On the Street

Images of the Week 01.15.12

So, what have you been up to so far this year? Watching Sh*t Cats Say? We’ve been learning cool stuff like Specter and friends Russell and Peter getting up in the JCC center , imagining who on earth might create a Street Art piece lionizing Ron Paul, seeing the spanky new Aiko and Bast reunited wall, and reading impressive 2 page email press releases for Street Artists who apparently get up in NYC but we never actually see and no one talks about.  It’s a weird fun life and we’re totally okay with it.

Meanwhile, here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week including Aiko, Anthony Lister, TMNK, Bast, C215, Dain, ECB, Gaia, Gilf!, Gold Dust, Gufo, How & Nosm, Cope, Juango, KCA, Oiler, Palladino, Shin Shin, Snort, and Xavier.

Cope. Xavior (photo © Jaime Rojo)

How and Nosm in Miami (photo © Jaime Rojo)

ECB (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A colorful and powerful Snort and Report tribute to Oiler (RIP) in Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

TMNK (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Aiko and Bast (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Aiko and Bast. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Aiko and Bast. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Palladino in Miami  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shin Shin (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Anthony Lister for Wynwood Walls Miami (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gufo over Gilf! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Duplex, Gilf!, Gold Dust (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Juango and Michael in Miami (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gaia, C215, KCA in Miami (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

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Isaac Cordal : New Cement Guys in Galicia, Spain

Isaac Cordal,  “Survivor 1” (photo © Isaac Cordal)

Street Artist and sculptor Isaac Cordal installed new work on a recent visit to his native town of Galicia in Spain. As much a project about photography as sculpture, it is an illuminating trip to follow his little grey men while they interact with the world. With his impeccable sense of placement and capture, instant storylines emerge just because of their context. Vulnerable, engaging, sometimes pessimistic, or quietly reflective, Cordal’s cement vignettes always look like these cement fellows are caught in the middle of a stream of activity they didn’t quite elect. Ultimately, the impact lies in the artists imagination, and yours.

Here are exclusive images of the new work for BSA readers (along with our witty and insightful captions).

“He seems to be a soft-spoken, measured leader, with a solid vision for the future.”  Isaac Cordal, “Survivor 2” (photo © Isaac Cordal)

“Interesting, we may have a discovered a blind spot in the system, which otherwise seems to be on track for the year-over-year returns. ” Isaac Cordal, “Survivor 3” (photo © Isaac Cordal)

“Going forward, I’m optimistic about 3rd Quarter earnings, despite a rising tide of negative indicators”. Isaac Cordal, “Titanic 1” (photo © Isaac Cordal)

“You guys go ahead, I’ll be right there. I just want to check some messages.” Isaac Cordal, “Titanic 2” (photo © Isaac Cordal)

“On second thoughts, those environmental regulations were a good idea. Sorry.” Isaac Cordal, “Mutant” (photo © Isaac Cordal)

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Stikman Wants You To Have A Sexy 2012

You’ve seen him in the pavement, you’ve seen him stuck to lamp posts, now see him every day inside your locker at school! Stikman made a handful of these for the new year, featuring one of those dapper dames from calendars you used to stare at while sitting on two phone books at Dad’s barber shop.

2012 by Stikman. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Always reinterpreting the iconic Stikman in new venues and mediums, this perky little new pin-up by the Street Artist is Joyce Ballantyne meets Penthouse meets The Car’s album “Candy-O”.  2012 is just big enough to slide into a legal sized envelope and Stikman is feeling very generous indeed, allowing us to send one free to the first five BSA readers who write and tell us why you love Stikman.

These calendars are not offered for sale anywhere and he only made a handful, so write to us with your address at stikman2012@brooklynstreetart.com and tell us why you love Stikman. We’ll write back to the first five.

In the meantime, enjoy these shots from Jaime Rojo in New York; Stikman’s recognizable  character pops up very often in different parts of the city. Below are some of our favorite versions.

Stikman plays with Banksy (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stikman (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stikman (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Word! Stikman (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Watching your step, Stikman (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Straight to the heart of the matter, this Stikman appears on the remains of a piece by Know Hope. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stikman in cartoon hand (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A re-purposed movie poster by Stikman (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

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Images of the Week 01.08.12 Miami Special Part II

Here is the 2nd half of the Miami images we captured for you from the massive blocks long street installation party called Art Basel this year. Most of these pieces are legal, many are not. You can call them Street Art, but not all are actually on the street and many could also be classified as murals.

