All posts tagged: Mint

Bathroom Graffiti on Canvas With Mint & Serf

November 21, 2012 Artists, Interview

New canvasses celebrate the graffiti-covered bar bathroom and its aggressive lack of style.

A quick snort, a scribbled tag, and you my love.

Now that you are caked with sweat and nearly deaf from gyrating and slamming your body to the music at your favorite jam-packed downtown dive, it’s time to hit the line for the unisex bathrooms and wait behind frat boys, saucy girls, and a couple of drag queens.

The closet-sized bar bathroom is barely big enough for a toilet and sink and may have been cleaned sometime in the last week. This one was last remodeled in the 1970s probably – and has been a thin slice of respite, however tawdry, for years – shunting many guests away from the rumbling roar of a New York nightclub and providing a private moment.

An actual bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on the left. Detail from a new canvas by Mint & Serf on the right. (both photos © Jaime Rojo)

With battered and buckling flooring underfoot and one bare light bulb overhead, it’s a good place for guests to fix their hair, snort a line of coke, perform a rushed sex act with a new friend, or perhaps to barf. If you happen to have a juicy black marker in your boot you can scream a quick tag across the pileup of graffiti that smothers the walls, or slap a sticker on it, before zipping up and pushing your way out the door to find another beer.

For Mint & Serf, this is inspiration.

And now they are bringing it to the canvas.

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Like when you go to some Williamsburg bathroom and you see this pile of tags – that’s the aesthetic. That’s the graffiti,” explains Mint during a recent in-studio visit, “ because graffiti to me is this aggression, this turbulence. The beef, the sex, the fame. You know what I mean?”

The new collection is still evolving, and it began initially with spreading canvasses out and inviting friends to hit them up whenever they visited the studio. “(It’s been) an ongoing therapy session where a lot of our friends would come in and start doing fill-ins and tags. Then about a month or two ago we started taking them down and focusing more on each one,” says Serf.

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

When viewed on their own, each of these canvasses does look like a sawed off chunk from a sleezy restroom wall, but not like a Banksy. While the guys appreciate that Street Art and commercially successful graffiti artists have their place, this bathroom aesthetic is from the CBGB punk era perhaps, rather than the MTV polished rebelliousness that followed. Raw, aggressive, unstyled – it’s a return to the gestural, the raw markings of graffiti, in an effort to strip it back to the nerve endings. If the campy stylings of latter day Banksy are Green Day, Mint & Serf are evoking the Dead Boys or Sex Pistols. Not that early punks were unstyled, and neither are these deliberately raging canvasses.

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

As they talk, there are references to some of the 20th century painters whose work was repulsive before it was revered, and these 30-something graffiti artists are not afraid to disgust you while pursuing work that feels real. “Because there is beauty in ugliness,” Mint opines as he talks of initial responses to Bacon, de Kooning, and Picasso. With time, he says, people realized “They actually are masterpieces, you know.“

But you may hear them bracing for some criticism, even as they appear confident in this direction. “I know it’s probably gonna be kind of hard to swallow for a lot of people just because they are used to seeing graffiti work nowadays being very precise and calculated,” says Serf, “But it is what it is. It is probably the most honest work we have done to date.”

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The stripping back, the lack of artifice, the aggression – it all comes through here on this collection that is not yet ready for public display. For guys who have had commercial success as graphic artists creating more stylized installations for hotels and night clubs and who have a solid track record in product and lifestyle design, this new work is a return to what originally attracted them to doing graffiti on the street.

“One of the reasons I got into graffiti is because of the crazy stories I’ve heard about it. About jumping rooftops, stealing paint, staying out late, going to raves, getting laid – all this shit. The turbulence of that lifestyle, that’s what turned me on. Not doing a piece for 20 hours,” says Mint as he stares up at the cacophonic canvasses.

He continues, “For us it’s taking an existing portrayal of graffiti, which is these beautiful, colorful pieces, and just stripping it down to graffiti.”

And as a specific reference point, Serf couldn’t be clearer, “It’s all about the bar bathroom.”

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf in studio, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

In studio with Mint & Serf, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Graffiti and stickers cover the walls of a bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Inspiration: Graffiti and stickers cover the walls of a bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Graffiti and stickers cover the walls of a bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Fun Friday 04.29.11

April 29, 2011 Artists, Brooklyn, Events, Gallery, London, Manhattan, NYC, Opening, U.K.

Street Artist Bambi did this portrait in North London for today’s wedding – more art inspired by Will and Kate here at Artlyst.com

Royal His and Hers Prints from K-Guy

London based Street Artist K-GUY plays with Wills and Kate with these newly released prints to celebrate their union and to poke a little fun at the same time.

Sweet Toof solo show “Dark Horse” will merrily gallop at Factory Fresh tonight.

