All posts tagged: Ad Hoc Art

Welling Court 2016 Part II and AD HOC’s 10th Anniversary this Weekend

October 17, 2016 Artists

Long before Bushwick Open Studios and the Bushwick Collective there was Ad Hoc Gallery in a part of Brooklyn better known for bullet proof plexi-glass at the corner deli than being any kind of artists haven. Kool kids were actually filtering in to find cheap rents and space in the early 2000s and Garrison and Alison Buxton and a few other closely knit creatives, teachers, entrepreneurs, and activists created a gallery/community center that welcomed Street Artists and graffiti peeps.

Rubin 415 and Joe Iurato (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Their gallery featured solo and group shows that included Shepard Fairey, Swoon, C215, Chris Stain, Know Hope, and many others over a five year period and Ad Hoc provided an entrance to the contemporary art world. Somehow they did it in a way that honored the roots of the culture, not simply cashing in on it. Smart and worldly, they also had open hearts to other people’s projects. We even had our inaugural BSA show and book launch there in 2008, donating all the money to Free Arts NYC and selling work from an impressive number of talented artists whose name you might recognize.

I am Eelco (photo © Jaime Rojo)

10 years later the actual gallery is long closed and they moved to Vermont to get more space to raise their daughter Halcyon, but the Buxtons still sell art, curate the occasional show, and have stayed seriously in the New York mix by hosting an annual street mural jam called Welling Court for the last half decade. True to their community roots, they keep the roster very wide and inclusive. This year the mural painting continued long after the actual event, so we recently went back to Queens to catch the ones we didn’t during this summers jam.

Coming up this weekend there is a big 10^th Anniversary party for Ad Hoc here in Brooklyn again, we thought we’d show you the murals we missed for the first collection of 2016 murals HERE. Hope to see you at this weekends Ad Hoc 10^th Anniversary event at 17 Frost.

Free Humanity (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mr. PRVRT (photo © Jaime Rojo)

SeeOne and Hellbent (photo © Jaime Rojo)

SONI (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Daze . Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crash (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Daze (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Esteban Del Valle (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Werc and Zèh Palito (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Lady Pink . J Morello (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Epic Uno . M7Ser (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mr. June (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sinned (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Katie Yamasaki . Caleb Neelon (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Depoe (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Queen Andrea (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ramiro Davaros-Coma (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ad Hoc Art. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Halcyon from Ad Hoc Art Crew… (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ad Hoc Art 10th Year Anniversary and Luna Park’s book launch Art Show will take place this Saturday, October 22nd at 17 Frost Gallery in Brooklyn. Click HERE for further details.

Images of the Week: 12.09.12

December 9, 2012 Artists

Here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Astrodub, Cruz, Doug Nox aka the Harlequinade, Faring Purth, Herakut, How Nosm, Jilly Ballistic, MCity, Nether, RISK, Sonata, Trip, and VHILS.

We start off with MCity visiting Queens and hanging with Allison and Garrison from Ad Hoc, who helped him get some walls while he is here in New York. Then we get some Miami shots from Geoff Hargadon, and back to Brooklyn with photographer Jaime Rojo.

MCity, the Polish Street Artist paid a flash visit to NYC this week and proceeded to paint as soon as he set foot in our city. This carrousel was painted in Welling Court, Queens aided by Alison Buxton of Ad Hoc Art. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Nether has some similarities to NohJColey in this wheat Paste. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sonata at Welling Court, Queens. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A different angle from our previous Miami update of Herakut in action. Miami 2012 (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

The restored Vhils wall captured at night flanked by the new How & Nosm wall for Wynwood Walls. Miami 2012. (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Risk at the Wynwood Arts District. Miami 2012 (photo © Geoff Hargadon)

Tripel (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faring Purth “We’re All in this Together”. Omaha, Nebraska. December, 2012 (photo © Faring Purth)

Faring Purth “We’re All in this Together”. Detail. Omaha, Nebraska. December, 2012 (photo © Faring Purth)

The collage approach is still slammin. Astrodub. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Astrodub (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cruz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cruz. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Doug Nox aka the Harlequinade is looking straight up thuggish. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jilly Ballistic (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Looks like someone got inspired by all those hand turkeys over Thanksgiving. Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Greenpoint, Brooklyn. December, 2012. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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AD Hoc Art Presents: Welling Court 2012. (Queens, NYC)

June 5, 2012 Artists, Events, NYC, On the Street, Opening, Queens, Street Art Festival

Welling Court

Roa, Overunder and Veng RWK at last year’s Welling Court. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

3* Saturday, June 16th, 12-9PM: 3rd Annual Welling Court Mural Project; Queens, NY

AD HOC ART CONTINUES MAJOR PUBLIC MURAL PROJECT COMPRISING 60+ INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS REPRESENTING OVER 50 YEARS OF STREET ART

— An Art Event Celebrating the Streets, Solidarity, Community, and Culture —

FACEBOOK PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/events/407797092587142/

WHEN: Opening Saturday, June 16th, 2012 from noon until 9pm.
Afterwards: viewable 24/7/365, so enjoy!