Now is a perfect window of opportunity to go see these as many will be buffed in the next few weeks and months, as property owners sell the buildings or decide they didn’t actually dig the art as much as they thought they would. Within a decade or so, this area in Miami will most likely be less enthused with and even hostile toward graffiti and Street Art in general, but the red carpet is laid out at the moment. Artists are flocking from all over the world to jockey for walls, hoping to be seen by potential fans and collectors, or at least to hang out with peers and make new friends. This is a moment on a timeline and, for right now, the colors, patterns, textures, messages and lucid dreams are pulsating on walls everywhere; a mountain of creativity set free.

So here are more than 50 images in our interview with the street, this week featuring 2501, Adjust, AM, Andrew Schoultz, Art Basel 2011, AWR, Bask, Ben Eine, Bik Ismo, Buff Monster, C215, Chris Stain, Clown Soldier, Col, Cope, Dabs&Myla, Des, Ema, Emo, Entes Pesimo, Ethos, Ever, Florida, Gaia, Interesni Kazki, Jade Uno, Jaz, Joe Iurato, Liqen, Miami, Michael DeFeo, Neuzz, Nomade, Nomads, Nunca, Pancho Pixel, Pez, PHD, Pi, el Pancho, Primary Flight, Remote, Retna, Roa, RONE, Shark Toof, Shiro, Smells, Spagnola, Stormie Mills, Vhils, Wynwood Walls, and Zed1.

With special thanks to all the people who helped us out, showed us around and provided insight and background, especially the good folks from Primary Projects and Wynwood Walls.

Liqen (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Liqen’s metaphoric mural of miserable corporate finance workers in a labyrinthine maze may have been the singular most powerful and timely image this year.   (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Liqen (photo © Jaime Rojo)

International star Vhils and crew created a few signature portraits using his very original method of destruction and creation, a low relief sculpture that emanates from the wall (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Rone’s model looked skyward from a few locations on the street. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shiro (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Now, why is that? Smells Like Junk (photo © Jaime Rojo)

ROA and Ben Eine hit up this little corner spot with Primary Flight. The unusual free-standing structure called “The Living Room” has played host to a number of graffiti, mural, and street artists over the last few years, and this year also featured a pop-up piano ensemble performance. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

ROA (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JAZ (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Neuzz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Assume Vivid Astro Focus killed this wall last year and it still looks fresh. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Famed duo Assume Vivid Astro Focus (photo © Jaime Rojo)

New Jersey’s Joe Iurato (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jade Uno . Entes Pesimo (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gaia and C215 appeared frequently with one another this year on the street. This one is bookended by some Nomade posters (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gaia, C215 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bik Ismo, a custom hot rod, and of course a couple of appreciative dudes. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Zed1 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Despite relative domestic tranquility, sometimes Felix and Ana were not sure if they were seeing the same thing. Ever (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Retna stretched his alphabet tall, and tucked in many tributes to local friends. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

Interesni Kazki . Liqen (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki and Liqen combined forces on this mural referencing the world wide web. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki . Liqen (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki . Liqen (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Michael DeFeo lit up a desolate spot under the highway. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ethos (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Emo, PHD, Remote (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Emo (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ema (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A killer repetition from Des (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dabs & Myla collaboration with AWR (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Col on a bed of seafoam blue (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chris Stain brought some friends from New York and Baltimore. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This bull head popped out at discrete locations. Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bask bolted to a post. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Stormie Mills (photo © Jaime Rojo)

One of the few blatantly political pieces from Spagnola, with additional commentary added by a third party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This Shark Toof appears to be whispering something to Anthony Lister. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pixel Pancho kind of killed it.  (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pez is on multiple surfaces everywhere. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Nunca (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Nunca (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cope crushed repeatedly. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Clown Soldier stands guard at the gate. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Buff Monster . Cope (photo © Jaime Rojo)

2501 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Andrew Schoultz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Andrew Schoultz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

AM (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Adjust (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Images of the Week 01.02.12: Miami Special Part I

Ding Ding Ding! The New Year has been rung in and your head has stopped ringing, so it’s back to work – and back to Images of the Week, our weekly interview with the street. This week we’re bringing you incredible new work from Miami. In fact there is so much there since Art Basel hit a month ago that we’re gonna split it over 2 (or 3!) episodes of Images of the Weeks. With all this art on the streets surrounding you, it feels like a prosperous way to start 2012.