Sweet Toof (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sweet Toof “Dark Horse”

“Sweet Toof has developed a recurring motif that perambulates through periods and platforms – aerosol mural, oil painting, or theatrical prop – with a certain frank guile and handmade disarming charm.” from Ready for His Closeup: Sweet Toof Sparkles at Factory Fresh (PHOTOS)

http://www.brooklynstreetart.com/theblog/?p=20505

Opening April 29th, 7-10pm at Factory Fresh
On view till May 22nd, Gallery is open Wednesday – Sunday from 1-7pm

Factory Fresh is located at 1053 Flushing Avenue
between Morgan and Knickerbocker, off the L train Morgan Stop

Sweet Toof. Detail (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Tristan Eaton’s “3D ArtBook” Exhibition and Book Signing at Opera Gallery

A lot of fun tonight at Opera with 15 artists signing the new book and prints to celebrate the release of the new book by Tristan Eaton – including some of your favorites …

Andrew Bell, Stephen Bliss, Kevin Bourgeois, Ron English, Mat Eaton, Tristan Eaton, Filth, Haze, Travis Louie, Tara McPherson, Kenzo Minami, Mint, Serf, Dr. Revolt & Tom Thewes

3D Art Exhibition + Book Signing for:

The 3D Art Book

by Tristan Eaton

Friday, April 29th, 6-9pm

Opera Gallery New York

115 Spring Street New York, NY 10012 (212) 966-6675

The 3D Art Book & Exhibition features 100 artists including:

Glenn Barr, Craola, D*Face, Dalek, Eboy, Shepard Fairey, James Jean, Chris Mars, Mark Ryden, Jeff Soto, Rostarr, Todd Schorr, Stash, Gary Taxali, Toki Doki, Trustocorp, Junko Mizuno, Eric White and many more.

Sponsored by: Prestel Publishing & Thunderdog Studios

Exciting Interview with Ben Eine in Los Angeles!

What’s this “Birther” Thing All About?

The rabid pursuit of President Obama’s birth certificate has puzzled many thinking people while the topic is repeatedly brought up during street marches and demonstrations – finally pushing the President himself to hold a press conference about it this week. The astro-turf fingered crowds in the streets during last years Health Care debates in the US pretty much revealed their base disagreement with all things Obama with their hand held signs that couldn’t be described as anything but racist – “off message” for the insurance companies but “on message” for the yahoos who took their buses. We know this “birther” movement won’t disappear because of the poisonous legacy of racism in our history, but we are thankful for the strong clear thinking of people like Goldie Taylor (video below) who helps us place current events in context.

Prestel Publishing and Thunderdog Studios Present: Tristan Eaton’s “3D ArtBook” Exhibition and Book Signing at Opera Gallery (Manhattan, NY)

April 25, 2011 Artists, Events, Gallery, Manhattan, NYC, Opening

Tristan Eaton

3D Art Exhibition + Book Signing for:

The 3D Art Book

by Tristan Eaton

Friday, April 29th, 6-9pm

Opera Gallery New York

115 Spring Street New York, NY 10012 (212) 966-6675

15 Artists will be signing 3D Art Books & Prints:

Andrew Bell, Stephen Bliss, Kevin Bourgeois, Ron English, Mat Eaton, Tristan Eaton, Filth, Haze, Travis Louie, Tara McPherson, Kenzo Minami, Mint, Serf, Dr. Revolt & Tom Thewes

The 3D Art Book & Exhibition features 100 artists including:

Sponsored by: Prestel Publishing & Thunderdog Studios

Images of the Week 03.20.11

March 20, 2011 Artists, Brooklyn, BSA Images Of The Week, Fundraising, Gallery, Manhattan, NYC, On the Street, Week in Images

As winter loosens it’s grip, the first signs of spring are popping up all over New York, with new buds of passion from tender branches, construction walls, softened soil and industrial doorways. What this season will bring to the streets is anyone’s guess, but there are shoots and seedlings that we haven’t seen before, and a new crop is obviously taking shape. Here is our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Adam Krueger, Andrew Poneros, Betten, Cash-Money, El Sol 25, Enzo, Kinog, Kriest, Mint & Serf, Pork, Shark Toof, and Wheat.

Shark Toof finished this piece quickly during the Armory week (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Betten “New Young City” could easily characterize the new fresh faced minions pushing further into off the path neighborhoods around the city. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

New growth springs from the most unexpected places. Cooper (photo © Jaime Rojo)

True dat, cat. Enzo & Nio “You’re still gonna die” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

El Sol 25 has quickly established his voice and vocabulary on the street, and here is a new example. We’ve been happy to chart the progress since the start of this new talent’s first appearance. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Photo © Jaime Rojo

I’m sorry, the number you have reached was given to you when I was drunk last night. Kriest “Wrong Number” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kriest “Under” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

People will try anything to prevent bike theft. Chains also have been known to be a deterrent. Jesus “Bike” Christ (photo © Jaime Rojo)

There’s Jesus again, this time styled as the king of kings in the hood. Jesus “Cash-Money” Christ (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This wall in Chelsea is in constant change, a barnstorm of ideas, influences, techniques that morphs weekly. This new torso may be a Magritte homage. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kinog’s small paper collages appeared in Williamsburg last week on the walls of a construction site gallery style. This one equates one of last falls’ gubernatorial candidates in New York with an unspeakable. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kinog invokes militarism, power, death, outrage, protest. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Wheat’s new mural refers to an American history of conquest and war and the original citizens in North America (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Prince Charles ponders an eternal question “Why Him”? (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jaime Rojo. Untitled (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint&Serf curated the show “Well Hung” The Chelsea Chapter at +aRT gallery located at 540 West 28 Street in NYC. Well Hung runs until Sunday April 3rd. A fundraiser to benefit the programs of Free Arts NYC . Below a few images of the art on the show:

Adam Krueger “Small Wonder” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Andrew Poneros AKA Pork (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Armory Week NYC 2011: BSA Picks

March 2, 2011 Art Fair, Artists, Brooklyn, Events, Fundraising, Gallery, Manhattan, NYC, On the Street, Opening

Armory Week, the annual art deluge in New York is about art Fairs, Art Fans, and Fiddy Dollars, Daddy. While a fair bit of the traffic at the various fairs is about the benjamins, it’s also just about having a good time and getting out to see what your favorite street artist is up to in this milieu. In short – a whole lotta street artists are getting busy this year in the booths, on the walls, and in the streets to show you their stuff.

This year the NYC madness officially opens Thursday March 3rd. Here are some of the things we are looking forward to – you might like them too.

FOUNTAIN

A BSA favorite, Fountain is held in an old maritime vessel docked on the Hudson River on the West Side of Manhattan. Each year, and this is the sixth, the fair promises to rock at least a few boats.

Fountain is an excitedly directed directionless cacophony of hits and odd couple of misses every year. The hits usually are upside your head. We are looking forward to the 100+ feet wall of fresh Street Art as you enter and the Murder Lounge down below. As you wend your way past the bar and the flash bulbs at the Saturday night musical melee with Ninjasonik you will swear you are floating. Because you are.

An interior shot of the The Frying Pan, where Fountain splashes on the Hudson River at 26th Street. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

If you are lost, look for the mast. Fountain is the only water vessel based fair at Armory, baby (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Elle does final prep to her wall piece for Fountain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent installing his Fountain piece (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato installing his piece (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ellis G. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Highlights:

FOUNTAIN NEW YORK ANNOUNCES
MASSIVE STREET ART INSTALLATION FOR 2011 FAIR

Adding to Fountain’s signature overwhelming visual and sensory experience, visitors entering Fountain Art Fair will encounter a 100-foot long street art installation stretching along the entrance and exit—a massive collaborative installation by a number of street artists. It features Chris Stain, Dickchicken!, Faro, Gaia, Shark Toof, Clown Soldier, Love Me, Ellis G, Allesandro Echevarria, Lee Trice, Imminent Disaster, Elle, Hellbent, Joe Iurato, and Anthony Sneed. “The medium and movement referred to as Street Art has played an integral role in Fountain Art Fair’s development,” said David Kesting, Fountain Art Fair Co-Founder.

Location:

Pier 66 Maritime @ 26th Street & 12th Avenue in the Hudson RIver Park

March 3 – 6, 2011
General Public Hours:
March 4–March 6, 12pm–7pm

Special Events:
Thursday March 3, 12am – 5pm – VIP & Press Preview
Friday, March 4, 7pm – 12am – Opening Night Reception – Performance: Gordon Voidwell and Tecla
Saturday, March 5, 7pm – 12am – Performance: Ninjasonik

Go to Fountain official site to see the full list of exhibitors and to learn more details about the special events and full program:

http://fountainexhibit.com/

SCOPE

A mouthwash and an art fair, we’re checking out Scope mainly to see the new collaboration called Contra Projects, put together by brothers Tristan and Matthew Eaton – comprised of some rockin’ Street Artists who will be taking their show on the road around the globe this year. We’ve had a blast watching them put up new work on Brooklyn streets this week, and can’t wait to see the installations at Scope.

TYPOE

Also you will want to check out the sculpture work by Miami graff artist Typoe, whose friend have been saving their caps from spray cans for a minute. He laughs when he talks about graffers mailing them to him too and as a co-founder of Primary Flight, Miami’s original open air museum and street level mural installation, he’s got plenty to work with.

TYPOE | Fountain, 2011| Confetti Death Series
Represented by SPINELLO GALLERY

To see the full list of exhibitors, details of the programs and fees to enter go to the Scope Art Fair site:

http://www.scope-art.com/Index.php/

Location
320 West St (West Side Highway)
Across from Pier 40
New York NY 10014

Opening Schedule
FirstView
(For VIPs and Press
or $100 donation at the door)
Wednesday | March 2 | 3pm-9pm

VOLTA

California’s Carmichael Gallery is showing new work by Street Art brain jammer Mark Jenkins, whose well-placed human installations in public places cause people to stop and ponder. Apparently, his work has a similar effect on cats.

Mark Jenkins, Family Room

From the press release;

“Mark Jenkins’ installation at VOLTA NY will transform Booth A1 into an unconventionally furnished family room. “I’ve been doing a lot of experimentation with resin and fiberglass,” says the artist of this new series, which includes five and a half life-size sculptures and a range of smaller pieces, “finding more original ways to make hand casts and improving structural solidity through new bracing techniques.” For the first time, Jenkins will present his works within a site-specific environment purposefully created to provide greater contextual authority and definition to his aesthetic and thematic considerations. “An empty space can feel sterile,” he observes, “as if a giant eraser has removed all context. The works become more like pinned butterflies. I have taken a different approach with (the presentation of) Family Room. This time it’s about creating a place for the sculptures to live in, so, in addition to clothes, I’ve been thrift store shopping for plants, drapes, rugs and chairs.” Both individual works and the installation as a whole will propose non-traditional commentaries on the institutions of family and home.”