WHAT: The community of Welling Court in Queens, New York first asked Ad Hoc Art to help them spruce up their neighborhood in 2009. Ad Hoc Art rose to the occasion in May 2010 organizing a project fitting for the diverse, enthusiastic, and energetic inhabitants. One year later, Ad Hoc assembled another spectacular crew of legendary and groundbreaking artists spanning more than 50 years of activity for the 2nd Annual Welling Court Mural Project. Now in its 3rd year, the project has received remarkable global acclaim and continues to garner support and momentum as more walls, artists, and enthusiasts compound those previous successes.

This third round is not to be missed as ever-more art and eyes visit this Queens gem. To celebrate, the community’s annual block party again coincides with the project’s opening, featuring cuisine and music from the ethnically diverse and multi-talented hosts. Whereas this tiny neighborhood is providing some major hospitality, it cannot provide for the attendees en mass, so please think of this as a big social-picnic-potluck-art-fun-action and bring some of your favorite tasty foods, beverages, or other contribution to share with your fellow revelers. Kind of like camping, but in the city. Pack it in, pack it out.

If you would like to offer help or assistance to the artists, items always useful are: beverages, exterior bucket paint, paint rollers/brushes, spray paint, acrylic paint, exterior primer, etc. If none of those suite your fancy and you would like to contribute some funds, we will be taking donations at the event.

Volunteers Needed: If you would like to help out in another fashion, there are many ways to get involved. As The Welling Court Mural Project is an all-volunteer event, from the project organizers to the people who help spread the word and take care of the artists & attendees, to the artists creating the work, we need your help to make it as amazing as possible. For volunteer questions and interest, please contact us at info@adhocart.org

The project transforms several city blocks into a 24/7 street-level gallery, bringing art from around the world directly to the heart of this community and NYC. Renowned artists with deep roots in the street movement have created site-specific works for this project and many will showcase various creative sundries for your perusal. This new array of visual experiences provides fresh contexts for how people working, visiting, and living in this diverse cultural gem of Queens think about and interact with their environment.

Artists Include: Abe Lincoln, Jr., Alice Mizrachi, Alison Buxton, Beau Stanton, Billy Mode, Caleb Neelon, Celso, Cern, Christopher Cardinale, Chris Mendoza, Chris Stain, CR, CRASH, Cycle, Dan Witz, Darkclouds, Deb Yoon, Don Leicht, El Kamino, Ellis Gallagher, Free5, Fumero, Gaia, Garrison Buxton, Greg Lamarche, JAZ, Joe Iurato, John Breiner, John Fekner, Katie Yamasaki, Kimyon Huggins, Lady Pink, Leon Reid IV, Lopi, Mensen, Michael Alan, Never, OverUnder, Pablo Power, Peat Wollaeger, R. Nicholas Kuszyk, Rene Gagnon, Richard Nugent, ROA, Royce Bannon, Sinned, Skewville, Sofia Maldonado, Stormie Mills, Subtexture, Thundercut, TooFly, Veng RWK, The Wretched Rapture Crew, Zam, Zéh Palito, & more.

* In addition to the murals and festivities, there are special events and projects happening throughout the day with…

** Music to boot{y}!!!
Some of Ad Hoc’s favorite DJ’s blend sublime block party beats to tickle your eardrums and keep you moving all day long. Bring food, water, dancing shoes and prepare for seeing some great art & shaking some body parts.

WHO: Artists + The Community of Welling Court + You + Ad Hoc Art

WHERE: 11-98 Welling Court {@ 30th Ave & 12th Street}, Astoria, Queens 11102

TO GET THERE:

* By Public Transit: Take the N or W train to 30th Ave. Then: 1) walk 10-15 minutes or; 2) take the Q18 west down 30th Ave to 12th St. You are there!

* By Car: Here is a link to the street map: http://tinyurl.com/2e7whgo

YOUR ATTENDANCE AND COVERAGE IS ENCOURAGED & INVITED.