So here’s our first part interview with the Streets of Miami, today featuring 2501, Above, Adjust, Aiko, Anthony Lister, B., Ben Eine, CFYW, Chu, Cope, Dabs & Myla, Dan Witz, Date Farmers, Faile, Fila, Hargo, How & Nosm, Interesni Kazki, Jaz, Jeff Soto, JR, Kenny Sharf, Kenton Parker, Know Hope, La Pandilla, Liqen, Logan Hicks, LRG, MDR, MPR, Pez, Pixel Pancho, Retna, REVOK, ROA, Robots, Rone, Saner, Sego, Shark Toof, Shepard Fairey, Spencer Keeton, Tati, and Vhils.

With special thanks to all the people who helped us out, showed us around and provided insight and background, especially the folks from Primary Projects and Wynwood Walls.

JR (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dan Witz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

HARGO (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Above (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ben Eine and Spencer Keeton (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ben Eine (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ben Eine (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Fila (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Know Hope (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Roa and Kenton Parker (photo © Jaime Rojo)

ROA (photo © Jaime Rojo)

ROA (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

2501 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pixel Pancho (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jaz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shark Toof (photo © Jaime Rojo)

GAIA (photo © Jaime Rojo)

GAIA (photo © Jaime Rojo)

TATI (photo © Jaime Rojo)

RONE (photo © Jaime Rojo)

REVOK (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Anthony Lister (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Anthony Lister and Ben Eiene (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Free Humanity, Anthony Lister, Pez, Wealthy, Cope, Chu, Adjust and Revok (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pez, MPR (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Retna, Robots, MDR (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Retna (photo © Jaime Rojo)

La Pandilla (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sego and Saner (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sego and Saner (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sego and Saner (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Vhils (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Vhils (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dabs & Myla, LRG (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kenny Scharff (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kenny Scharff (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kenny Scharf did an installation for Wynwood Doors/Walls similar to his installation earlier in the year at LA MOCA.  Trailer Interior (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kenny Scharf’s trailer interior (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kenny Scharf’s trailer interior (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Logan Hicks (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile. Bast (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile, and a little bit of Kenny Scharf. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

How & Nosm (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Date Farmers (photo © Jaime Rojo)

b. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jeff Soto (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Interesni Kazki (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Occupy Window Displays : Handmade and Homey for the Holidays

This fall Printed Matter, a non-profit organization in Chelsea dedicated to publications made by artists, produced a window display of art relating to and directly from the protests of  Occupy Wall Street. Now in it’s fourth month, OWS continues in the streets of many cities with handmade signs, placards, diagrams, illustrations, costumes, even sculpture. Sometimes it is a tirade, some times it is a comedic play on words, but it is usually made by hand. Perhaps it’s the Gen Y affinity for D.I.Y., or perhaps it’s a way to deter the mass produced signs of would be usurpers, but this modern movement prefers one-off handmade work – in much the same way as many of today’s Street Artists.

OWS (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Seen from the street, the windows at Printed Matter are part education center, part community theater, part political advocacy. At a time when tourists are flocking to New York Town to see the Christmas windows at Macy’s and Lord & Taylor and Sachs Fifth Avenue, Printed Matter tells a heartwarming tale of people of many faiths and backgrounds gathering in the public sphere to express a kind of unity that this country hasn’t seen in a while.

OWS (photo © Jaime Rojo)

OWS (photo © Jaime Rojo)

OWS (photo © Jaime Rojo)

OWS (photo © Jaime Rojo)

OWS (photo © Jaime Rojo)

OWS (photo © Jaime Rojo)

OWS (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Watch Live Screen Printing Today

Interested in screen printing? You can check out how to do it for free as Printed Matter has daily live screenprinting with a roster of 20 artists;

24 DAYS OF MATTER PRINTED

LIVE SCREENPRINTING DAILY Until Dec 24th
Single Artists: Mon-Fri 5-7pm, Sun 4-6pm
Groups of 5-6 Artists: Sat 2-6pm

Curated/organized by J. Morrison

Printed Matter is pleased to present 24 DAYS OF MATTER PRINTED, a live screenprinting project by J. Morrison. From December 1st until the 24th, daily screenprinting sessions will feature a rotating cast of 20 artists creating collaborative works in the Printed Matter storefront. During these sessions, the artistic collaboration will be accumulative, with a new artist each day adding his or her own print to the previously produced prints. Prints will be available for purchase at any stage during this process.

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Images of the Week: 12.18.11

Our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Bast, ESPO, Nick Walker, Raemann, Todd James, Willow, and Wing.

