Following the evolution of The Bushwick Collective and its annual block party in Brooklyn has been a captivating journey akin to an anthropological exploration into the growing embrace of street art and murals within the realms of graffiti and HipHop. Back in the day, as the neighborhood began transforming with the influx of gentrifiers, street art faced outright dismissal or was treated as a rare phenomenon, a curiosity.
Unaware of the previous codes that roughly governed the practices of graffiti writers on the street, art-students-cum-street-art-poets often obtusely stomped their way into public view to circumvent a gallery system and to express their right to self-expression in public; something HipHop culture had been encouraging for years but had perhaps not envisioned this way. The rivalry between graffiti aficionados and street artists/muralists was sometimes palpable, with throwies vandalizing fresh paint, the OGs asserting territorial dominance, and at times, even resorting to threats and insults in person and in online forums.
As the block party, now in its twelfth year, unfolded, its early editions predominantly featured international and some local street artists eagerly seeking out BC’s visionary leader, Joe Ficalora, for an opportunity to leave their mark on his neighborhood walls. Local street art forums found fault with Ficalora, masking a barely hidden contempt for a streetwise guy taking a leadership role and betraying their own classist privileged opinions about the right to curation. That has all melted appreciably; this year’s event evidenced the remarkable shift that has been underway. Graffiti writers took the stage alongside the muralists in prime spots, sometimes seamlessly collaborating to create art transcending boundaries, all while the electrifying sounds of live HipHop performances reverberated through the air and TikTokers danced in front of them.
Let’s raise a bottle to those who always believed in the possibility of this transformative phenomenon, and to those who championed inclusivity over exclusivity. It’s yet another reason why our hearts beat for this extraordinary international art movement, the embodiment of the people’s democratic spirit and the unlimited creative spirit that is in every person. And most importantly, it’s a reminder of why we hold you dear.
Our weekly focus is on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.
Now screening: 1. Joiri Minaya’s Pattern Making. A Film by Alina Rancier
2. My Father’s Secret Ballet Career / Dad Can Dance / Via The New Yorker / A Film by Jamie and David Ross.
3. Tactical Urbanismo / Graphic interventions on the streets of Barcelona / Arauna
BSA Special Feature: Joiri Minaya’s Pattern Making. A Film by Alina Rancier
Joiri Minaya has a varied multidisciplinary practice – one that is appropropriate to what we study here at BSA is The Cloaking (2020) where the artist uses hand painted patterns in spandex to cover monuments of colonizers.
“I’m thinking of a way to re-signify that public space that is used to commemorate, uh, colonial history and instead trying to commemorate the people who resisted colonialism, who don’t have a statue,” she says. “I’m just thinking of public space as this space that’s supposed to be democratic – but then of course there are forces that determine what is more significant and what is left out. So I’m trying to tell the stories that remain untold.”
Joiri Minaya’s Pattern Making. Via Art21. A Film by Alina Rancier
My Father’s Secret Ballet Career / Dad Can Dance / Via The New Yorker / A Film by Jamie and David Ross.
“My dad was a ballet dancer, and for almost 45 years, no one in the world knew that he was.”
A personal mystery with multiple layers, at the heart of which is an artist who chooses a different route, yet never stops being an artist. There are a few stunning observations throughout, including some by a dancer who followed the path. She’s talking about dance, but you could easily substitute any field of art here.
“You’re called,” she says. “You know, there’s a lot of difficult aspects of it, a lot of painful aspects, a lot of criticism. You’re putting yourself out there. You have to deal with a lot of competition. It’s not about making your living that way. It’s about having the opportunity to be able to share that depth inside of yourself with other people.”
Tactical Urbanismo / Graphic interventions on the streets of Barcelona / Arauna
A little excitement for the Street Art world this summer – the news that the international man of mystery Banksy opens a new show in Glasgow documenting his first 25 years of stenciling.
“I’ve kept these stencils hidden away for years,” he says in a press statement, “mindful they could be used as evidence in a charge of criminal damage. But that moment seems to have passed, so now I’m exhibiting them as works of art in a gallery. I’m not sure which is the greater crime.”
The Wide Open Walls (WOW) festival, which originated as the Sacramento Mural Festival in 2016, has evolved into a remarkable celebration of art and community, thanks to the dedicated efforts of principal organizer/curator David Sobon, and a coalition of public and private interests. Over the years, this extraordinary event has embellished the urban landscape of the greater Sacramento area, including its suburbs, by adorning more than 200 walls with captivating murals.