Buxtons Bring “Welling Court 2” to Queens, Artists and Scooters in Tow

June 28, 2011 Artists, Events, Features, NYC, On the Street, Performance, Queens

Street Art in the Community, Creating Community. Again.

John Ahearn (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ad Hoc Art “brought it” for the second year to Queens and at Welling Court with a collection of Street Artists and local families hanging out and painting the neighborhood. The tireless Alison and Garrison Buxton invited 40 or 50 of their closest friends with aerosol to take part over a two day period to transform the atmosphere in this neighborhood which doesn’t get much attention. The lineup includes artists who are pioneers in the graffiti and Street Art game who create alongside emerging talent. The styles vary, but the sentiments of connectedness and community are consistent throughout.

John Ahearn with his assistant Kevin with his friend and model Karlee, daughter of his good friend Otto. Karlee and Otto posed for the sculpture to the right. John had planned a live casting with Karlee later in the day but we couldn’t stay to witness it. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Leon Reid installing his sculpture (photo © Jaime Rojo)

In this extensive collection of photos BSA gives you artists hard at work and hard at play with a little help from their friends. A traditional community mural format where everyone has their own slab to cover in their own style, Welling Court also engages the kids in the neighborhood, who frequently get to try their hand at painting or otherwise assisting the artists.

Leon Reid (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The day’s proceedings are part plastic art and part performance art as the artists often stop painting to interact with fans, inquisitors, Street Art aficionados and their fellow artists. Its part summer camp and part family reunion with the neighbors getting out the BBQ grill and setting up tables in the street while artists from around the globe are reconnecting and telling long tales and kids on scooters and skateboards weave in and out of the clusters of cans everywhere. With the abundance of homemade food and a variety of music playing at high volume the streets are alive and there’s nothing else you’d want to do on day like this.

Debuting a new secret doorway, Mr. Dan Witz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dan Witz (photo © Jaime Rojo)

John Ahearn is a pioneer in the area of public art known for making sculptures with local people posing as models. His technique of live casting requires the model to sit while John creates a cast of them in plaster. As far back as the mid 1970s Mr. Ahearn’s tributes to his neighbors have been seen affixed to many walls throughout the Bronx. Sited as an important part of the development of the Street Art scene Ahearn’s work has also traveled to private collections of prominent and noted art collectors and art institutions.

Brooklyn Street Art spoke with Mr. Ahearn and asked him about participating in this open venue and how he felt doing his live casting in Queens. He responded with excitement about the word “live”.

“You used the word very properly. I feel alive today. I feel alive and I just turned 60 two weeks ago and I feel this is where my roots are. Right in the sidewalk, doing casting, particularly aimed at little children. We are going to do a piece that involves a child. She is a friend of mine from way back and we are expecting to have a crowd of kids here and it is going to be fun,” said Ahearn.

Ezra Li Eismont and Bunnie Reiss bring a fanstastical and folksy humor to this very urban setting. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hmmmm, wonder who lives here. Ezra Li Eismont and Bunnie Reiss. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ezra Li Eismont and Bunnie Reiss (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Deeks and El Celso sing a stunning duet. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

El Kamino and Alice Mizrachi murals in process (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Alice Mizrachi at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Always good to get a new view; El Kamino listens to a live critique of his work by local observers. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

El Kamino at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cern at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

ROA in a tight spot. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Fumero at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

JMR on the left and The Wretched Rapture Crew: Dave Loewenstein, Ashley Jane Laird and Cecilia Ross-Gotta (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Too Fly almost completed mural with Chor Boogie to the right (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Too Fly’s original sketch. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ani, Too Fly’s friend helping out with a little pink. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Zam at work on a very large roach. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Zam (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Zam’s roach doesn’t make Too Fly too happy. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chris Stain and Billy Mode mural in process (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chris Stain and Billy Mode detail shot (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jesse Jones to the left and Sinned to the right at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jordan Seiler at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Katie Yamasaki and Caleb Neelon (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Lady Pink at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Overunder at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pablo Power at work (photo © Jaime Rojo)

R. Robots and Victor collaborating on a piece on Victor’s house. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The original inspiration for R.Robots and Victor. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

R. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ron English (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Royce Bannon and Matt Siren collab in process (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Royce Bannon and Russell King (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Veng RWK mural in process (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Veng RWK (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ad Hoc Art and New Puppy LA Present: “I have a dream, I have a nightmare: Friday the 13th” (Los Angeles, CA)

May 13, 2011 Artists, California, Events, Gallery, Los Angeles, Opening

Ad Hoc Art

AD HOC ART GATHERS 34 INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS TO EXPLORE DREAMS, NIGHTMARES, SUPERSTITIONS, AND EXISTENCE TO YEILD CREATIONS RANGING FROM THE PAINFULLY REAL TO THE ETHEREAL FANTASTIC.