Santa Claus is coming to (cough, cough, cough) Raemann “Eviair” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Specter. A night shot of the new piece from his “Manage Workflow” series (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile is feeling a little down and out in New York. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Bast never Failes. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

An old Nick Walker piece gets a new look with a fresh coat of paint in the negative space. His stencil shows signs of weathering and time but admirably the landlord left it untouched, creating a new framing in the process. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Talented painter Willow shows influences from two other well known Street Artists, Gaia and Swoon. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Even in grey winter, a new bright blossom springs from the cracks in the concrete as Wing uses glass tiles for this installation. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Todd “Reas” James and Stephen “ESPO” Powers joined forces again this weekend and brought to Brooklyn  a large selection of works from “The Street Market”, their installation shown this April at the “Arts in the Streets” exhibition at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.

Steve “Espo” Powers and Todd “Reas” James “Street Market” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Steve “Espo” Powers and Todd “Reas” James “Street Market” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Steve “Espo” Powers and Todd “Reas” James “Street Market” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Steve “Espo” Powers and Todd “Reas” James “Street Market” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Steve “Espo” Powers and Todd “Reas” James “Street Market” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Steve “Espo” Powers and Todd “Reas” James “Street Market” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Steve “Espo” Powers and Todd “Reas” James “Street Market” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Purth in Minneapolis, “What Kind of Woman Are You?”

Street Artist Purth relies on her intuition when scouting walls to spread out on, favoring wide open spaces and sweeping vistas, in basically unknown or forgotten locations.  Deeply connected to her pieces, her imaginative backstories for them, and the process of creating, Purth confidently claims space on a wall without necessarily covering every inch. In this way, the work is as much about location and history as it is about the new work.

Purth in North Minneapolis, Minnesota (photo © Greg Carideo)

While in Minnesota last week Purth completed a 12 foot by 60 foot wall on the border of North Minneapolis with a piece she calls “What Kind of Woman Are You?”.  The large distorted figure lies on her side with a small constellation of thoughts and dreams and energy bursts dragging along behind her. Purth already had a story in mind for the figure, but only after she had started the piece did she learn that this location was the site of a huge number of homicides, and her figure faced an old gas station with and ignominious past.

Purth (photo © Greg Carideo)

Purth gives BSA more background to these somewhat haunting photographs here:

“Minneapolis has always been an important location for me. Its creative voice has influenced me greatly over the years. Many little details fell into place last month and I was able to complete this work on the fly with the help of a close friend and the support of a few locals.

The piece was an idea I had a while back that developed into much more once I had found the location. That’s usually how it goes … the work takes on its own form based on where it makes its home.

This wall was amazing too. I learned a day or two after I had begun painting that it sits directly across from “The Old Colony” gas station, this strange spot bordering North Minneapolis. It has an enormous glowing bee hive in front of it and the reputation of being the site for the most homicides in the area.

She faces it directly and I think knowing that made the work, or my presence there, feel more severe. Feels as though she growing into her own now, like she’ll bear witness to more than I can even imagine … or hopefully earn her wings (filthy, soot covered wings, but wings none the less). I guess there is something haunting and mysterious about this one, even to me.”

Purth (photo © Greg Carideo)

Purth (photo © Purth)

Purth (photo © Purth)

Purth (photo © Greg Carideo)

The Minneapolis sky with the obscured Purth wall to the left. (photo © Greg Carideo)

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Fintan Switzer and “Silver Inheritance” in Ireland

Fine artist Fintan Switzer has been leaving his studio and going outside recently to experience the fresh air and to explore what it’s like to paint walls. From Michaelangelo to the erotic wall painting of Pompei to the great Latin American muralists of the the last century like social realist David Alfaro Siqueiros and the firebrand Diego Riveira, we have been addressing issues of class and social station with paintings on walls for a very long time. With this in mind, Switzer has been creating his social themed realist oil portraits that appear to break free from the walls of Killarney in the south of Ireland.

Fintan Switzer (photo © Fintan Switzer)

Mr. Switzer talked briefly to BSA and explained his interest in “Silver Inheritance,” his most recent foray into the outdoors.

“Indoors you are confined to the dimensions of your canvas and your studio. Painting outdoors offers you the freedom to use the surroundings and merge your piece with the setting.

