All posts tagged: QRST

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.09.2017

July 9, 2017 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Culture Vultures, yo. Those folks and corporations and brands who don’t originate, but they sure know how to take. They’ve been around for millenia, but are always a surprise anyway. This week the graffiti comedian Klops leads the way on Images of the Week. He’s always cracking us up with his social/political commentary – like Mother Mary and others at the foot of the cross taking a selfie with Jesus, or his bubble tagged slogans like “Yuck. Poor People,” “USA, Why You Always Lyin’?” and “War Money War Problems.” This week his culture vultures took us by surprise. Recognize anyone?

So here’s our weekly interview with the streets, this week featuring Andrew Hem, BK Foxx, Camo Lords, Dede, Drinkala, Eelco Virus, Golden 305, Influx Residence, Key Detail, Klops, London Kaye, ONO, QRST, and Sipros.

Top image: Klops takes aim at Culture Vultures, those folks you just love. One of them is Mr. Brainwash, but who’s the other? (photo © Jaime Rojo)

QRST (photo © Jaime Rojo)

London Kaye (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Key Detail for JMZ Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Camo Lords (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Eelco Virus (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dede (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Andrew Hem. “Misty Blue” for INOPERAbLE Gallery and INFLUX Mural Residency. Providence, RI. June 2017. (photo © Damian Meneghini)

Drinkala for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

BKFoxx doe JMZ Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sipros rendering of Dali as a dummy. The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

ONO (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This actual wall appeared in a painting we covered in an interview we did with Laura Schecter last week. Below is her painting. Various artists hit up this magnet wall in Brooklyn regularly – and here it is viewed from the J train. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Laura Schecter in studio (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Golden305 for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Summer 2017. Manhattan, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

BSA “Images Of The Year” for 2016 (VIDEO)

December 14, 2016 Artists

Of the thousands of images he took this year in places like New York, Berlin, Dresden, Moscow, Marrakesh, Detroit and Miami, photographer Jaime Rojo found that the figurative image still stands prominently in the Street Art scene – along with text-based, abstract and animal world themes.

Surprisingly the scene does not appear to be addressing the troubled and contentious matters of the political and social realms in a large way, but the D.I.Y. scene keeps alive and defies the forces of homogeneity with one-of-a-kind small wheat-pastes, stencils, sculptures, and aerosol sprayed pieces alongside the enormous and detailed paintings that take days to complete.

Every Sunday on BrooklynStreetArt.com, we present “Images Of The Week”, our regular interview with the street. Primarily New York based, BSA interviewed, shot, and displayed images from Street Artists from more than 100 cities over the last year, making the site a truly global resource for artists, fans, collectors, gallerists, museums, curators, academics, and others in the creative ecosystem. We are proud of the help we have given and thankful to the community for what you give back to us and we hope you enjoy this collection – some of the best from 2016.

Brooklyn Street Art 2016 Images of the Year by Jaime Rojo includes the following artists;

1Up, Above, Adele Renault, Alaniz, Amy Smalls, George Vidas, GEN2, Apexer, BordaloII, Buff Monster, C215, Collin Van Der Sluijs, Super A, David Choe, D*Face, Duke Riley, El Sol 25, Sean 9 Lugo, EQC, Faile, Faith47, Faust, Shantell Martin, Felipe Pantone, Hueman, Droid907, Icy & Sot, InDecline, Invader, JJ Veronis, Jilly Ballistic, John Ahearn, JR, London Kaye, Louis Masai, MadC, Marshal Arts, Mongolz, MSK, Rime, Myth, Nina Chanel, Optic Ninja, Otto Osch Schade, Panmela Castro, Plastic Jesus, QRST, Reed b More, Remi Rough, REVS, Self Made, Sharon Dela Cruz, Maripussy, Specter, Stikman, Strok, Swoon, Ted Pim, Thievin’ Stephen, Farin Purth, Thomas Allen, Tobo, Uriginal, Vermibus, Vhils, Wing, Yes Two, Zola.

The artist featured on the main graphic is D*Face as shot by Jaime Rojo in New York.

BSA Images Of The Week: 08.21.16

August 21, 2016 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Here we go! Eat all the last fresh corn-on-the-cob, watermelon, lemonade, tomatoes, green beans, black berries, peaches that you can get before the summer disappears and your local grocer turns all those things into plastic hot-house versions imported from Pluto and transported with a million gallons of fossil fuel to you table. New York has many farmers markets and delis with fresh produce — it is not all expensive either. Chinatown in Manhattan still has some of the coolest stuff to eat and hasn’t jacked up the prices.