In line with its commitment to uplifting schools, the WOW festival took on a renewed emphasis on school campuses this year, with Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School as a prominent example. Collaborating with approximately 40 artists, encompassing local talents and renowned national and international figures, the festival unveiled a collection of awe-inspiring murals within the school grounds, captivating the imaginations of students, educators, and the wider community.
The WOW festival is a powerful manifestation of the symbiotic relationship between art, society, and business. It forges connections, fosters cultural understanding, and instills a sense of community pride by creating new murals that respond to the community. This year, celebrated photographer Martha Cooper was invited to document as many of the new murals as possible, and we are delighted to share her captivating captures with the readers of Brooklyn Street Art.
Within the walls of Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School, the murals become portals to the imagination, stimulating critical thinking and nurturing cultural appreciation among the students. This project creates an environment where creativity and learning converge, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all who experience it. The profound impact of the WOW festival at Rosa Parks Elementary and Middle School stands as a testament to the enduring power of art in shaping communities, inspiring young minds, and hopefully cultivating an engaging and inclusive world.
We again join the world of street artist Nespoon, this time nestled in the enchanting town of Blagnac, in the picturesque region of Occitania, which serves as the backdrop for her latest artistic endeavor. Blagnac (pop. 23,759), a serene residential suburb of Toulouse in the south of France, is not only known for its tranquility but also for being home to the illustrious headquarters of Airbus, the largest aerospace corporation in the world.
Invited by the curator, Maud O’Jeanson, Nespoon embarked on a journey that would culminate in a solo exhibition of her paintings and sculpture at the esteemed Odyssud Cultural Center from May 12th to July 5th, 2023. As is her custom, she was also commissioned to create new work for the walls of the city hall.
NeSpoon. City Hall. Blagnac, France. (photo courtesy of the artist)
The city authorities proposed a project that paid homage to the ancient symbol of the region, the Cross of Occitania. This revered emblem, also known as the Cross of Toulouse or, albeit inaccurately, the Cross of the Cathars, has held profound significance for over a millennium. In the medieval era, it adorned the coat of arms of the St-Gilles family, the Counts of Toulouse. Today, this emblem can be found on official symbols of local government bodies, fluttering on flags, etched into house walls, wrought in iron on bridge balustrades, and even imprinted on postcards. Its ubiquity extends to the local subway, where it marks its presence, and it is cherished as jewelry, sought-after souvenirs, and even as graffiti on urban walls. Some believe that the origins of the Toulouse cross predate Christianity, possibly once representing a radiant sun wheel with its twelve rays. Traditionally, the numbers 3, 4, and 12 were intricately incorporated into this symbol.
NeSpoon. City Hall. Blagnac, France. (photo courtesy of the artist)
In a Nespoonian twist, the artist chose to disrupt this rhythmic pattern and embark on a deconstruction journey of the symbol. Adding new elements and forging novel divisions and symmetries, she breathed new life into this timeless icon. The numerical essence of her project can be described by the numbers 4, 5, 8, and 20, intricately interwoven into her mesmerizing creations.
Inspired by the intricate artistry of lace, Nespoon derived her pattern for the mural from a delicate technique called tatting. Every stroke and design element bore her mark, infusing the cross with her own artistic language. Despite the challenges posed by the surprisingly cool and rainy May weather in this region, Nespoon devoted ten days to her work transforming the city hall’s façade.
Nespoon extends her heartfelt gratitude to the city of Blagnac, the team at Odyssud, and especially Maud O’Jeanson for their unwavering support in making this extraordinary project a reality.
NeSpoon. City Hall. Blagnac, France. (photo courtesy of the artist)NeSpoon. City Hall. Blagnac, France. (photo courtesy of the artist)NeSpoon. City Hall. Blagnac, France. (photo courtesy of the artist)NeSpoon. Odyssud Cultural Center. Blagnac, France. (photo courtesy of the artist)
NeSpoon’s Dentelle de rue at the Odyssud Cultural Center runs until July 05, 2023. Click HERE for more details.
“…multiple emotional states caught between contemplation and confrontation”
The Gateway Arts District is a vibrant arts community located in Mount Rainier, Maryland, near the northeastern border of Washington, D.C. It is a designated Arts and Entertainment District that encompasses several neighborhoods, including Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood, and Hyattsville. The district is home to a wide range of artists, including painters, sculptors, musicians, dancers, writers, and performers. The district aims to foster creativity and support local artists by providing affordable live-work spaces, galleries, studios, and performance venues. It also serves as a hub for artistic collaboration, expression, and cultural exchange.