The title ‘Silver Inheritance’ is a play on the expression ‘born with a silver spoon’, I don’t know if the expression is used much in the States but it means to be born into a wealthy family. The character in the painting is working class, a labourer condemned to a life of hard work and low wages, living on the margins of society. His inheritance is his family’s social class, lifestyle and a future of unrelenting marginal existence”

Fintan Switzer (photo © Fintan Switzer)

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Anthony Lister Goes Ape Crazy on the Barracuda Wall

Yo, Whassup Chimp?

Under cover of night Street Artist Anthony Lister just monkeyed around with some cans on a wall in LA to do his own interpretation of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”. The wall on Melrose is on the building “De La Barracuda”, “a well known wall that gets a lot of Street Artists on it,” remarks photographer Birdman.  Mr. Lister says he likes the job because it gives him a challenge. As you can see, he’s an excellent choice by wall producer Roger Gastman to interpret this modern jungle scene; a story with enough psychological layers and undertones to make any social scientist go apesh*t.

Five stars to photographer Birdman for showing these cool shots for BSA readers.

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Anthony Lister (photo © Birdman)

Gastman and Lister cross Melrose to get a good look. (photo © Birdman)

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Images of the Week 12.11.11

Thank you for all the excellent and splendid and wacky and warm submissions to the BSA Holiday Giveaway this week. BSA just has the smartest, knowledgeable, talented  and most badass readers! Our panel of judges will be casting their votes for the five winners soon and we’ll be revealing the winners during “12 Wishes for ’12” at the end of the month. A sincere “Thank You” to everybody (from everywhere!) who took the time and made the effort to share their personal wish and image. We value each and every one.

The bachanal of Street Art known as Art Basel washed like a typhoon over walls of Miami last weekend and more Street Artists than ever put up work before heading home to locations around the globe. By all accounts it was an overwhelming experience for many and artists, fans, photographers, and promoters are taking a little time to consider the experience and think about the ramifications for Street Arts’ direction. You may have seen a couple of postings we had as the work was going up last weekend here and here.

This week we show you a handful of somewhat reflective shots from the streets of Miami (and some from New York too). With time for consideration and after letting the aerosol settle, BSA will give you a huge overview of the whole Miami Street Art scene as it stands on January 2nd.

For now, here is our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Dain, Gaia, Hargo, Love Me, Need You, Pez, La Pandilla, Rone, and Spencer Keeton Cunningham. Photographs by Jaime Rojo and Geoff Hargadon.

Love Me (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Need You (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artist Unknown. This collage was made out of two different wheat pastes by two different artists at two different times. A side bust. The B&W photos were superimposed on the original wheat paste (photo © Jaime Rojo)

 

Here are Geoff Hargadon’s images for BSA from his adventures in Miami for Art Basel 2011.

Rone. This is a fine example of the spontaneous and unsanctioned art that takes place on the streets of Miami during the four days of Art Basel.  (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Gaia for Wynwood Walls  (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Spencer Keeton Cunningham paints next to Ben Eine.  (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

CFYW (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Pez (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

La Pandilla (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Geoff caught this cru from Atlanta working in the middle of the night. The painting is a tribute to a friend of theirs who passed away not long ago. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

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The City of Angels AND Murals Considers a New Approach

“Original Art Murals comprise a unique medium of expression that serves the public interest.”

Shocking as that may sound, it is just one of the statements contained in a proposed new mural ordinance in Los Angeles.  We don’t usually dip our toes into policy discussions regarding public art, preferring to concentrate on the art and the artist and where we’re headed from that perspective. But it has been a bit of high theater to see the machinations at work in a city prized for it’s history of public murals as official policy has wiped out perfectly legal community approved artworks and secured the rights of corporations to blight neighborhoods with billboard messages to buy goods and services.

​”For months, the L.A. Department of City Planning has been teasing street artists with announcements of a new ordinance that would lift the current ban on all pre-approved murals on private property in Los Angeles,” says the LA Weekly Blog yesterday, as they take the council of the celebrated local graffiti artist Saber and his community arts activist buddy Daniel Lahoda, among others, to pound out an agreement that puts public art back in peoples hands.  Without talking about vandalism, the current laws on the books actually prevent a property owner from commissioning artwork on their own buildings. The new policy will re-classify murals as “original works of art”  as long as they are not shilling for a business. Also, puppies are cute.  And boys like girls in short skirts. And the Pope is Catholic.

Below a selection of images from the murals in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles as part of the LA Freewalls Project spearheaded by Daniel Lahoda.

JR (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Anthony Lister (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Swoon (photo © Jaime Rojo)

ROA (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Saber and Augustine Kofie (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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