All posts tagged: SpY

Madrid Diary and the Street : Velasquez, Goya, Borondo, Spy!

May 5, 2016 Artists

Velasquez, the painter of the Spanish Golden Age died here. Along with the mannerist paintings of El Greco, the extravagant baroque of the Flemish Rubens, and the romantic Goya, one can see Velasquez’ works here at the wealthy and famous El Museo Del Prado of Madrid.

Also, we cannot forget the Bosch exhibit opening here at the end of the month. In fact there are two dozen or so world-class museums hosting vast collections of historical and contemporary art all around this capital of Spain.

Borondo at La Tabacalera. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Naturally, their influences are also felt on the streets of the city, but you’ll need to veer away from the scrubbed-clean tourist areas and glide beyond the high-end boutiques to get this story. Behold Borondo! Suso! Spy!

The Tetuan neighborhood has been attracting an impressive list of local and international artists to its dilapidated walls and rough streets, now home to many immigrants from South America and Sub-Sahara Africa. It is the sort of environment that artists seek for experimentation and creativity and a rather instant audience. Paintings, illustrations, sculptural installations large and small. Sometimes they are finished works, often they appear as studies.

Borondo. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

This same storyline is repeated throughout the great metropolis in areas that are neglected, abandoned or otherwise overlooked. There are no luxury brands nor Disneyfied aspects or over attentive security to deal with here, this hotbed of creativity. Compared to the general ticket price of 14 Euro at Del Prado, admission to the street show is quite reasonable, and you may even meet the artist.

The images below sent to us by BSA contributor Lluis Olive Bulbena are culled from Tetuan and La Tabacalera for this Madrid Diary.

Suso 33. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Suso 33. Detail. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

San. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

San. Detail. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Pincho at La Tabacalera. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Spy. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Spy. Detail. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Susie Hammer at La Tabacalera. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

E1000. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Parseci at La Tabacalera. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

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The 2014 BSA Year in Images (VIDEO)

December 17, 2014 Artists

Here it is! Our 2014 wrap up featuring favorite images of the year by Brooklyn Street Art’s Jaime Rojo.

Before our video roundup below here is the Street Art photographer’s favorite of the year: Ask Jaime Rojo, our illustrious editor of photography at BrooklynStreetArt.com , who takes thousands of photographs each year, to respond to a simple question: What was your favorite photo of the year?

For 2014 he has swift response: “The Kara Walker.” Not the art, but the artist posed before her art.

It was an impromptu portrait that he took with his iPhone when the artist unveiled her enormous sculpture at a small gathering of neighborhood locals and former workers of the Domino Sugar Factory, informal enough that Rojo didn’t even have his professional camera with him. Aside from aesthetics for him it was the fact that the artist herself was so approachable and agreed to pose for him briefly, even allowing him to direct her just a bit to get the shot, that made an imprint on his mind and heart.

Of course the sculpture is gone and so is the building that was housing it for that matter – the large-scale public project presented by Creative Time was occupying this space as the last act before its destruction. The artist herself has probably moved on to her next kick-ass project after thousands of people stood in long lines along Kent Avenue in Brooklyn to see her astounding indictment-tribute-bereavement-celebration in a hulking warehouse through May and June.

But the photo remains.

And Rojo feels very lucky to have been able to seize that quintessential New York moment: the artist in silhouette before her own image, her own work, her own outward expression of an inner world.

Jaime’s personal favorite of 2014; The site specific Kara Walker in front of her site specific installation at the Domino Sugar Factory in May of this year in Brooklyn. Artist Kara Walker. (photo via iPhone © Jaime Rojo)

Now, for the Video

And our holiday gift to you for five years running, here is the brand new video of favorite images of graffiti and Street Art by Brooklyn Street Art’s editor of photography, Jaime Rojo.

Of a few thousand these 129 shots fly smoothly by as a visual survey; a cross section of graffiti, street art, and the resurgence of mural art that continues to take hold. As usual, all manner of art-making is on display as you wander your city’s streets. Also as usual, we prefer the autonomous free-range unsolicited, unsanctioned type of Street Art because that’s what got us hooked as artists, and ultimately, it is the only truly uncensored stuff that has a free spirit and can hold a mirror up to us. But you have to hand it to the muralists – whether “permissioned” or outright commissioned, some people are challenging themselves creatively and still taking risks.

Once again these artists gave us impetus to continue doing what we are doing and above all made us love this city even more and the art and the artists who produce it. We hope you dig it too.

Brooklyn Street Art 2014 Images of the Year by Jaime Rojo includes the following artists;

2Face, Aakash Nihalani, Adam Fujita, Adnate, Amanda Marie, Andreco, Anthony Lister, Arnaud Montagard, Art is Trash, Ben Eine, Bikismo, Blek Le Rat, Bly, Cake, Caratoes, Case Maclaim, Chris Stain, Cleon Peterson, Clet, Clint Mario, Col Wallnuts, Conor Harrington, Cost, Crummy Gummy, Dain, Dal East, Damien Mitchell, Damon, Dan Witz, Dasic, Don’t Fret, Dot Dot Dot, Eelco Virus, EKG, El Sol 25, Elbow Toe, Etam Cru, Ewok, Faring Purth, Gilf!, Hama Woods, Hellbent, Hiss, Hitnes, HOTTEA, Icy & Sot, Jana & JS, Jason Coatney, Jef Aerosol, Jilly Ballistic, Joe Iurato, JR, Judith Supine, Kaff Eine, Kashink, Krakenkhan, Kuma, Li Hill, LMNOPI, London Kaye, Mais Menos, Mark Samsonovich, Martha Cooper, Maya Hayuk, Miss Me, Mover, Mr. Prvrt, Mr. Toll, Myth, Nenao, Nick Walker, Olek, Paper Skaters, Patty Smith, Pixel Pancho, Poster Boy, Pyramid Oracle, QRST, Rubin 415, Sampsa, Sean 9 Lugo, Sebs, Sego, Seher One, Sexer, Skewville, SmitheOne, Sober, Sonni, Specter, SpY, Square, Stay Fly, Stik, Stikki Peaches, Stikman, Swil, Swoon, Texas, Tilt, Tracy168, Trashbird, Vexta, Vinz, Willow, Wolfe Works, Wolftits, X-O, Zed1.