Booth A1
7 West 34th Street
between 5th and 6th Avenue / 11th floor
New York, NY 10001
USA

To see the full Volta exhibitors list and details of all events please click on Volta’ site:

http://ny.voltashow.com/

To learn more about Carmichael Gallery please click on the gallery’s site:

http://www.carmichaelgallery.com/

PULSE

Brooklyn’s David Ellis at Joshua Liner is one painter/sculptor/film maker always worth checking out. As a founding Barnstormer, Ellis continues to stretch and swerve with painterly illustrations and installation.

VISIT
PULSE Contemporary Art Fair at http://www.pulse-art.com/ or contact by phone at +1 (212) 255-2327.

FAIR HOURS
Thursday March 3	10am-1pm
	Press and VIP Private Preview
Thursday March 3	1pm- 8pm
Friday March 4	12pm – 8pm
Saturday March 5	12pm – 8pm
Sunday March 6	12pm – 5pm

::ADMISSION TO ALL VERGE ART BROOKLYN
EXHIBITION LOCATIONS IS FREE::

PUBLIC HOURS
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 3 – 5 March, Noon to 10 pm
Sunday, 6 March, Noon to 6 pm
OPENING NIGHT PARTY
Thursday, 3 March, 2011, 10:00 pm to 4 am

TOMORROW’S ART TODAY: THE INAUGURAL ART BROOKLYN
Coming Thursday, March 3, Verge Art Brooklyn invites you to experience a paradigm shift in art fairs as we know them, a show that recovers the standard of an art fair as a platform for presenting the best work by living artists. Art Brooklyn throws open the doors for attendees to a whole new universe of artists, music, art, and community. Verge Art Brooklyn is proud to announce a list of exhibitors that includes gallery exhibitors, resident DUMBO galleries and Brooklyn Art Now participants for a combined total of over seventy gallery exhibitors at nine locations, nearly forty participants for “Material Issue: Artist’s Projects Spaces” and fifty artists for “Tomorrow Stars: The Art Brooklyn Open Call Exhibition.” Chosen by a distinguished panel of jurors, “Tomorrow Stars” represents the brightest and best Brooklyn has to offer, as selected by Courtney Wendroff of the Brooklyn Arts Council, artist and former president of the NYC chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers Stephen Mallon, blogger and art critic Steve Kaplan, and Danny Simmons, chairman of the NYC chapter of the National Conference of Artists. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to own the work of tomorrow’s stars today!

GALLERY EXHIBITORS
81 Front Street, Ground Floor / One Main Street, Ground Floor ANTIDOTE, Brooklyn, NY, Albrecht Art Enterprise, New York, NY, Art Project International G77 Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, Phoenix Gallery, New York, NY, G2 Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, MoCADA Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, Cue Art Foundation, New York, NY, Firecat Projects, Chicago, IL, Stilllife Gallery, New York, NY, Fine Art Consultancy, London, UK, Arch 402, London, UK, A.R.T. Module R, Brooklyn, NY, Mayjune Gallery, Seoul, South Korea, Brooklyn Art Project, Brooklyn, NY, and others TBA.

BROOKLYN ART NOW: 2011 SURVEY EXHIBITION CURATED BY LOREN MUNK/JAMES KALM
111 Front Street, Second Floor, Suites 200, 204 & 222 Tabla Rasa Gallery: selected artist(s) and work, Audrey Anastasi, “Spoken Birch.” BAC Gallery selected artist(s) work, RahulAlexander, “Golden Chamber”, Greg Lindquist, “ntitled.” Like The Spice Gallery selected artist(s) and work, Jenny Morgan and David Mramor, “View Quan Yinha.” Micro Museum: Selected artist(s) and work, Kathleen and William Laziza “THE KISSING INSTALLATION 2.0.” Open Source Gallery: selected artist(s) and work, Peter Feigenbaum, ”02″, Katerina Marcelja “02.” Camel Art Space: selected artist(s) and work, Rob de Oude, “Hither fro Yonder”, Carl Gunhouse, “Development Nashville, TN.” MoCADA: selected artist(s) and work, Jeff Sims, “Straddle 72.” WORK Gallery: selected artist(s) and work, Eric Ayotte, “Protest Painting”, Karin Stothart, “Ileostomy Drainage.” Central Booking: selected artist(s) and work. Despo Magoni, “The Thousand and One Nights series”, Lothar Osterburg, “Zion Homestead.” BRIC Rotunda Gallery: selected artist(s) and work, Jeesoo Lee, “Darkening Blue”, Pinar Yolaçan, “Untitled (from Mother Goddess series), Lael Marshall, “Compact Florescent.” Famous Accountants: selected artist(s) and work, Meg Hitchcock, “Nausea, The Sunyatasaptati (Seventy Verses on Emptiness) by Nagarjuna, from Neasea by Jean-Paul Sartre”, Ben Godward, “Shhh! I live here.” Spring Gallery: selected artist(s) and work Charles Lahti, “First Eyes on Jura.” Front Room Gallery: selected artist(s) and work, Tom Broadbent, “Floating Camouflaged Pants” Manhattan Bridge Tunnel proposal, Stephen Mallon, “Virginia Placement”, Patricia Smith, “Mapped Location of Pronounced Situation Density.” Janet Kurnatowski: selected artits(s) and work, Craig Olson, “Murcury in the Philosopher’s Egg (Oh! Hospitable Jupiter! And the Trust)”, Ben La Rocco, “Minerva’s Pallette.” English Kills Gallery: selected artist(s) and work, Don Pablo Pedro, “jpg #1”, Andrew Hurst, “EOS Digital Rebel ETi.” 440 Gallery: selected artist(s) and work, Tom Bovo, “BOVO_TOM_02”, Richard Eagan “EAGAN_RICHARD_01.” LUMENHOUSE: selected artist(s) and work, Jeremiah Teipen, ” Untitled, digital video with screen and player.” Side Show Gallery: selected artist(s) and work, Shari Mendelson, “Bumpy Blue-Green Vessel”, James O. Clark, “Orestes 2006.” Parker’s Box: selected artist(s) and work, Steven Brower, “Child Astronaut Test Suit 1999-2000”, Joshua Stern, “Untitled V” Patrick Martinez “Jesus video.” In addition, a list of Special Projects for Brooklyn Art Now is forthcoming.

