Here is our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Andrzej Urbankski, Dyke, False, Icy & SOT, Indigo, Jeice 2, Karma, Love Me, Nick Walker, Rambo, and Sorta. Somehow we’ve assembled a rather eclectic collection for you that includes some black and white billboard images by Jaime Rojo that are more on the graffiti tip, as well as new images from Baltimore, Berlin and Spain.
Speaking of black and white, we’ve noticed that quite a few artists are limiting their palettes to something more monochromatic lately. Have you noticed that too? It’s also kind of cool to see these new pieces from the Iranian Street Artists Icy and Sot, who have their first solo show coming up shortly in New York.
It’s looking good out here! First Day of Summer hit New York this week and the temperature was 99 degrees in the park, the heat index was 110 degrees on the basketball courts and the Street Art quotient shot off the charts.
Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week including Chris Stain, Darkclouds, David Pappaceno, Ed Purver, Emmanuel Benoit, Gia, Hanksy, Jaye Moon, Jeice 2, Lambros, Logan Hicks, MOR, Paul/Instigator, Rene Gagnon, Swoon, and Veng (RWK).
The new pack of wild animals from Jeice2’s series “Savage Planet” is entitled “La Manada” and they are hiding out from traffic and sheltering under a bridge in Seville, Spain. Here are some exclusive images for BSA readers.
“It’s a really cute little town with no stoplights and with a lot of old people!” says Street Artist EVER, who has been painting in Amposta, the site of the FAHR Festival.
About 2 hours from Barcelona, he’s hanging with Sam3 and Kenor and getting up with interesting pieces. He says that thematically he is addressing the social revolution that is right now happening in Spain, and trying to capture the feelings of insecurity that young people have for the future there. In a country with an 25% unemployment rate and with the very shaky prognosis for the Euro, you can understand why.
Capital Soars with Huge New International Street Art Murals
An Amazing Week in DF with Interesni Kazki, El Mac, Saner, Sego, Roa, Herakut, Vhils, and Escif
Gazing out at the sweep of metropolis that is modern Mexico City, you’ll have to catch your breath once in a while. A culture known for it’s historic public murals of the 20th Century, it looks like a resurgence is at hand, but this time the muralist are international Street Artists, and the scale is soaring.
The project “All City Canvas” invited nine artists from around the world and locally to use some of Distrito Federal’s prime real estate as just that – a canvas. With cranes and rollers instead of ladders and cans, these are some of the largest works we’ve seen by some of these artists. Here’s Portugals’ Vhils on the Dolores Building near La Alameda, there’s Germany’s Herakut on the side of the oldest newspaper in Mexico El Universal, and look way up to see LA’s El Mac signature portrait on the side of the Hotel Reforma Avenue. After eleven months of work getting permission from building owners, convincing city leaders, and securing major corporate sponsors, the capital of Mexico now has a few more major public art pieces that will blow you away and the resulting collection further secures this city of 21 million as one of the growing hubs of the Street Art scene.
We spoke with the three guys who organized the festival to get an understanding of the logistics and their aspirations for the project. As organizers and innovators with ties to their own arts organizations in Mexico City, each one of these guys hustled to make it happen; Victor Hugo Celaya of ARTO, Roberto Shimizu of MUJAM, and Gonzalo Alvarez of MAMUTT. Participating artists were Interesni Kazki (Ukraine), El Mac (USA), Saner (Mexico), Sego (Mexico), Roa (Belgium), Herakut (Germany), Vhils (Portugal) and Ecif (Spain).
Brooklyn Street Art:Often Street Artists are relegated to the buildings that are abandoned and in a state of decay. In this case, your program featured work on the sides of some of the most important buildings in Mexico City. How did you get permission to do this?
Victor Hugo Celaya: Since the beginning, we wanted to offer an unique experience to the city so we took urban art to everybody – youth, businessmen, doctors, moms… In order to make a huge impact, we worked to obtain the best spots in Mexico City. Each of these buildings is seen by thousands of people each day and are all located in the city center of Mexico City. It was a difficult job, but in the end we got everything set up. The impact would not have been the same if we had painted other walls.
Brooklyn Street Art:Mexican culture has a proud tradition of public murals. How does the style of Street Art in 2012 differ from that tradition? Roberto Shimizu: Obviously the Mexican history with mural painters and our cultural background, with artists like David Alfaro Siqueiros and Diego Rivera – played a big part while we were conceptualizing the project. Mexico City has the perfect moral background to invite the best urban artists in the world to intervene its walls to create huge murals. We wanted to innovate and create a new link with the past with some of the renowned urban artists of our time.
Brooklyn Street Art:Did you have difficulty persuading building owners to allow this work on their property?