— An Art Exhibit Celebrating the Expansiveness of Consciousness & Culture —

WHEN: Exhibition Opens Friday, May 13^th, 7-11pm

with an additional Artwalk Opening: Saturday, May 14^th, 7-11pm

Through June 18th, 2011. Hours: 12-6pm Thursday – Saturday and by appointment.

WHAT: AD HOC ART presents “I have a dream, I have a nightmare: Friday the 13th”, an eclectic and electric charge of vast creativity, synapses, and neural networks seeping into Los Angeles’ artmind via New Puppy LA.

That we are living in very fascinating and unprecedented times on the cusp of something is crystal clear. What that “something” is, exactly, is not. What waits on the other side? Is it beautiful or horrendous, sustainable or cataclysmic, truthful or deceptive, just or fraudulent? We all play a leading role in guiding the future of this sweet unraveling already well underway.

Around the world, energies are coming together, people are relating, and the future is so bright. Is the light from the billions of shining smiles of a humane and democratic existence that sustains life; or is it the glistening blast from a bomb dropped by the sociopathic ceo/politico at MegaGlobalBankCorp determined to take all or nothing at our expense?

To divine an answer, dreams, nightmares and Friday the 13th energies have been harnessed, channeled and will be unleashed this 13th of May in the City of Angels.

Enjoy these visual nuggets swimming through the realms of spacetime.

Artists include: Alison Buxton, Beau Stanton, Bill Fick, Broken Crow, Bunnie Reiss, Chor Boogie, Chris Stain, CRASH, Dabs & Myla, Daryll Peirce, David Loewenstein, Don Leicht, Ezra Li Eismont, Garrison Buxton, Hellbent, Joe Iurato, John Breiner, John Carr, John Fekner, Jordan Seiler, Know Hope, Lady Pink, Michael De Feo, Mikal Hameed, Paul Booth, Peat Wollaeger, Ray Cross, Rex Dingler, ROA, Robert Steel, Sean Starwars, TheDirtyFabulous, & Thundercut.

WHO: Ad Hoc Art – www.adhocart.org

New Puppy LA – www.newpuppla.com

WHERE: 2808 Elm Street, Los Angeles, California 90065

Ad Hoc Art And Chashama Present: “Unified Love Moment” (Manhattan, NY)

October 26, 2010 Artists, Events, Gallery, Manhattan, new york, NYC, Opening

Ad Hoc Art

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

On October 29th, 2010 from 6-8pm, Garrison and Alison Buxton invite you to come celebrate the unveiling of their Unified Love Movement installation across from the MoMA at 20 West 53rd St. The Buxtons are honored to manifest their latest vision on Halloween weekend via chashama’s “Windows at Donnell” program. The exhibition runs October 29th – November 28th, 2010 and is viewable 24/7. This visual fruit is timely and ripe for viewing.
ABOUT THE INSTALLATION:

As our modern world goes totally bananas, Unified Love Movement is all about increasing unity, positivity, acceptance, growth, and, yes, love. For this installation, the Buxtons invited two of NYC’s artistic gems on board to help blow the doors off the outdated religious school bus. Leo Villareal, brilliant blinkity-blink LED maverick, and Scott Draves, creator of the mesmerizing Electric Sheep entities, lend their brilliance to the mix.

Unified Love Movement portrays four figures from four of the world’s faiths – Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Each is transmitting their love, energy, and prayer to their respective godheads. Though superficial differences do exist, these religions share profound similarities at their cores, including messages of tolerance, sharing, compassion, forgiveness, and infinite love. To depict the infinite openness of the divine without overusing conventional religious references, the Buxtons chose to represent Metatron, the celestial scribe and messenger of the divine, in its sacred geometric form. Emanating from the center of the exhibit, the geometric LED array of Villareal subtly pulses cool white light while Draves’ vivid, bleeding-edge Electric Sheep projections undulate infinitely colored waves over all who choose to engage.

Unified Love Movement is the Buxtons’ foremost project to date, inviting the viewer to participate and contribute to its spiritual expansiveness by realizing the innate commonality of our human experience and then caring enough to do something about it. Perhaps we can then put our minds and hearts together to create a better world.