We’ve been riding around New York looking for new Street Art and for those who are complaining that the scene has devolved into festivals and large murals, you are just being lazy and relying on the Internet for all your news. There are so many artists out putting up small one-off individual pieces with social and political messages on the street – and of course there is a lot of aesthetically pleasing stuff as well. Its all alive and well and we are still missing much of it.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Baron Von Fancy, Buff Monster, bunny M, Crisp, El Sol 25, Mister Melty, PaytoPray, QRST, Space Invader, and Square, Suckadelic.

Our top image: QRST. An ad takeover in Brooklyn, NY. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

QRST. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

QRST (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Buff Monster. Mister Melty. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

bunny M (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Baron Von Fancy (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Square. Being Their. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pussy Power (photo © Jaime Rojo)

An unidentified artist impression of a deranged con artist trying to fool the whole USA. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

#overthrownewyork (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Crisp (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified Artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

El Sol 25 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Invader Ninja (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Invader (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Suckadelic (photo © Jaime Rojo)

#paytopray (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Manhattan sunset and the East River. July 2016. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.03.16

July 3, 2016 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Heading into the 4th of July we reflect upon patriotism, our declaration of independence from England, and Britain’s new declaration of independence from the EU. Are there similarities?

Now, we’re all off the park for a barbecue! Where is the frisbee? Where are those hotdog buns?

And here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Agostino Iacurci, Alaniz, Aron Belka, Buttsup, Float Art, Gilf!, King, London Kaye, Pixel Pancho, QRST, Reed B More, Sipros, and WK Interact.

Our top image: London Kaye. Peace, please!! (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

QRST (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Agostino Iacurci (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Pixel Pancho. The Italian artist was in NYC early in June to participate in a group show and painted this mural in Chelsea in NYC. While the mural appears unfinished by the blotch of white paint on the bottom that is not the case. The artist’s completed piece was tagged and as per the artist’s request the gallery removed the tag with the white paint. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Float Art (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

WK Interact (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Reed B. More has been leaving these translucent pieces suspended about the fray. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Reed B. More (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Reed B. More tagging the sky. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Reed B. More (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sipros for the Buschwick Collective. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gilf! did this piece to honor the victims of the mass shooting in Orlando and debuted it in time for the LGBT Pride weekend in NYC. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Aron Belka did this portrait of jazz pianist and composer Allen Toussaint, who passed away last autumn, for The L.I.S.A. Project NYC in Little Italy/China Town. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Alaniz pointing in every direction at the abandoned NSA spy compound in Teufelsberg Hill in Berlin. Berlin, 2016. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Buttsup (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

King (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Brooklyn, NY. June 2016. (Photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Young New Yorkers” Auction to Feature Jaime Rojo and 100 More

April 7, 2016 Artists

BSA has been supporting and donating to the organization Young New Yorkers and many of the participating artists who are in tonight’s auction for a long time through our work for a number of years. This year BSA Co-founder and editor of photography Jaime Rojo is also donating something else – his own photography.

Jaime Rojo. Untitled. Tawana and Miriam. Brooklyn, NY. August 31, 2003 (photo © Jaime Rojo)

YNY provides 16 and 17 year old people in New York State who have had the unfortunate occurrence of being arrested an opportunity to re-see themselves and society through an art-based program. The state has the unfortunate distinction of being particularly harsh with our youth, treating them as adults in some circumstances where other perspectives can and should come into play. It’s a mature and nuanced position that great societies can muster when we dig deep and we’re proud of the staff and volunteers who put in the huge amounts of effort to make YNY successful.

Shepard Fairey. Natural Springs. Print. (photo courtesy of YNY)

Joe Russo. Shepard Fairey, NYC 2010. Print. (photo courtesy of YNY)

This program is an opportunity to short-circuit a potentially harmful cycle of crime and incarceration because it recognizes the whole young person, not just a narrow aspect. If they qualify and graduate from the court-appointed program, graduates’ cases are dismissed and sealed, leaving them free of the collateral consequences of an adult criminal record.

Not surprisingly, graffitti and Street Artists and others familiar with the scene recognize the value of this kind of work and have given great pieces to the auction. Please consider the works here and go online to bid and attend the public auction in New York tonight!