Gonzalo Alvarez: It was difficult to get to the owners, since these people are important business people that don’t have “a lot of time”. Nevertheless, after a lot of work and perseverance we got to show them the project. Once we got to them, we realized they are great people who were interested in getting involved in new innovative projects for the city. At the end, all of them were very happy with the outcome of the festival.
Brooklyn Street Art:Is there a graffiti/Street Art “scene” in certain areas of D.F.? Victor Hugo Celaya: DF is one of the biggest cities in the world – the 2nd biggest, so it is a natural hub for the urban art scene. The movement is very alive at the moment and it is giving Mexican artists an opportunity to show themselves to the world. With this project we wanted to make a statement to the world, that urban art is not only for young people that live in and around big cities – it’s for everybody – doctors, politicians, business people, Moms, merchants… For example, the intervention of the W Hotel, which is located in one of the most “posh” neighborhoods in the country, was very disruptive because nobody could have imagined an urban artists painting a huge mural on the same terrace where they usually eat their lunch or have their business meetings.
Brooklyn Street Art:In the last few years we have been seeing many international Street Artists traveling to large cities around the world doing commissioned work for local festival organizers. How do these traveling artists affect the art scene in the local Mexican context?
Gonzalo Alvarez: This was also very important to us when we were conceiving “All City Canvas”. First we wanted to show young artists that if you do a good job doing what you like, you can actually earn money and travel around the world. You can take your art to other cultures and if you are good enough, you could influence someone else.
Secondly, many artists in Mexico have no money to travel to other countries, and many of their influences come from the pictures they see on the Internet. To have this world-known urban artist in Mexico City was an unique opportunity for these young artists to watch, compare and learn their techniques.
Brooklyn Street Art:Can you talk about the vibrant youth culture in Mexico City and how it responds to this kind of work? Roberto Shimizu: Yes, Mexico is a young country, and more than half of the population is under 30 years of age. We noticed how important cultural events like this are for the young people. Each day thousands of young Mexicans congregated outside of the buildings the artists were painting – they wanted to watch the work and to understand the artistic process of the artwork. Also we offered a series of conferences called WORDS and a gallery exposition called WORKS to offer different points of view of the urban art scene. What we found is that young people in Mexico are very keen to learn and participate in these kinds of projects.
Also on the other hand, the feedback from the Mexican youth is very honest and direct. If you are doing something wrong they will let you know – also they’ll let you know if you are doing something right.
JAZ – FRANCO FASOLI.Solo Show Opening Thursday May 17th from 7.30 till 10 pm
RAS Gallery Barcelona . Carrer Doctor Dou 10
Jaz is Franco Fasoli, a respected artist that evolves like the ‘jazz’ his name evokes.
From his pioneering past as the most prolific graffiti writer in Argentina, he’s mastered the art of spray-paint taking it to another level and incorporating other materials, such as tar, oil and soil on large scale murals.
For his first European solo show at RAS, produced by Suben and curated by Maximiliano Ruiz, Jaz has reduced the scale of his raw looking figures without compromising the massiveness of their shape and intriguing textures. In the whole body of work, the duality within one and the clash of forces is a constant, all reinforced by a subtle, yet highly attained technique.
The show will comprise a broad selection of works on paper and some larger scale canvases.
Street works, artworks previews and further details on the exhibition can be found here.
. . . . . . . . . .
SUBEN PRESENTA
JAZ – FRANCO FASOLI . Exhibición Individual
Inauguración Jueves 17 de Abril de 7.30 a 10 pm
RAS Gallery Barcelona . Carrer Doctor Dou 10
Jaz es Franco Fasoli, un respetado artista que evoluciona como el ‘jazz’ que su nombre evoca.
Desde sus pioneros inicios como el graffitero Argentino mas prolífico, ha perfeccionado el arte del spray, llevándolo a otro nivel, incorporando materiales inusuales, como asfalto, tierra y combustible en murales de gran tamaño.
Para su primera exposición individual europea en Ras, producida por Suben y comisariada por Maximiliano Ruiz, Jaz redujo la escala de sus crudas figuras sin perder lo masivo de sus formas y las intrigantes texturas.
En la mayoría del trabajo presentado se aprecia la dualidad de la unidad y el choque de potentes fuerzas, todo resaltado por una sutil y depurada técnica.
La exposición contara con una selección extensa de trabajos sobre papel y varios lienzos de gran escala.
The third installment of “Savage Planet” from Jeice2 is called “Mecha, the Firefox”. He might surprise you walking by an open window, even though he appears to be taking a nap.
A grand opening for Street Art sculptor Isaac Cordel in Barcelona last week brought people in to personally inspect the miniature concrete actors he creates. RAS Gallery housed the latest collection of works presented by SUBEN and curated by Maximiliano Ruiz.