Garrison and Alison extend a special, huge thank you to chashama and MMT for their very generous support of this project, which would not have happened without them. The contributions of many keep the world lively.
{http://chashama.org / http://mmt.com}

An injustice to anyone is an injustice to everyone. As above, so below. Love eternal.

Many thanks and our best to you.

The Buxtons

Fun Friday 05.21.10 from BSA

May 21, 2010 Artists, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, NYC, On the Street, Queens

Thanks to everybody for the shout-outs about Fun Friday. We love you too.

Style Curator Natalie Kates Went to the “Street Art New York” Auction with her Video Camera

I saw her at the party/auction/fundraiser on April 24th at Factory Fresh but I didn’t know she was shooting a video! So cool because she captured the fun crowd and the funnier DJ mixologists Sifunk and Garmunkle, who really rocked our already over stimulated brains with a rhythmic cut-copy-paste blend of funkiness. (get Paul’s New Mix FREE here) Anyway, thanks Natalie!

Free Arts NYC

And on that note, thank you to all of the street artists who generously donated their time and work and creativity to the auction, which raised $16,000 for the programs at Free Arts NYC. Thank you also to the staff and many volunteers who helped make that show work – BSA recommends these people and these programs that provide valuable services to our neighbors and to NYC kids. A number of Street Artist already know about their programs and have volunteered as Big Brother/Sister mentors and worked with kids and families in the programs. Here, Cynthia and Alexis talk about their experience:

This year again, Free Arts NYC has committed to serving an additional 1,000 children to meet the high demand in New York for their programs. We hope you will consider donating today by clicking here to help them reach this important milestone and close the remaining $25,000 gap needed to expand their programs.

“UR New York” Shows You How They Do It

UR New York, true born and raised New Yorkers, not transplants like most of us, are taking their street art game another step forward in a positive way. You see their cool canvasses, but do you have any idea how many steps are involved in making a print?

Here’s a studio stop-action video that shows how the New York Duo 2Easae and Ski just churned out their first print called “Arsenic” with Art Asylum Boston. They only made 10, but it looks like a lot of effort. Using cans and brushes, these brothers are combining the best of their experience into their work.

Ron English Hits the Welling Court Walls Early

UR New York, Street Artist Ron English has put up a bunch of new wheat paste posters on the Welling Court Mural Project in Queens, NY. The festival starts tomorrow and already the stuff that is up is worth the trip for this community event. English is taking the opportunity to lambaste Consumerism, Greed, Militarism, Religious Hypocrisy, Romanticizing Guns, and Advertising Hammerlocks on your Head — you know, all the lite topics – with a variety of graphic lampoons a la Mad Magazine in the 70’s.ee

Ron English's new work at Welling Court Mural Project this weekend (image courtesy Ron English)

See more pictures from Ron English’s online journal at Juxtapose HERE.

ROA on the Roof

You may have missed this, and I’m so happy with it – so that’s two really good reasons to post this new NEW YORKY video we made with ROA this week. Have a great weekend!

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Artists that were part of the “Street Art New York” Auction Benefit for Free Arts NYC were Abe Lincoln Jr., Alex Diamond, Anera, Avoid Pi, Billi Kid, Bishop 203, Blanco, BortusK Leer, Broken Crow, C Damage, C215, Cake, Celso, Chris RWK, Chris Stain, Creepy, Dain, Damon Ginandes, Dan Witz, Dark Clouds, Dennis McNett, Elbow Toe, EllisG, FKDL, Gaia, General Howe, GoreB, Hargo, Hellbent, Imminent Disaster, Infinity, Jef Aerosol, Jim Avignon, JMR, Joe Iurato, Jon Burgerman, Keely, Know Hope, Logan Hicks, Mark Carvalho, Matt Siren, Mint and Serf, Miss Bugs, NohJColey, Nomadé, Peru Ana Ana Peru, PMP/Peripheral Media Projects, Poster Boy, Pufferella, Rene Gagnon, Roa, Royce Bannon, Skewville, Specter, Stikman, Swoon, The Dude Company, Tristan Eaton, UR New York (2esae & Ski), Veng RWK

Welcome to the Jungle: HELLBENT’s Wild Kingdom

May 13, 2010 Artists, Interview

The self-styled punk rock street artist in the studio PREPPING FOR HIS PARTICIPATION IN AD HOC ART’S “WILLOUGHBY WINDOWS V 2.0”

Welcome to the Jungle; Hellbent’s Wild Kingdom at Willoughby VWindows 2.0

For the second year in a row, Ad Hoc is curating a block of defunct store window displays in a busted part of downtown Brooklyn with a series of installations by street artists. Opening officially tomorrow afternoon, the project brings to life a moribund block of 13 storefronts with 14 artists, each of whom have conjured themes from their imagination. A proactive public-friendly venture, WWII is yet another example of artists giving freely of their time and resources to encourage conversations and add color and character to our public space.