Daniel Albanese. Larry The Bird Man. Print. (photo courtesy of YNY)

“I wholeheartedly support Young New Yorkers; not only as an art program and constructive alternative to teens being incarcerated, but it is also highly therapeutic. It builds problem solving skills that can boost self confidence and allow participants to feel more empowered to pursue their dreams as well as deal with their realities.”—Shepard Fairey

Fairey has generously donated a number of prints for tonight along with works by an array of artists you’ll recognize such as Ben Eine, Swoon, Cern, Pure Evil, Icy & Sot, Robert Janz, Know Hope, Daniel Albanese, Hellbent, Greg LaMarche, Joe Russo, LMNOPI, Li Hill, Dan Witz and many others for tonights’ event. Your support will actually help keep our young people out of jail and contributing in a positive way.

Swoon. Haiti Sketch (Older Man Collar). (photo courtesy of YNY)

This year’s YNY benefit auction show is curated by Lunar New Year, Ann Lewis, and Maya Levin.

Here is a small sample of the works being offered up for auction. To see the whole collection, bid and for more details on the actual works of art please go to: Paddle8 Young New Yorkers benefit auction.

Ben Eine. See No Evil. Print. (photo courtesy of YNY)

Brittany Williams. Blooming Mind. Painting. (photo courtesy of YNY)

Li-Hill. Dive. Work on paper. (photo courtesy of YNY)

QRST. In The House Of The Coyote. Work on paper. (photo courtesy of YNY)

Dan Witz. Container Study (Green). Mixed Media. (photo courtesy of YNY)

Jetsonorama. Stephanie on JR ‘s House. Print. (photo courtesy of YNY)

Mataruda. Verso, Perla, Pluma y, Flor. Giclee Print. (photo courtesy of the artist)

BSA “Images of the Year” for 2015 : New Video

December 16, 2015 Artists

Was 2015 the “Year of the Mural”?

A lot of people thought so, and the rise of commercial festivals and commissioned public/private mural programs probably brought more artists to more walls than in recent history. Judging from the In Box, 2016 is going to break more records. Enormous, polished, fully realized and presented, murals can hold a special role in a community and transform a neighborhood, even a city.

But they are not the “organic” Street Art that draws us into the dark in-between places in a city, or at its margins.

We keep our eyes open for the small, one-off, idiosyncratic, uncommissioned, weirdo work as well, as it can carry clues about the culture and reveal a sage or silly solo voice. It also just reinforces the feeling that the street is still home to an autonomous free-for-all of ideas and opinions and wandering passions. For us it is still fascinating to seek out and discover the one-of-a-kind small wheatpastes, stencils, sculptures, ad takeovers, collages, and aerosol sprayed pieces alongside the enormous and detailed paintings that take days to complete.

The main image above is from a vinyl subway advertisement that was high-jacked and we published it in February of this year on our Images of the Week posting. It’s small, personal, and very effective as you can see someone suspiciously similar to Batman is jumping out of the mouth of someone looking awfully similar to Hedwig of “Angry Inch” fame.

Of the 10,000 or so images photographer Jaime Rojo took in 2015, here are a selection 140+ of the best images from his travels through streets looking for unpermissioned and sanctioned art.

Brooklyn Street Art 2015 Images of the Year by Jaime Rojo

Brooklyn Street Art 2015 Images of the Year by Jaime Rojo includes the following artists;

365xlos43, Amanda Marie, Andreas Englund, Augustine Kofie, Bisser, Boijeot, Renauld, Bordaloli, Brittany, BunnyM, Case Maclaim, Casg, Cash4, CDRE, Clet, Cost, Curve, Dain, Dal East, Dan Budnik, Dan Witz, David Walker, DeeDee, Dennis McNett, Don Rimx, Ricardo Cabret, LNY, Alex Seel, Mata Ruda, Don’t Fret, Dot Dot Dot, ECB, El Mac, El Sol25, Ella & Pitr, Eric Simmons, Enest Zacharevic, Martha Cooper, Martin Whatson, Ever, Faile, Faith47, Findac, Futura, Gaia, Gilf!, Hanksy, Hellbent, Hot Tea, How & Nosm, Icy and Sot, Inti, Invader, Isaac Cordal, James Bullough, Janet Dickson, Jef Aerosol, Jilly Ballistic, Joe Iurato, John Fekner, Le Diamantaire, Li Hill, LMNOPI, London Kaye, Low Brow, Marina Capdevilla, Miss Van, Mr. Prvrt, Mr. Toll, Myth, Nafir, Nemos, Never Crew, Nick Walker, Nina Pandolofo, Old Broads, Oldy, Ollio, Os Gemeos, Owen Dippie, Paper Skaters, Pet Bird, Kashink, Smells, Cash4, PichiAvo, Pixel Pancho, QRST, ROA, Ron English, Rubin415, Saner, Sean 9 Lugo, Shai Dahan, Shepard Fairey, Sheryo & The Yok, Sinned, Sipros, Skewville, Slikor, Smells, Sweet Toof, Snowden, Edward Snowden, Andrew Tider, Jeff Greenspan, Specter, Stray Ones, Sweet Toof, Swil, Willow, Swoon, The Outings Project, Toney De Pew, Tristan Eaton, Various & Gould, Vermibus, Wane, Wk Interact