PUBLIC HOURS
Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 3 – 5 March, Noon to 10 pm
Sunday, 6 March, Noon to 6 pm

OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION
Thursday, 3 March, 2011, 10:00 pm to 2 am

To read more details about Verge Art Brooklyn click on the link below:

http://www.brooklynartfair.com/

Non-Art Fair Recommendations

Brice Wolkowitz Gallery Presents: José Parlá “Walls Diaries and Paintings” (Manhattan, NYC)

José Parlá “Order, Pattern, Organization, Form and Relationship”. Image Courtesy of the gallery.

Mint&Serf Present: Well Hung: The Chelsea Chapter at +ART. A Fundraiser for Free Arts NYC

Mint & Serf Curate “Well Hung, The Chelsea Chapter” At +ART (Manhattan, NY)

February 22, 2011 Art Fair, Artists, Events, Fundraising, Gallery, Manhattan, NYC, Opening

Well Hung

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Well Hung, The Chelsea Chapter at +aRt
A Fundraiser Benefit for Free Arts NYC
Curated by Mint&Serf
March 5th – April 3rd, 2011

Opening Reception March 5th, 6pm – 10pm

NEW YORK, NY, FEBRUARY 18 – As the cold days of February come to a close, artists, gallery owners, collectors and creative people from across the globe begin their annual migration to New York City for the highly anticipated Armory Show. Here at +aRt (540 West 28th Street), at a brand new gallery in Chelsea, we will offer a fresh alternative to the congestion and attitudes by showcasing the diversity between artistic communities.

“In an effort to create an exhibition platform for our friends during Armory week, we decided to revisit our past by opening up The Chelsea Chapter at +aRt. The Chelsea Chapter comes on the heels of The Stanton Chapter, an alternative art space we opened in 2008 in Lower East Side. ” – mint

Well Hung is a group exhibition featuring photography, sculpture, paintings and drawings by an eclectic mix of old and new friends. Participating artists include: Adam Krueger, Alfredo Martinez, Andrew Poneros, Clayton Patterson, Curtis Kulig, David Forer, David Hochbaum, Erik Foss, Futura, Jeff and Will Robbins, Jordan Seiler, Julie Floersch, Kevin Bourgeois, Leo Fitzpatrick, Lucien Samaha, Maripol, Matisse Patterson, Michael Anderson, Mint&Serf, Misha Most, Norman Reedus, Oswaldo Chance Jimenez, Peter Pan Posse, Peter Passuntino, Pablo Power, Samantha West, Skullphone, Shadi Perez, Tristan Eaton and Victor Payares.

Free Arts NYC, is a charitable organization that recognizes that art exists in unconventional ways, and is proud to be the official charity partner and supporter of The Chelsea Chapter at +aRt. A portion of proceeds will be donated to their mission to provide under-served children and families with educational arts and mentoring programs. The Chelsea Chapter will host the opening reception on Saturday, March 5th from 6 pm to 10 pm. A schedule of events including artist workshops and sponsor-hosted programs will be available soon. For further information on the exhibit, sales and events please contact Kelly Hulbert at kelly@stateofgraceny.com.

About Mint&Serf
Born in Moscow and Brooklyn respectively, Mint&Serf are Mikhail Sokovikov and Jason Aaron Wall. They took to the streets of NYC, which acted as a canvas for their creative vision, producing a vast range of artwork including large-scale murals, paintings, photographs, sculpture and graffiti. After launching The Canal Chapter in 2005 followed by The Stanton Chapter in 2008, Mint&Serf (otherwise known as The Mirf) have extraordinarily crossed relationships between street art and civic spaces. Most recently Mint&Serf finished a large commission at District 36, a new dance club in Manhattan. For more information, please visit: http://www.themirf.com.