A soon to be hand carved hummingbird by Hellbent in the studio earlier this week. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This year sagacious smart-mouth HELLBENT is bringing his set-designing skills, which are many, to bear upon an abandoned storefront. In what he describes as a nod to the wild untamed nature of urban living, street art, graffiti culture, and the original wild kingdom, Hellbent’s ferocious animals rage and hiss at viewers from deep inside a lush field of plastic vegetation. The backdrop is a myriad of psychedelic dripping wall flowers and a BP oil spill of black industrial soot.

In the studio, one of Hellbent’s ferocious hand carved snakes poses in advance of the show before a multi-layered colorful stencil background. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The elephant, snakes, and hummingbirds are current favorites of Hellbent. To create heft and stability, he glued 2 layers of luan board together before sketching out the shapes and jigsawing them. The black painted surface is then carved out with a power drill and a lot more drill bits than you can imagine – as they only last 5-10 minutes before drilling. “It cost me over $150 in drill bits – because they wear out so fast doing this kind of work. I was chasing these drill bits around town and I sold out every hardware store in the immediate area getting these.”

Hellbent, on his knees carving the 7 foot tall elephant, “I’m just focusing on nature; the natural. Since graff is a predominately urban thing and we forget about animals and the wild, it’s a way to bring them back into the urban setting. They are like animals that are stuck in the city, like many people are.” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A peek at the “ANGRY ELEPHANT”, peeking back at you. Hellbent, “These are kind of menacing animals… it feeds back into the graffiti and street art aggressive nature, the determination to get your work out. There is a lot of machismo out there so this work is kind of riffing on that. Like my name – it’s a play on words and on other themes – it sounds really fierce but it’s done in bubble letters, or a cursive hand, or in pastel colors – stuff like that.” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent pimped out the lush vegetation in his diorama for the animals to frolic in.

The original model for the installation was quite a bit smaller than the final project installation.

So, what’s it like working on this larger scale? “It’s nice. It’s overwhelming. It’s a little overwhelming, a challenge, you know. I learn stuff as I go. I’ve learned stuff definitely. For example, how much stuff and materials it takes to make something like this. I got a lot of stuff donated from friends, and a number of friends helped me figure this out – I definitely didn’t do this by myself.”

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Willoughby Windows V 2.0 opens Friday, May 14th, 2-6pm and runs through the summer.

Artists include C. Damage, Chris Mendoza & Pablo Powers, Daryll Peirce, Faust, Hellbent, Jef Aerosol, Joe Iurato, Laura Lee Gulledge, LogikOne, Ron English, Skewville, and Thundercut.

106 Willoughby Street (not Ave), Brooklyn, NY 11201
Downtown Brooklyn

Pics from Jef Aerosol Opening

January 30, 2010 Artists, Brooklyn, NYC, Opening

From photographer Vincent Cornelli comes this fun collection of images from last nights opening of “All Shook Up”, Jef Aerosol’s opening at Ad Hoc/Eastern District in Bushwick, Brooklyn, curated by Brooklyn Street Art. A steady crowd carried through the evening to check out the new pieces and to meet the artist in person.

Jef strikes a pose in front of his giant canvas, a reprise of his mural of Jean-Michel Basquiat that he did on a rooftop in Brooklyn last week. Etched into Basquiat's eyebrow is the word "Brooklyn". (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

Classic muses of Jef's 30 year love affair with stencils were infused with new blood by Brooklyn-based icons like Jay-Z and M.I.A., graffiti legend Dondi White, and street art photographer Luna Park (who was in attendance). A new piece on wood (the smiling boy) was a benefit for Haiti. (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

A man of the people, Aerosol made sure to include smaller affordable pieces for fans (in foreground) just in front of this New York Warhol Factory/ Punk scene grouping - including Iggy Pop, John Cage, Sid Vicious, Lou Reed, and the Ramones (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