A varied group of folks gathered to the call of Street Art and free beer including some of the finest canine noses in the art world as at least 5 dogs attended accompanied by their humans.
Adapting to the gallery format was a little challenging for Cordal since his small cement sculptures seemed more at home in the streets and the small incidental street locations he places them in are the perfect context to document them in. Nevertheless, the irony and depth of the message transcends the context and, in fact, can create it.
The social and cultural critique evident are as heavy sometimes as the little people, including a couple wearing gas masks to their wedding and the vision of a suicidal sculpture who chose to leap into the gallery void, leaving its pedestal empty.
1. ROA at StolenSpace “Hypnagogia” (London)
2. Katowice Street Art Festival 4/20-29 (Poland)
3. LALA Gallery Inauguration Saturday (Los Angeles)
4. Herakut “Loving the Exiled” at 941 Geary (San Francisco)
5. Marsea Gives You the “High Five!” at New Image Art Saturday (LA)
6. Erica Il Cane “Una Vita Violenta” at Fifty24MX Gallery (Mexico City)
7. Brett Amory “Waiting 101” at Outsiders Gallery (Newcastle, UK)
8. OLEK in Barcelona with Botero (VIDEO)
9. C215 “About Copyrights” (VIDEO)
10. The Bushwick Trailer (VIDEO)
ROA at StolenSpace “Hypnagogia” (London)
With his current show, now on view at the StolenSpace Gallery in London, ROA will demonstrate how you can be asleep and awake at the same time. His solo show “Hypnagogia” opens today to the general public and offers a dissected view of ROA’s fantastic world of animals and beasts. ROA’s hand crafted book “An Introduction To Animal Representation” by Mammal Press is on sale at The Old Truman Brewery on 91 Brick Lane. Hurry there are only only 125 tomes being offered.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Katowice Street Art Festival 4/20-29 (Poland)
Katowice, a Silesian city in Southern Poland celebrates Street Art with their own Street Art Festival, now on its second year, from April 20 through April 29. The gray, concrete architecture that dominates this town will be imbued with color, shapes and fantasy with the help of this city most prominent daughter, OLEK aided by an illustrious list of first rate of fine and Street Artists including Mark Kenkins, Escif, Boogie, Moneyless, Ganzeer, Ludo, Mona Tusz, Swanski, 0700 Team, Tellas, Dan Witz, Hyuro, M City, ROA, Goro, Kilo, Nespoon, Aryz, 108, Wers, Ciah-Ciah, Etam Crew, Otecki, Razpajzan, Sepe, Chazme, CFNTX Crew, Onte, Jezmirski, Terry Grand, Dast, Impact, Malik, Turbos and Mentalgassi.
For further information regarding this festival click here.
LALA Gallery Inauguration Saturday (Los Angeles)
The West Coast continues to assert itself as a power house in the art world and as a Street Art mecca with the inaugural show of LALA Gallery. A brand new gallery conceived by Daniel Lahoda, the mind and soul and legs of LA Freewalls Project.
LALA’s line up of artists for this first show augurs an auspicious beginning and a successful life which we hope last for a long, long time. “LA Freewalls Inside” is the title of this show and artists included are: Anthony Lister, Askew One, Becca, Cern, Chris Brand, Cryptik, Cyrcle, Dale VN Marshall, Dan Witz, Daze, Dee Dee Cheriel, Evan Skrederstu, How & Nosm, Insa, Jaybo, Kim West, Kofie, Lady Aiko, Ludo, Mear, The Perv Brothers, Poesia, Push, Pyro, Ripo, Risk, Ron English, Saber, Shepard Fairey, Swoon and Zes.
For further details regarding this show click here.
Herakut “Loving the Exiled” at 941 Geary (San Francisco)
Herakut, the indefatigable German collective are a busy duo with an impressive craft and a mastery of the can and paint brushes. Never compromising their artistic output regardless of their environment or medium they set their collaborative standards high with an output rich in earthy colors. Their palette of ores, reds, grays, oranges, blues, browns and yellows give birth to a universe of characters that are fantastic and mysterious and in pursuit of you, the spectator. In San Francisco at 941 Geary Gallery Saturday the reception will be open for the artists and you at “Loving the Exiled”.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Group Show “High Five!” at New Image Art Saturday (LA)
HIGH FIVE! the new group show at New Image Art Gallery in Los Angeles opens tomorrow and the artists include Alia Penner, Ashely Macomber, Curtis Kulig, Deanna Templeton, Maya Hayuk and Vanessa Prager.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Also happening this weekend:
Tomorrow, Saturday April 22 will be the last day to see Erica Il Cane show “Una Vita Violenta” at the Fifty24MX Gallery in Mexico City. The gallery will also participate with Erica Il Cane at the Zona Maco Mexico Arte Contemporaneo Art Fair in Mexico City. April 18 – April 22. For further details about “Una Vita Violenta” click here. For more details about Zona Maco, Mexico Arte Contemporaneo Art Fair click here.