About Free Arts NYC
Free Arts NYC is a local nonprofit that brings educational arts and mentoring programs to underserved children and families by partnering with group homes, shelters, schools and community centers to give children the opportunity to express themselves in a supportive environment in order to develop communication and trust. Their programs and the relationships they foster help children and families experience new levels of hope and creativity.

About +aRt:
Set in the heart of West Chelsea, +aRt is located at 540 West 28th Street. The 13-story new construction building features 91 artfully designed condominium residences. +aRt is being developed by Ekstein Development, L+M Development Partners and RD Management and is exclusively marketed and sold by Halstead Property Development Marketing. For more information, please visit: http://www.540W28.com or contact Allison at allison@mediashoppr.com or 212-867-8778 x223.

Fun Friday 02.04.11

February 4, 2011 Artists, Events, Gallery, Israel, Manhattan, NYC, Opening, Philadelphia

All Eyes on the Streets of Egypt

Image from his Twitpic © Ahmed Ramadan

How can you not be riveted to Al Jazeera online and Twitter and Facebook and Youtube right now as a purely people-powered movement in the streets of major cities all over Egypt is working to dislodge their president? Even after the government shut down the internet in the most comprehensive way in history, Egyptians have taken to the streets to reassert their right to self-determination.

Mint&Serf & BSA @ District 36 Tonight

Joe Iurato and Shai Dahan @ Vincent Michael Gallery in Philadelphia

Exhibition Details
What: Natural Selections & Salvation: Featuring New Works from Shai Dahan and Joe Iurato
Where: Vincent Michael Gallery
1050 N. Hancock St. Suite #63 Philadelphia, PA 19123
When: Exhibit runs February 4th thru February 25th
Opening Reception Friday, February 4th 7pm – 10pm

Conor Harrington in Tel Aviv (VIDEO)

Crossing Lines is a short film that documents Irish artist Conor Harrington’s trip to Tel Aviv, Israel and Bethleham, Palestine in May 2010.

Chris from RWK has a brand New Website

Check it out! http://chrisrwk.com/

Henry Rollin is 50! Shepard Slips One In

Keep your eyes open today for a new print release celebrating American Hardcore superstar and punk poet laureate Henry Rollins. Dude is a far cry from the pretty candy coated mummification of punk that ensued as it became a commercialized lifestyle. This is the first of a two part release by Obey celebrating the quest for truth that fires inside Henry.

18 x 24 Screen Print, Signed and Numbered Edition of 700.

Release Date: 2/4/11

Party with Mirf and BSA at District 36 in Manhattan

January 31, 2011 Artists, Events, Manhattan, NYC, Opening, Performance

District 36

Join Mint&Serf and Steve & Jaime from BrooklynStreetArt at District 36 for this official opening to celebrate the new Mint & Serf installation.

Return to the roots of electronic music and join Mint&Serf and BrooklynStreetArt as we celebrate the unveiling of the Mirf Room at District 36, the newly opened 14,000 square foot dance club in the heart of Manhattan.

***

MUSIC BY:
LARRY TEE
CASEY SPOONER OF FISCHERSPOONER
DANCES WITH WHITE GIRLS.

DISTRICT 36
29 West 36th Street (Between 5th & 6th)
New York, NY 10018
D36NYC.COM

Mint & Serf Cover District 36 …and Fairey, Gaia…

December 18, 2010 Artists, Interview, Manhattan, NYC

Mint & Serf (Mirf), the New York City based Street Art Collective give a nod to the era of mega clubs as they proudly unveil an ambitious new nightlife project with the opening of District 36.

Mirf Site Specific Installation at The Entrance of District 36 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Since this summer the duo have been creating three site-specific permanent art installations inside the newly opened nightclub in the garment district.

No strangers to indoor walls Mirf collaborated recently on the interiors of rooms in the Ace Hotel, giving visitors very individual experiences according to their location. When Mirf heard of a new club being planned in a former garment warehouse in Manhattan, memories of their own wild fun times as teenagers in Gotham’s mega-clubs came rushing back. The artists jumped on the offer to help in the planning of the club as it was being built and what has resulted from Mirf’s concepting is a visual experience evocative of today’s richness and yesterday’s rawness.

For the epic staircase of District 36 Mirf’s inspiration was the iconic New York big clubs that drew crowds of students and creatives and freaks in the mid 1980s and 90s, a time when the city seemed to have a more robustly participatory artistic nightlife – and a feeling that they would like to bring back. Says Mint, “We both grew up in the nightlife in the 90s so when we met the owners they told us that we should reference the vibe of The Tunnel and Limelight.”

“Those days it wasn’t about bottle service – It used to be more about dancing and losing yourself for about three to four hours. So we wanted to create a piece that was site specific to this place and that referenced the NYC nightlife of clubs like Area, Danceteria, Palladium, The Tunnel and Twilo,” says Mint.

The two poured over press clippings for research and Lucien Samaha a friend, gave the guys photos from his days as a DJ in The Tunnel and Limelight and Osvaldo Chance Jimenez a friend as well, gave them photos from today’s nightlife. The resulting hallway staircase is a collage of vintage photographs and graffiti that merges the city’s nightlife over a few decades into one.