JAHRU. FLUX. Otis Street Arts Project. Mount Rainier, Maryland. (photo courtesy of the artist)
One of the main attractions is the Gateway Arts Center, a multi-purpose arts facility that features galleries, artist studios, and performance spaces. It hosts exhibitions, workshops, art classes, and community events, showcasing the talents of local artists and engaging the public in the artistic process.
JAHRU. FLUX. Otis Street Arts Project. Mount Rainier, Maryland. (photo courtesy of the artist)
Recently, Filipino-American artist Jeff Huntington, also known as JAHRU, painted a mural on the wall of the Otis Street Arts Project. This project is part of a complex of warehouse studios that mainly hosts artists from the Washington DC metropolitan area. JAHRU is the co-founder, along with Julia Gibb, of Future History Now, a nonprofit arts outreach program for teens that brings murals to walls in the community.
For his new mural named “FLUX,” JAHRU offers commentary on the divided attention and feelings of distraction that arise from our adoption of new behaviors with social media and smartphones. Using his niece as a muse, the artist positions the teenager as “existing in a rapidly changing world of daily updates and reconfigurations seen through an electronic screen.” He explains, “The superimposed faces capture multiple emotional states caught between contemplation and confrontation, punctuated by a pattern of vibrant vertical lines of varied widths that mimic a barcode.”
JAHRU. FLUX. Otis Street Arts Project. Mount Rainier, Maryland. (photo courtesy of the artist)JAHRU. FLUX. Otis Street Arts Project. Mount Rainier, Maryland. (photo courtesy of the artist)JAHRU. FLUX. Otis Street Arts Project. Mount Rainier, Maryland. (photo courtesy of the artist)
The 66th Annual Puerto Rican Parade will loudly, buoyantly, exuberantly traverse and sway along the iconic 5th Avenue in Manhattan today. Subsequently, numerous Brooklyn neighborhoods will burst into a party with lively street festivities and impromptu fiestas adorning sidewalks, sitting on stoops, and hanging out on window ledges. A collective joy and relief are in our hearts across the city this weekend, stemming from the restoration of clear air in the city; after a disheartening episode of a Dystopian Orange haze that tainted our skies for days this week.
Forest fires in Canada had blown smoke down the Hudson River to surprise everyone, and flummox many. The consequences forced people to illuminate their homes during daylight hours and drive their car with headlights on. This extraordinary event posed a threat to both the well-being and livelihoods of countless individuals, with people working outside at great danger. However, for those who turned to our local National Public Radio (NPR) station for insight, rather than talking about construction workers, municipal employees, or street food vendors, their primary concerns were remote work arrangements, ordering from Doordash, and worrying about the smoke’s effect on dogs during their daily walks. The poor and working class are routinely erased from public discourse, which is why unmediated street art often does the work.
Currently, the cityscape is adorned with captivating street art and mesmerizing murals, offering a wide array of entertainment, education, and aesthetic gratification. We hope you take pleasure in exploring photographer Jaime Rojo’s compilation.
Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Maya Hayuk, Below Key, Little Ricky, Mint & Serf, Billy Barnacles, Homesick, David Puck, Panic, IMK, Aidz, Robert Vargas, Salo Panto. Artistcjg89, Herman, Gabe, Tank, FLWR, and Sasha Colby.
Turin, Italy remains a hotbed for free thought and experimental art in public spaces. Despite so many inroads toward capitalizing on the radical movement of street art in recent years, this part of Italy has been fertile soil for the ornery, complicated, political, and eclectic artistic impulses that first drew us to this scene. A summer show of street art veterans and more recent talents at the newly germinated NISBA Studio may be staking positions that have gotten lost in a scene sometimes awash with commercial brands and self-dealers. The studio calls itself an “observatory on contemporary society, a strategic place,” and says it is a venue and platform “within which connections are born between enthusiasts, visitors, collectors, companies, public and private administrators.”
Turin’s historical significance as a vital hub for Italian, European, and Egyptian art, including the influential Piedmontese Baroque art movement and its vibrant urban art scene, adds prestige to the city and perhaps gravitas to its opinion on the evolution of the street art scene. Its position in the development of the “urban art” scene across Europe has also had an impact, with names like Blu, Ericailcane, Alice Pasquini, Ozmo, and Lucamaleonte coming to mind.