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Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!

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This article is also published on The Huffington Post

BSA Images Of The Week: 08.23.15

August 23, 2015 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Such a pleasure and honor to give a tour to Brooklyn Museum members yesterday – mainly because of the mixture of people who traipsed through Brooklyn streets with us: older, younger, academic, street smart, curiosity seeking, students, teachers. The questions and observations helped push our perspectives wider.

Good to be schooled by someone who knew a lot about REVS & Cost, and to learn that LMNOP may have chosen her name with QRST’s in mind. Who knew? It was also great to describe the linotype process as it pertains to Swoons’ practice – and only a block later to discover an original carved plywood version of a linotype drilled to a wall by TipToe!

It was especially refreshing was talking with the woman who had not heard of Banksy or Faile or JR but thought she had heard of Swoon – and to see her write these names in a small book for further research. Sometimes we think all this Street Art stuff is such a big deal, then that “perspective” thing kicks in.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Dain, DeeDee, Don Rimx, Elbow Toe, Faile, Gilf!, Klone, LMNOPI, London Kaye, Myth, Os Gemeos, QRST, Rae, Royce Bannon, She Wolf, and TipToe.

Top image above >>> QRST (photo © Jaime Rojo)

London Kaye (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artist Unknown with Bast on top. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Tip Toe didn’t just put a printed poster up. He put the actual printing device with which you make the posters. This could indicate that he wants you to bring your own paper and ink! (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth had his text crossed out -originally it said “Bovine lives matter! Go Vegan”. The cartoon image stayed. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth quotes Lenin here: “Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners.”(photo © Jaime Rojo)

Myth has the Venom character quoting the feminist Lucy Parsons, “Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth.” (photo © Jaime Rojo)

She Wolf (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Klone (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dee Dee (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Don Rimx “La Rumba” in Little Havana, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Rae is back on the street sculpture tip, a little bit pop this time (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Looks like Elbow Toe gave Royce Bannon some flowers. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile does a piece from their series about native peoples coming to reclaim lands. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Faile (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Gilf! going for a conceptual timepiece that recalls names of Americans shot by police, with reference to how often it occurs. This is one of two recent time pieces. The other contains high profile nationally known names that have sparked protests – this one has names that are more recent but we didn’t recognize them or understand their significance till we started Googling. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

LMNOPI depicts Indira, a child who works in a marble quarry with her parents near Katmandu. The same image was also featured in her Welling Court mural this year. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

A child soldier forced into conscription in Myanmar by LMNOPI (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Os Gemeos (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dain (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Untitled. Times Square, Manhattan. August, 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

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Please note: All content including images and text are © BrooklynStreetArt.com, unless otherwise noted. We like sharing BSA content for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the photographer(s) and BSA, include a link to the original article URL and do not remove the photographer’s name from the .jpg file. Otherwise, please refrain from re-posting. Thanks!
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BSA Film Friday: 06.26.15

June 26, 2015 Artists

Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.

Now screening :

1. THIS IS NOW – Endangered Species
2. David Walker in Nancy, France
3. Phnom Penh Murals with Cambodian Urban Art Institute
4. A Primer – The FAILE BÄST Deluxx Fluxx Arcade
5. Drunken Collaboration with Sr. X and Zabou

BSA Special Feature: THIS IS NOW – Endangered Species

Endangered species have been called attention to by Street Artists in recent years, most notably ROA and his large murals around the world, but even Brooklyn local QRST has pasted his paintings of endangered frogs on streets as commentary of our negative effects on entire species, continuously messing with ecosystems and now possibly threatening our own existence.