A man of the people, Aerosol made sure to include smaller affordable pieces for fans (John Lee Hooker and Jimi Hendrix in foreground) just in front of this New York Warhol Factory/ Punk scene grouping - including Iggy Pop, John Cage, Sid Vicious, Lou Reed, and the Ramones. He also did a small 10 piece Basquiat edition for the show (think there are a few left). (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

A visitor with Joe Strummer of the Clash looking over his head (photo © Vincent Cornelli)

Brigitte Bardot and Magpie at the end of the wall (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Beauty was in attendance (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Jef and fellow stencil artist Chris Stain (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Rocker and experimental music artist Andrew Hurst kept the garage inspired classic and obscure music coming, with a break for Louis, who played electric guitar with his amp in the middle of gallery for five songs. (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Rocker and experimental music artist/producer Andrew Hurst kept the garage inspired classic and obscure music coming, with a break for Louis, who played and sang rock-n-roots inspired pieces accompanied by his electric guitar and amp in the middle of gallery for five songs. (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

Detail of Jef Aerosol canvas (photo © Vinny Cornelli)

“I think it gives Brooklyn a kind of twist”; Willoughby Windows through the eyes of Brooklyn kids.

January 25, 2010 Artists

The Willoughby Windows Project, curated by Ad Hoc Gallery last summer was a big hit that helped revitalize a downtown block.

A developer who bought the block had made it look ugly by kicking out the mom-n-pop businesses that made their living there, so the street artists made it look super cool by putting art in the windows.

These four talented and insightful Brooklyn students in 4th,5th, and 6th grades made an excellent documentary about the project and it’s impact on the people they met who passed the windows. It is very funny and entertaining. Oh yeah, it’s educational too.

Brooklyn Friends Student Documentary Fall 2009 from Samuel Bathrick

The team really studied the topic and explained why they did the project. Here are some quotes from the documentary, to give you a flavor:

“We decided to make a documentary film about the different stores and that had art in them.”

“We had some questions and we wanted to find out what the general public thought about the art.”

“Personally I think the stores closed because of the economy.”

The documentary includes discussion about the project, how it came about, and interviews with people on the street. Garrison Buxton of Ad Hoc, and one of the featured artists in the project Dennis McNett, are also interviewed. The whole documentary was edited by the class instructor, Sam Bathrick.

Three cheers for after school programs! Three cheers for teachers! Three cheers for these amazing students!!

See a previous post on the Willoughby Windows Project

NOHJColey Video Premiere of “Sprayed N Stone”, by Director Lou Auguste

December 14, 2009 Artists, Interview

Plus NohJ’s remarks on his
Personal Primary Flight in Miami last week.

NYC street artist NohJColey has been steadfast and focused in his determination to do his homework, refine his skills, and challenge himself artistically. In turn his art and the ideas behind them continue to surprise, perplex, and provide brain candy to the viewer. NYC video artist and director Lou Auguste started documenting art on the streets of New York in 2004, and this fall he approached NohJColey to capture the young artist’s new series, “Sprayed N Stone”, a wheat-pasted trio of graff writers who have passed.

Here’s the gorgeous and lyrical result that captures the influences and tempo of NohJ’s approach in only two minutes. The Thelonius Monk tune not only nails it, that’s exactly what you’ll hear in NohJ’s studio all day. Special Thanks to Lou for sharing it with BSA readers first.

Lou remembers the experience, “NohJ had been calling me all week, he kept reminding me we had to go film. I told him I’d be there no matter what on Friday, but it rained. So instead we met up around 6AM on Sunday morning to make this video. The light in his apartment was quite yellow I remember.”

“I started focusing on the small things; a pack of cigarettes, discarded paper, details of the work lying there on the table waiting. All of it was telling the story of the artist and his new Sprayed N Stone without words. Hope you enjoy it.”

Auguste has been documenting with video regularly since releasing his first work Open Air in 2006, which gave viewers an inside-look at studio life and the creative spirit while profiling Brooklyn street artists Faile, Dan Witz, and Skewville, as well as Espo, Mike DeFeo and Tiki Jay One. The artistic process is what drives the narrative for this life-long devotee of art and Lou broadened his scope to shoot his first feature length documentary, Day in the Life released two years later in November 2008. In addition to developing an “evolving canvas” project known as Concious Cycle, Auguste currently spends his time between London and New York, where he is gearing up to produce his first feature film.

Mere days after the installation, the owner decided he didn’t like the new mural and it was being literally torched by a couple of guys. They paused momentarily while photographer Jaime Rojo got some shots. (photo ©Jaime Rojo)

Just last week NohJ reprised the Sprayed N Stone series inside a gallery setting for the BKMIA show in Miami Beach (part of Art Basel). In the full wall installation, NohJ very nearly re-created the New York City disarray that accompanies blighted parts of the city with found wood, metal, and disgarded street signs.