ELFO. Money and Followers. Nisba Studio. Torino, Italy. (photo courtesy of Nisba Studio)
Using an ironic phrase that is a currency in the pinched views of a social media world, the exhibition “Money and Followers” is mounted in an inclusive space with no political affiliation, say organizers, welcoming all. The show features new works by Sten Lex, the renowned Roman duo who pioneered an innovative “halftone” stencil art. At the same time, Sam3 captivates with visually striking, black anthropomorphic figures that convey a fantastical vision. Elfo, representing an Italian avant-garde in graffiti and urban art, presents his on-point technically low-fi cultural lambast. Gec explores participatory public art and societal themes through web-based production, while BR1’s impactful posters delve into tackle themes of integration, identity, migration, and globalization.
BR1. Money and Followers. Nisba Studio. Torino, Italy. (photo courtesy of Nisba Studio)SAM3. Money and Followers. Nisba Studio. Torino, Italy. (photo courtesy of Nisba Studio)
SABATO 10 e DOMENICA 11 GIUGNO 2023 DALLE ORE 14 ALLE 20 NISBA STUDIO Via Po 25 (interno cortile) Torino
Our weekly focus is on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.
Now screening: 1. The Chronicles of a New York Locksmith / Keys to the City / The New Yorker. By Ian Moubayed
2. 5 MINUTES WITH: MAMBA (BERLIN) via I Love Graffiiti
3. Momo: Darmon 3 via Studio Cromie bald head.”
BSA Special Feature: The Chronicles of a New York Locksmith
Great filmmaking doesn’t happen too often, but when it does, it resonates. Ian Moubayed captures his people and lets them tell their story, their way. This locksmith and his young protégé give parts of themselves to form a story that comes across as authentic, with great respect for all involved.
The Chronicles of a New York Locksmith / Keys to the City / The New Yorker. By Ian Moubayed
5MINUTES WITH: MAMBA (BERLIN) via I Love Graffiti
Can we say that graffiti writing film has become stunning? The inclusion of Christiane F’s “Wunderbar” lends the activities an isolated feeling of disjointed belonging, the rhythm of the city adding its structure to a nighttime escapade of vandalism and creativity. The painting is rigid and artful, the evenings opportunity eclipsed by the harsher elements, an ever-present game of cat and mouse. This is brilliant storytelling, a warm and distinct dance at the margin
Momo: Darmon 3 via Studio Cromie
Longtime friends, creative co-conspiritors, celebrators of the absurd, MOMO and Angelino travel together and bring you along. Again. Revisiting paradise (Maldives) after 10 years, you’ll notice some changes, some subtle, some clarifying. The shock of Sri Lanka brought that Honeymoon to a crash. And yet, as they travel, surrounded by beautiful people, nature, and culture, they rise to the occasion. Again and again.
The artist Rero began his journey as a graffiti writer in his teens, and a quarter century later, he is still provoking audiences with text. Paris streets may have hosted his initial exploration of language and symbolism. Still, as a street art hero of the last decade and a half, it’s his canvasses that have garnered his texts attention at Centre Pompidou, CentQuatre, and Grand Palais in Paris, as well as the MAC/VAL in Vitry-sur-Seine, MAC in Bogota, and the Art Science Museum in Singapore, among others.
RERO. Untitled (BUSY DOING NOTHING…), 2023. Spray paint on stone. (Image courtesy of Rero and backslash, Paris)
His latest exhibition, titled “Ophiuchus,” continues his exploration of language and symbolism, the art of cancellation and negation, with a thick black line that strikes through words and expressions, or, conversely, connects them, resembling Sanskrit calligraphy. At the moment, he is focusing on the symbolism of the snake through history; “The polysemous theme of the snake has inspired Rero for several years,” says the press release. “Initially intrigued by the ability of this cold-blooded animal to shed its skin, the artist is now questioning the symbolism of the snake according to each culture, using the Ophiuchus constellation as a prelude to his reflections.”
RERO. OPHIUCHUS (Serpentarius), 2023, artwork fragment. (Image courtesy of Rero and backslash, Paris)
This is a conceptual act, of course, examining and eventually killing the snake. The contradictions in his selecting, the crossing out of words and phrases. Looking at the thematic act, you may wonder to whom or what is he referring as the serpentine today, or is this strictly a historical investigation, as we turn toward Ophiuchus for an explanation, as he holds the serpent in both hands.
RERO. Untitled (HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH…), 2023. Paint on canvas. (Image courtesy of Rero and backslash, Paris)RERO. Untitled (HOW TO LIVE…), 2023. Paint on canvas. (Image courtesy of Rero and backslash, Paris)RERO. Untitled (THE PARTY IS OVER…), 2023. Burt wood. (Image courtesy of Rero and backslash, Paris)
RERO / Ophiuchus
From June 10 to July 15 Opening Saturday, June 10 from 2 to 8pm in the presence of the artist. Click HERE for more details about the works.