Brett Amory solo show “Waiting 101” At the Outsiders Gallery in Newcastle, UK opens today to the general public. Click here for more details about this show.
OLEK in Barcelona with Botero (VIDEO)
Still working on that scarf you’ve been knitting for OLEK’s birthday? You missed it.
After businesses are closed and respectable families are inside their homes gathered around their electronic devices, you are skulking through the streets in search of adventure. Wait, what was that? You turn back for a second to look through an opening you just passed. At the end of the cobblestone path the glowing eyes of a lone wolf await you in here in Sevilla. He looks kind of cuddly, but he may bite.
Street Artist Jeice2 hits us up with another piece from his project “Savage Planet” – this one is called “Rayo”.
Uh-Oh, should I be wearing a necklace of garlic today? It might not be too cool to wear it indoors. Oh snap it’s only a movie. Happy Friday the 13th everybody!
1. “Vice & Virtue” Shai Dahan (Stockholm)
2. “It Felt Like a Kiss”, Alexandros Vasmoulakis at Gallery Nosco (London)
3. “The Birds & The Bees” with H. Veng Smith and Gigi Chen (BKLN)
4. Isaac Cordal Solo tonight in Barcelona
5. Hellbent at C.A.V.E. Saturday (LA)
6. Buff Monster at Corey Helford Saturday (LA)
7. Sowat and Lek present: “Mausolee”
8. Arabic Graffiti and Egyptian Street Art in Frankfurt
9. John Crash Matos’ “Study In Watercolors” at the Addict Galerie in Paris
10. ARMO and his world of color, shapes and textures. (VIDEO)
11. Ana Peru Peru Ana “meanwhile, in new york city (VII)” (VIDEO)
“Vice & Virtue” Shai Dahan (Stockholm)
Shai Dahan’s solo show “Vice & Virtue” opened last night at the Scarlett Gallery in Stockholm, Sweden and is open today to the public. Are your virtues bigger than your vices?
For further information regarding this show click here.
“It Felt Like a Kiss”, Alexandros Vasmoulakis at Gallery Nosco (London)
An exploration of the seductive kiss and the female power of attraction – sounds like a valiant pursuit, doesn’t it? Alexandros Vasmoulakis’s solo show is open to the general public at Gallery Nosco in London today.
For further information regarding this show click here.
“The Birds & The Bees” with H. Veng Smith and Gigi Chen (BKLN)
A perfect theme for a show right now as the temperatures rise and skirts rise and shirts come off on the grassy knolls in Prospect Park. “The Birds & The Bees” H. Veng Smith show with Gigi Chen at the Mighty Tanaka Gallery opens today in Brooklyn as Spring time’s gallant breeze calls you hither to Dumbo.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Isaac Cordal Solo tonight in Barcelona
Curated by Street Art author Maximiliano Ruiz, this solo show gives platform to Isaac Cordal, a small-scale sculptor who has thus far used the street as the only necessary stage. Mr. Cordal’s little cement characters at RAS Gallery will stop you in your tracks and reconsider your giant self.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Hellbent at C.A.V.E. Saturday (LA)
New York Street Artist and fine artist Hellbent shares the space at C.A.V.E Gallery in Venice Beach, California this weekend with his offering “A Quilted Life”.
For further information regarding this show click here.
Buff Monster at Corey Helford Saturday (LA)
Buff Monster is back at his most mischievous at the Corey Helford Gallery this time all covered in delicious pink. His solo show “Legend of the Pink” opens tomorrow in Culver City as the monster celebrates 10 years of work on the street.
Peru Ana Ana Peru are Street Artists, jokesters, and film makers in New York. Here is their new mini-movie of unscripted New York scenes, sounds and soliloquies collected together for your amusement and befuddlement.
Jeice 2 checks in the with the animal kingdom as he starts a new series he’ll call “Savage Planet”. The street artist has experimented with a variety of styles on the street over the last year including a bright abstract lined candy corner in Seville and most recently a portrait of William Burroughs.
Here he brings “The Couple” to a supporting bridge pylon – with a natural hand and sketch stroke, the topic and the style may remind you of animal portraiture done by Gaia, Yote, ROA, and more recently Willow in New York. Here in a greener environment that’s more natural than the urban detritus of Brooklyn, it feels more home-like for these two blue eyed beauties.
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