“The Tunnel was such a great inspiration to me. I started going there when I was 16 or 17 and you just would walk in, paid your $20 and lose yourself. It was fun. It was entertaining. The clubs now days are very bland. Getting in and enjoying is not just for rich people,” says Mint.

Brooklyn Street Art: Tell me about this middle wall. What was the process and inspiration?

Mint: Since the early 2000’s we started with the idea of mixing genres. We both have backgrounds in graphic design and we always wanted to combine the sensibility of graffiti and graphic design and mash it up. We wanted to create something very surreal and visually stimulating where people can look at it and say, “this is a beautiful thing” regardless of whether or not they know what it is. To me the nightlife then (1990s) was about seeing so many interesting things including the decorations like the Kenny Scharf room (The Lava Lounge) at The Tunnel. That room was also the inspiration for this wall.

Brooklyn Street Art: Did you get inspiration from the ocean/underwater landscape also?

Mint: This wall is not so much about aquatics as it is about plants. We went on trips and took photographs of individual plants and began processing them in Photoshop, creating these original compositions. I really didn’t think about the design being too aquatic until we put it on the wall and took a picture and we went “Wow it looks almost like a fish tank!”

Brooklyn Street Art: Yeah in certain spots it looks like you are underwater and the sunlight is coming through.

Mint: It is a surreal landscape with elements of graffiti. I draw a lot inspiration from nature. I like the translucency of light.

Brooklyn Street Art: And the Lounge; Is this a place for people to drink and have conversation?

Mint: The sound system in this place is amazing and it is loud so if you are spending three or four hours in this place you might want to get away from the sound, sit down and maybe have a conversation. That’s why is set up as a lounge.

Brooklyn Street Art: Can you talk about the images on this wall? It seems like some of these images were ever-present in the city this summer.

Mint: The original concept for the image was Mirf, which is Mint and Serf put together. When we used to write on roofs and there wasn’t enough room for both our names we would combine our names into Mirf. So back in April I designed the original Mirf poster and put a bunch of them in Russia. It was one of the first times I’ve seen graffiti being put up on the street but with wheat paste.

Back from their trip Mirf decided that they were going to grab their posters and go through the city over everything. Says Mint: “It wasn’t about beef it was creative because the conversation with Street Art a lot of times is how ephemeral it is, but the funniest thing is, once someone goes over someone it’s like ‘Oh my God I can’t believe someone went over a Swoon piece.’ But it is like if you are putting stuff on the street you have to realize that it is either going to be buffed or someone is going to go over it and you just can’t have these feelings about it.”

Eliciting charges of “Wall Hogs” and worse, Mint and Serf covered walls like this with other street artists on them with their giant wheat-pastes this summer. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“If you say it’s ephemeral then you say is ephemeral that’s it. So we wanted to make that point present and we started going over everything to make sure people don’t take that seriously,” says Mint unapologetically.

Taking that message more formally into the gallery, Mirf’s show at Lyons Wier in Manhattan this summer shook some street art fans when they saw framed pieces by artists like Shepard Fairey and Gaia gratuitously tagged over by Mirf. “Collabo”, as Street Art term, instantly became muddied.

For his part, Mirf found the whole experience with their peers to be positive, despite some of the negative responses. “The response was great. This conversation needs to happen more often. When people think, “Oh Mirf went over us”, it is not going over you at all. We are kind of opening up people’s minds. So that’s what the whole idea behind what this Mirf thing is”

At the gallery show they also created fresh black and white posters using some of their graffiti friend’s tags and stylized them in the Mirf style – now reprised for the back wall of the new lounge.

Mirf (photo @ Jaime Rojo)

“When we saw this round wall we knew the posters would be perfect. We wanted to pay an homage to all our friends we did graffiti with over the years. So these are a series that will probably be an ongoing project and we’ll add more people to it”

To go to Mint & Serf site click here

For more information about District 36 click here

New York is a Zoo! Street Art and the Animal Kingdom

June 9, 2010 Artists, Brooklyn, new york, NYC, On the Street

This Spring New York City had a few wild coyotes running in Central Park looking for prey.

Unfortunately the only flesh that could be hunted was one of the Lehman Brothers hiding in a cave in the Brambles since the crash and a couple of lost social x-rays looking for the old Tavern on the Green. More plastic than meat.

In fact New York has it’s share of wildlife, and I don’t just mean the Annual Zombie Crawl or Amanda LaPore, or even Macy’s One Day Sale. Since the early 2000’s the D.I.Y. kids fascination with putting lifelike animals on every available surface has continued unabated, and street artists have similarly loosed plenty of birds, frogs, cats, snakes, rabbits, wolves, squirrels, bees and multiple other species onto our streets. The occurrence of lifelike and fictional animals has been frightening, adorable, educational, and enjoyable.

One theory for the reappearance of the natural world in such numbers on our street walls (yes, there are theories) is rooted in native people prophecies that the animals are spirits coming to reclaim what once was theirs. Looking at how humans are rapaciously mucking up the natural world, I don’t know why they haven’t started diving at our necks already.