This short film focuses on a campaign by artist Louis Masai Michel working on the streets of London as part of a funded campaign with Synchronicity Earth, who “support on-the-ground conservation action and creates spaces for cognitive dissidence, working alongside artists, young people, conservationists, activists, film-makers, scientists and enlightened business-leaders to co-create a world in which all life is valued, regardless of economic ‘worth.’”

David Walker in Nancy, France

David Walker just created this mural in Nancy, France to support his current show with Galerie Mathgoth. Not a strict adherent to the École de Nancy , Walker has a craft of his own with aerosol cans that actually bring features and expressions to a life-like quality, all the while eschewing traditional tools of the painting trade. Shout out to Karl’s beard.

Phnom Penh Murals with Cambodian Urban Art Institute

French artists Théo Vallier and Chifumi were invited to gather Cambodian and International graffiti artists to create murals on Phnom Penh’s walls this April and this video gives a good summary of the events. On the streets were new works and collaborations by Chifumi et Théo Vallier, Peap Tarr & Lisa Mam, Tones, David Myers, Koy, Venk, Eltono, and Alias 2.0.

More information of this event sponsored in part by the Institute Francais HERE

The FAILE BÄST Deluxx Fluxx Arcade – A Primer from Miami Beach 2013

If you are wondering what you will see opening July 10^th at the The FAILE BÄST Deluxx Fluxx Arcade and throughout the summer at The Brooklyn Museum, here is a good primer from an installation of it they did in Miami Beach in 2013. We’ve seen the new installation that Faile and BÄST are currently preparing for you, and we can tell you that it is like this, but MUCH MORE.

Video Directed By: Priest Fontaine
Shot By: Noah Carlson & Priest Fontaine
Edited By: Priest Fontaine
Music By: Seth Jabour

Drunken Collaboration with Sr. X and Zabou

They say that this is based on a true story, and one you may have heard of before. We’re not sure if they are advocating alcohol abuse or against it , but it’s always a cheery surprise to hear The Dead Kennedys, isn’t it?

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.14.15

June 14, 2015 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Hillary Clinton was on Roosevelt Island yesterday formally announcing her candidacy under blue skies with an enthusiastic crowd speaking about income inequality and the poor and sounding more populist than ever. Let’s see if she can stretch the 2 Billion Dollars in donations she is reported to have raised all the way to next November. It all adds up quickly bro, and before you know it, you just blew a billion!

Wonder if she saw the Hot Tea pool while she was there on the island.

This weekend is the annual Welling Court community mural party in Queens. Don’t miss it. Run on almost no budget it features over a hundred muralists who always dig the friendly neighborhood vibe thanks to organizers Alison and Garrison Buxton.

And of course we are seeing a lot of new dope stuff on the streets…

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Brolga, Chris RWK, Dasic, Esteban Del Valle, James Bullough, Joe Iurato, Logan Hicks, Owen Dippie, Paper Skaters, QRST, Ramiro Davaro-Comas, Rubin415, SheWolf, Sonni, Tats Cru, Wing, and WK Interact.

Top image above >>> Paper Skaters upping the game (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Paper Skaters (photo © Jaime Rojo)

New Zealander Owen Dippie has a small show at Low Brow Artique Gallery and though we don’t feature gallery images too often, this painting seems like something you would like. His marriage of Raphael and Haring is a bit of mashup genius; a Renaissance Madonna and Radiant Baby. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Owen Dippie at Low Brow Artique Gallery. Show is now open to the general public. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

James Bullough for Sugarlift Studios. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

WK Interact is back on the street this week showing you his nunchucks. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

WK Interact with Vandalog’s Caroline Caldwell as muse. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Esteban Del Valle does a piece named “real estate” for Sugarlift Studios, presumably in reference to the value his work is adding to the building and the neighborhood. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

QRST has a few new endangered (extinct?) anthropocenes on the street, along with some burnt real estate. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

QRST (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Tats Cru for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Wing (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Soni for Sugarlift Studios. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Joe Iurato updates his son’s portrait with Logan Hicks providing patterned background for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

SheWolf (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Dasic for The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Ramiro Davaro-Comas for Sugarlift Studios. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Brolga (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Rubin415 for Sugarlift Studios. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Artist Unknown (photo © Jaime Rojo)

BSA Images Of The Week 05.31.15

May 31, 2015 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

So here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring A Visual Bliss, Amok Island, Banjo, BD White, Betty Page, Corografico, D7606, Daek, Deal9, El Sol 25, Likes, Maupal, Nepo, and QRST.

