bitter cold and snow along the coast.
Here’s our weekly conversation with the street, this week in New York and Miami, featuring Homesick, Degrupo, Pez, Denis Ouch, Great Boxers, Atomiko, Morcky, Elena Ohlander, Face, Masnah, SKE, Rich Ayers, Gleibys, Genius, JEST, Tesoe, Extra Polo, Lino Ozon, Maestro, Spray Paint Arts, and Emerge 710.
“Architecture Sculpture Painting Music Poetry Dance Performing Vandalism”
At first glance, these forms diverge, yet the broader realm of the arts and culture cannot deny that street art often involves vandalism. How do we reconcile this, or is the point too obvious? Some argue that vandalism discredits artistic value, with the act of breaking laws undermining the legitimacy of the message. Others see vandalism as an essential method, embedding its impact in its defiance. By choosing to act outside the law, the artist magnifies the work’s power and compels attention. Still, others view the act as a provocative, high-risk form of public dialogue, forcing questions about authority, access, and the right to occupy space—or even have a voice.
Recognizing vandalism as the illegal destruction of property is important. So is examining its context. In marginalized neighborhoods—left as open pits of decay by systems of power—street art often reclaims spaces long ignored. This challenges a public policy focus that targets graffiti artists while overlooking the larger forces of urban decay. If we have the energy and resources to pursue the teenage vandal with a spray can, shouldn’t we also jail the person who dumped chemicals into the water supply beneath the lot?
Elfo’s unauthorized wall message provokes a deeper question: if resources exist to penalize street artists, shouldn’t the same effort address the corporate or systemic neglect that leaves these walls abandoned? Elfo’s list, like much street art, demands a response—it’s his style. It forces a reassessment of how we value public spaces and who gets to define their use. Can we dismiss the artist’s work only as destruction when it activates forgotten spaces and sparks critical debate? Or does illegality override the art’s intent? Street art isn’t just visual; it’s often a direct confrontation with the systems that govern public life and urban spaces.
Our very best wishes to all, especially loyal BSA readers and fans, for a happy and healthy new year! May you be filled with the creative spirit and be guided to the best spots for street art!
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 2024. 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!
This year, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, we had the honor of meeting many community and neighborhood people, historians who shared stories of The Troubles, people still deeply affected by them, graffiti writers, street artists, and festival organizers. The creative spirit has a way of helping us see our age and ourselves. The painting duo Odisy knows how to celebrate hip-hop culture and some of graffiti’s roots while fully embracing the adventures that await us.
Let’s be optimistic for the new year, a year full of possibilities.
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 2024. 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!
We have memories and gratitude for the talented artists, organizers, and community whom we met at the Hit the North Festival in Belfast, including Veks Van Hillik, the French surrealist who created this holy Salmon of Knowledge, channeling the spirit of Irish mythology, in the city’s center.
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 2024. 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!
High meets Low in this photo depicting a salute to New York’s mythic heyday, never achieved again but often reconsidered, reconfigured, always victorious and rancid in new and surprising ways. As ever, we did it all for love.
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 2024. 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!
Street Art has been adopted as a lifestyle by some celebrity art collectors in recent years, adding to their personal brand and elevating the artist’s legacy in some ways. Brooklyn Museum exhibited 100 celebrated works from the personal art collection of musicians and cultural icons Swizz Beatz and their wife Alicia Keys, often including prominent, recognized names like Jean Michel Basquiat. Here SEF.01 channels the aesthetic and re-presents Keys as a girl, surrounded by references to childhood and the Brooklyn Street Artist in his mural.
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 2024. 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!
Street artist Sara Lynne Leo reminds us that we can now begin preparing our New Year’s resolution and achieve a better us. We like what she says at the end, “Be better. But believe you’re enough”. Unless you are like our friend Marlene, then you may be too much!
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 2024. 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!
Astonishing. On a humid rainy night on the Upper West Side this summer, Phillipe Petite reprised a version of his highwire walk between the Twin Towers precisely 50 years earlier. With musician Sting below him in this massive cathedral of St. John the Devine, how else would you describe this uniquely New York show to the other 1,500 guests?
BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