So, perhaps all of these street art animals are here to remind us how vital it is for us to to re-connect with them and live in harmony with each other. For instance, I give the squirrels and pigeons of our city much credit for making it here; Tough, resilient, and cranky, they may be the original New Yorkers. I’ve learned so much from them. When a pigeon refuses to move from the spot on the sidewalk where she is waddling I smile and walk around. New York is hers as much as it is mine, dammit.

The images below, some previously published on BSA and some brand new, are a tribute to both the artists and their subjects.

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New canvasses celebrate the graffiti-covered bar bathroom and its aggressive lack of style.

An actual bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on the left. Detail from a new canvas by Mint & Serf on the right. (both photos © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf in studio, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf, Pablo Power and Jacuzzi Chris at The Broadway Chapter. February – August 2012, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

In studio with Mint & Serf, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Graffiti and stickers cover the walls of a bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Inspiration: Graffiti and stickers cover the walls of a bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Graffiti and stickers cover the walls of a bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Graffiti and stickers cover the walls of a bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Graffiti and stickers cover the walls of a bathroom in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Royal His and Hers Prints from K-Guy

Sweet Toof solo show “Dark Horse” will merrily gallop at Factory Fresh tonight.

Sweet Toof (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Factory Fresh is located at 1053 Flushing Avenue between Morgan and Knickerbocker, off the L train Morgan Stop

Sweet Toof. Detail (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Exciting Interview with Ben Eine in Los Angeles!

What’s this “Birther” Thing All About?

Shark Toof finished this piece quickly during the Armory week (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Betten “New Young City” could easily characterize the new fresh faced minions pushing further into off the path neighborhoods around the city. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

New growth springs from the most unexpected places. Cooper (photo © Jaime Rojo)

True dat, cat. Enzo & Nio “You’re still gonna die” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

El Sol 25 has quickly established his voice and vocabulary on the street, and here is a new example. We’ve been happy to chart the progress since the start of this new talent’s first appearance. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Photo © Jaime Rojo

Photo © Jaime Rojo

I’m sorry, the number you have reached was given to you when I was drunk last night. Kriest “Wrong Number” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kriest “Under” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

People will try anything to prevent bike theft. Chains also have been known to be a deterrent. Jesus “Bike” Christ (photo © Jaime Rojo)

There’s Jesus again, this time styled as the king of kings in the hood. Jesus “Cash-Money” Christ (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This wall in Chelsea is in constant change, a barnstorm of ideas, influences, techniques that morphs weekly. This new torso may be a Magritte homage. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kinog’s small paper collages appeared in Williamsburg last week on the walls of a construction site gallery style. This one equates one of last falls’ gubernatorial candidates in New York with an unspeakable. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Kinog invokes militarism, power, death, outrage, protest. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Wheat’s new mural refers to an American history of conquest and war and the original citizens in North America (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Prince Charles ponders an eternal question “Why Him”? (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Jaime Rojo. Untitled (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Adam Krueger “Small Wonder” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Andrew Poneros AKA Pork (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mint & Serf (photo © Jaime Rojo)

FOUNTAIN

An interior shot of the The Frying Pan, where Fountain splashes on the Hudson River at 26th Street. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

If you are lost, look for the mast. Fountain is the only water vessel based fair at Armory, baby (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Elle does final prep to her wall piece for Fountain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Hellbent installing his Fountain piece (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato installing his piece (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ellis G. Detail (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Location:

SCOPE

TYPOE

VOLTA

PULSE

Non-Art Fair Recommendations

José Parlá “Order, Pattern, Organization, Form and Relationship”. Image Courtesy of the gallery.

Mint&Serf Present: Well Hung: The Chelsea Chapter at +ART. A Fundraiser for Free Arts NYC

All Eyes on the Streets of Egypt

Mint&Serf & BSA @ District 36 Tonight

Joe Iurato and Shai Dahan @ Vincent Michael Gallery in Philadelphia

Conor Harrington in Tel Aviv (VIDEO)

Chris from RWK has a brand New Website

Henry Rollin is 50! Shepard Slips One In

Mint & Serf (Mirf), the New York City based Street Art Collective give a nod to the era of mega clubs as they proudly unveil an ambitious new nightlife project with the opening of District 36. Mirf Site Specific Installation at The Entrance of District 36 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mirf (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The Middle Wall by Mirf at District 36 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mirf (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mirf Lounge (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Eliciting charges of “Wall Hogs” and worse, Mint and Serf covered walls like this with other street artists on them with their giant wheat-pastes this summer. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Phone pics at the gallery of Mirf going over Gaia (left) and Shepard Fairey (right) (photos © Steven P. Harrington)

Mirf (photo @ Jaime Rojo)

This Spring New York City had a few wild coyotes running in Central Park looking for prey.

Actual New York pigeons (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Yote (photo © Jaime Rojo)

QRST is actually Prince Charming. Kiss him and you’ll see. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Elbow Toe (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Factory Fresh is located at 1053 Flushing Avenue
between Morgan and Knickerbocker, off the L train Morgan Stop

Mint & Serf (Mirf), the New York City based Street Art Collective give a nod to the era of mega clubs as they proudly unveil an ambitious new nightlife project with the opening of District 36.

Mirf Site Specific Installation at The Entrance of District 36 (photo © Jaime Rojo)