BD White trolls the selfie addicted sort. The subject on this image seems too old to be either Adonis or Narcissus but you get the point. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Maupal created this fictional town on wall in Rome this month, and here he gives you a tour:

“As you can see from the picture, in #soulcity, life is depicted as it is a small city surrounded by “the river of death” (il fiume della morte ). To enter the burg, you have to pass though the only one entrance of the town, the Arco della nascita, “the Arc of birth” signed by an arrow. The Muro del parto (“the offstring-wall”) divides what is life from what is not.

From the moment when one comes to the world, there is only a single one way road that he/she can take, the Boulevard of Childhood (viale dell’Infanzia). From that point onwards, everybody can choose their own path to follow from several routes available. The choices that individuals make at this point will shape their personality throughout their adulthood. As a consequence of the experiences one makes in life, and at a certain time in their life, a person may lean towards one neighborhood that will suit them in that moment but not necessarily want to remain there for life.

For this reason, I didn’t simply name the streets, I included some infrastructures in the varying regions of #soulcity. In addition, I also delimited thematic boulevards. From adolescence on, some people choose to take the boulevard of the culture and reach the University (symbolized by a golden brain) and the airport of freedom. Some others follow the boulevard of perdition and get forced into the “liars jail” – il carcere dei bugiardi. Others choose the artistic path leading to the Creativity museum or the lunapark of surreal or turn to the boulevard of religious believe.

Whatever one’s choices in life, love is the core of life. For this reason, I put it as the only one square of the #soulcity, as well as the biggest crossing point of life and neighbourhoods. The fontain of infinite is the symbol with the sex statue is the key of life.

I believe that life is based on one’s choices and experiences, but family, society and memories have a weight, too. With this purpose, I also created three shortcuts such as the sentiero dei rimproveri (“the shortcut of reproaches”) in the parents’ park (which could lead one to the boulevard of arts) and the grandparents’ playground with the lake of memories. Finally, the shortcut fuga dei cervelli pushes the young generations’ inventive to fly away from one’s country to get a better future abroad.

This last element is a strict reference to my other street artpiece named #esodati, in which I depicted Romulus and Remo with trolleys, searching for a better future abroad. (see foto attached “#esodati foto ufficiale”).

Finally, I am conscious that life is also limited by the length of time one has on this earth and no matter what path you choose, death is at the end of every way. For this reason, the whole city is surrounded by the River of Death, il Fiume della Morte. Making the right choices in life may help you be remembered after death through your life’s work and actions, which is possible by crossing the different bridges in town.”

The wall is part of a slaughterhouse building complex and is shared between the MACRO Testacci o Museum of Contemporary Art and the Architecture Department of Roma3 University.

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Skulls, Death and “Memento Mori” on the Street Art Scene

May 20, 2015 Artists

Oh death, the world simply brims with it.

Naturally so do the streets.

We’ve been able to cheat it, cavort and dance with it, even bargain with it but so far we have been unable to win the fight. Everyone succumbs.

“Remember you shall die”, or Memento mori, is the medieval Latin theory that we come face to face with, or skull to skull.

Artists have been doing the danse macabre for centuries and one cerebral motif appears throughout every medium: the skull. From traditional African masks with skull faces to Shakespeare’s exhumed Yorick in Hamlet to 16th and 17th century European paintings featuring the skull as a motif in portraiture. The Mexicans make sugar candy with skulls, Warhol did multiples with them, Bowie sang to one, Tattoo culture covers skins with them, Damien Hirst encrusts them with diamonds, Game of Thrones has the Lord of Bones, they’re featured at the Museum of Morbid Anatomy, and Korean rapper Jay Park is styled as one on his video.

Even current Street Artists have a fascination with skulls, with Swoon in a show called Memento Mori and the Italian Street Artist Borondo’s named his new book after it. Today we wander out into the street with your hand in ours to look at death, as interpreted by artists of the street right now.

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This article is also published on The Huffington Post.

BSA Images Of The Week: 01.11.15

January 11, 2015 Artists, BSA Images Of The Week

Hey Bro and Sis! It’s Sunday! Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Adam Dare, Curly, D. Hollier, Damien Mitchell, El Ray, JVC Quard, Lotits, Noodle Cat, Old Broads, QRST, and Stikman.

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