A more literal example of the street coming inside than one may usually expect from an Ad Hoc curated show, and that’ saying a lot! (photo ©Jim Kiernan)

In addition to the BKMIA show indoors he managed to pull off 3 murals outside too. In the artist’s tradition, street art veteran Logan Hicks reached out to the promising new dude and hooked him up with a very cool Primary Flight location surrounded by overgrowth and vines. NohJ killed it with portrait of a reflective musician holding her violin.

“Logan referred me to Slow and Slow gave me and amazing spot,” says NohJ. The piece is called “Th3 Violinist annd h3r Window of Opportunity” (NohJColey)

“Then Gaia gave me a call (with an offer) while I was working on an installation. I really wanted to paint this picture I had read an article about, so I dropped eveything and went to paint! ”

When you work on the street, you can expect to meet just about anybody. This guy insisted that NohJ take his portrait. ” He was just walking around and noticed the camera and became adamant about being in the shot,” says NohJ. This painting for the “Art Whino” show is called “3y3’ll l3ad you”, by NohJColey

Finally, a guy named Max, owner of AE District, approached NohJ to do a mural for him, so of course the hungry artist obliged by doing this piece of an older lady and a church.

The contrast between more formal subject matter and the dripping graff-inspired running of paint somehow makes my head hurt with hard thoughts. Where are the damn academics when I need them?? This one is called “o!p!p!”, which does not help matters, in all honesty.

Finally when he got back to NYC 7 lbs. slimmer (I told you he was hungry), NohJ told Brooklyn Street Art a little more about his Miami experience;

Brooklyn Street Art: These images – are they people you have known, or just people in your imagination?
NohJColey: These images are not of anyone I have known in this lifetime. All the murals I painted in Miami are all images that visually grab me.

Brooklyn Street Art: How many days did you spend painting these?
NohJColey: I did a little bit of each mural over the course of three days.

Brooklyn Street Art: Did people come up and talk to you, and what did they say?
NohJColey: For the most part everyone wanted to know where I was from. Some people actually want to know what the piece is about or who is the person that I was painting.

Brooklyn Street Art: How would you describe the vibe on the street in that part of Miami?
NohJColey: Miami in general is a great place to work. Everyone is pretty much supportive of the whole beautifying public space idea.

“Poster Boy” in Miami: “HOPE” and “CHANGE” Questioned

December 5, 2009 Artists

Banner attributed to New York’s “Poster Boy” Hi-Jacks Izod, Celebrates Brooklyn, and Lambastes Obama as Grim Reaper in a Jeep: Stunt Stunted in 20 Minutes.

Last December at this time world renowned street artist Shepard Fairey was finishing up his design for the cover of Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year”. The celebrated graphic design style of Fairey was in high demand after his designs for posters depicting Candidate and eventual President Obama were partially credited for giving populist voice to a campaign of “Change” and “Hope”.

IF YOU LOSE THE STREET ARTISTS… The recycled ad from IZOD now re-purposed for political speech; “So Fresh, $o Brooklyn, Change, My Ass. Obama to Murder More Afgans!!” (photo ©Ali Buxton)

As the presidency nears 11 months, another street artist, Poster Boy, better known for dissembling and culture-jamming with corporate posters and subway ads in New York City, is taking the first left-wing whack at the “Change” word in street art.

We haven’t seen an outward criticism this strong in the tea-leaves of street art thus far; astro-turf-smelling hate posters notwithstanding. In addition the criticism appears to also extend to the money-making cache of packaging the word “Brooklyn” with a street art scene in a commercial sense, as the timing is during a 2000-artist deluge in the city of Miami Beach this week called Art Basel: Miami Beach.

Ali Buxton, co-owner of Brooklyn’s Ad Hoc Art, a gallery synonymous with ground-breaking shows in the genre of “Street Art” over the past three years, rushed outside their showcase at Art Basel to see the banner hanging from an overpass. She instantly knew who must have done the piece and texted friends to come and see it when it dropped at Northeast 2nd Street and 40th across from Ad Hoc’s space at 4 pm.

But anyone who wanted to see it needed to move fast because “It was taken down by security in 20 minutes,” says Buxton.

A view of the overpass from the street shortly after a piece attributed to Poster Boy was removed by maintenance. (photo ©Ali Buxton)

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