Backslash 29 rue Notre-Dame de Nazareth 75003 Paris
When you have a minute, it’s good to stretch your legs and walk through your neighborhood to see the hot spots for graffiti and street art periodically because the local artists often like to re-fresh the selection. In this neighborhood of Barcelona, you will often find new pieces by the neighborhood heroes along the Riu Congost, a small stream that winds its way from very dramatic natural gorgeousness north of the city. Here we have some new stuff courtesy of photographer Lluis Olive-Bulbena, who was on hand to document some fresh stuff from Aryz, Japon, Stain, Emak and Zone – which runs the gamut from graffiti, street art, to illustration and diagrammatic of the mind.
The Bushwick Collective’s Block Party 12th edition ended with a bang and big crowds. This year Joe Ficalora, the founder, organizer, and curator, threw a warehouse party as part of the festivities and included a full-size replica of a New York Subway train designed by Danny Cortes and tagged by dozens of graffiti writers from the Metropolitan Area. We gave you a sneak peek of the train last week HERE. Today we bring you complete documentation with details shots of the train. BSA spoke about the project with Mr. Cortes, Edward Rivera, Mike See, and Joe Ficalora.
“So it’s amazing to me that you have taken something massive like a 1980s subway car, shrunk it down at one point to a highly detailed miniature…. and now you’re blowing it back up again!” says a BSA interviewer.
“It feels amazing, to tell the truth,” says artist Danny Cortes while a small team of fabricators and painters working feverishly on the full-scale car for an installation at the Bushwick Collective Block Party.
“Which one’s harder to do? The full-sized version or the smaller one?”
“The miniature,” Danny says with no hesitation. “Because the intricate details are so tiny and difficult to mimic something, you know? But it’s all; it’s so much fun. It’s so much fun.”
Cortes has been having a lot of big success in recent years making his painstaking replicas of New York scenes that make you feel warm and nostalgic for the streets; bodega storefronts, ice storage machines slaughtered with tags, box trucks, blue US mailboxes covered with stickers, the front of CBGB’s club, ice cream trucks, even tiny video VHS tapes of classics like “Wild Style.” And like the best writers in the day, he has been blowing up – scoring exhibitions and sometimes a celebrity client.
“I can show you what I’m working on,” he says, “I can show you, uh, one that I got for Drake for July” he reaches in his pocket to pull out his phone to show you his replica of a subway train pulling in under the tiled sign that says “Atlantic Avenue”. “So Barclays Center commissioned me to make this for Drake for his tour that’s coming in July. I’ll show you on Instagram. So it has almost the same concept.”
Mike See, who has been working long hours for days with Edward Rivera (aka Shutter Ed) and a team of people to fabricate this train, doesn’t even seem fatigued. When he talks about the sophisticated techniques of creating the lights, the windows, the seats, the finishes, and even the strap hangers – you can tell he’s excited to be a part of a crew. He may be more excited to have seen some graff heads who stopped by to tag the train in progress.
“A bunch of legendary graffiti artists came through – they cleared the warehouse for certain people to come in and be secretive. They did what they do, and there are layers of graffiti history from New York City graffiti right here. Is amazing. Outsides, insides, .. it makes you imagine the movie ‘The Warriors.’”
“Legends in the game,” says Cortes of some of the tags they have collected on this tribute train. “These are names that have been doing it for years and used to hit this same style of train for years. So this makes it more authentic. Not only is it like a stamp for me, but it’s also, it’s important to bring realism,” he says as he describes the process of layering, distressing, and applying finishes to the original pieces and tags to make them appear as authentic as possible.
“That’s why I faded out sometimes, right? You know, just to give it that overlay look and the fade distress, the stress look. That’s my style. The gritty, dirty, rusty. Yeah. What’s an eyesore to somebody else’s eye? It’s beauty to me, okay. So I accomplished that on this piece right here with my team.”
This replica of a subway car has been tagged for this special project by GIZ, SAINT, GHOST, THEAM, IR, CES, SPOT, JAKEE, KED, PGISM, ACNE, BERT, AND LANDO, DANNY CORTES, NEP, NOE, CHEO MSG, AND MIKE SEE among other graffiti writers.
Elfo is a graffiti writer and social commentator whose work intentionally sidesteps traditional notions of style or technical lettering. This …Read More »
In her latest mural, Faring Purth delivers a powerful reflection on connection, continuity, and the complexity of evolving relationships—a true …Read More »
BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