Read more about Kara Walker in our posting “Kara Walker And Her Sugar Sphinx At The Old Domino Factory”.

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This article is also published on The Huffington Post

NUART 2014 Roundup : Activism, Muralism, Graffiti and Aesthetics

September 10, 2014 Artists

The Norwegian mural festival named Nuart took place last week with a marked tilt toward the conceptual and the interventionist, a direct debate about the relevance of activism amidst a rising tide of sanctioned murals, and Tilt leading us down a path toward traditional graffiti.

Ironically graffiti seemed a rather tame topic for once.

TILT. “Panic Room” Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

“Urban interventionism is about not only making social commentary through artistic expression, but actually intervening in a public and social space in a poetic, unexpected or provocative way,” said architect and organizer Nicola Markhus when speaking to the local Stavangernews. Markhus may have been thinking about the Portuguese artist ±Maismenos±, who constructed a miniature oil tanker platform from found objects and installed it temporarily atop a sculpture honoring canning workers in Lervig Courtyard, by way of contrasting the past with the present.

±MaisMenos± NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Or maybe she was thinking about the Madrid-based SpY, who painted a massive red-lettered “ERROR” on two sides of a brutal block long building in decay down by the waterside, an ironic judgment on the eyesores of unfortunate urban decay. Among the contextual social commentary as well were the oil-dripping sentiments of geologist/artist Andreco, who regaled the façade of a classic Norwegian building with his geometric interpretation of rocks found poking up from the soil, and the three dimensional mural of homeless people by Brooklyn-based Iranian brothers Icy & Sot only three blocks from an outdoor encampment of homeless travelers whom some locals call gypsies.

SpY. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Such is one of the traditions of Street Art: social and political commentary that some call activism because of its advocacy, or at least its stubborn acknowledgement of imperfections in the human condition. This year’s Nuart fosters the spirit and intellectual pursuit associated with academic examination and in doing so again separates itself from the growing number of Street Art festivals who implicitly or explicitly censor the choices of the invited due to commercial or political pressures. Even during the painting this year there were conversations among artists about a high profile festival underway elsewhere that had just dis-invited certain Street Artists because of their “political” work in the past.

John Fekner. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

As if to drive the point home, New York street and multimedia artist John Fekner, who created hundreds of environmental, social, political and conceptual works consisting of stenciled words in NYC beginning in the 1970s that highlighted failed urban planning and public policy, was invited to reprise his classic text based “False Promises” stencil here. The choice of Fekner was perhaps atypical and one that could be overlooked if Nuart founder Martyn Reed didn’t decide to champion the artists work in his mini-retrospective indoors.

And need we mention that his indoor installation space for Saturday’s gallery opening was shared by Fra.Biancoshock’s instantly controversial merging of the nazi flag with the Facebook logo? Moments after we posted an early image of the installation in progress, cheers and condemnation populated our social media feeds – a happy discord that Nuart isn’t traditionally spooked by.

Fra.Biancoshok. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

“This is a representation of two different iconic movements; the Nazis and the Facebook age,” says the Milan based Fra.Biancoshock who specializes in street interventions, not Street Art, per se. “I wanted to unite the two concepts in a unique logo as a way of describing two different ways to have control of the masses in two different ages. It is a provocative representation that is meant to say, ‘Imagine if these two things had met in the same period,’ ” he explains of the illuminated wheel of instantly recognizable letter f’s popping from a four alarm red background at the temporary gallery show in “tunnels” at Tou Scene.

“Obviously the story of the Nazis is very dramatic and heavy and Facebook is only social media but for me if it is not used in the right way it could result in some serious damage; in the areas of privacy, in having control (of people). So I wanted to make this interpretation of our contemporary situation of a certain totalitarianism in our communications today.”

DOT DOT DOT. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Comparatively the graffiti writer on display this year is a relative lightweight! Toulous-based Tilt actually created one of the more visually compelling installations (and an instant hit) at the indoor gallery of Tou Scene entitled “Panic Bathroom”, which consists of a tiled men’s restroom evenly split between YMCA and CBGB. The untouched half is pristine and gleaming white while its brother across the line is slaughtered floor to ceiling by pugilistic color, swollen bubbles and drippy tags; all just out of reach of the velvet rope that holds guests back.

±MaisMenos± NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

For the Norwegian born Street Artist named Strøk, Nuart this year is as much about aesthetics and the beauty of the moment as it is the intellectualizing that was on display here during the pub debate and two days of presentations for Nuart PLUS, organized by Eirik Sjåholm Knudsen. He shows us his rendering of figures casting long shadows across the wall on his glossy tablet and he talks about composition, negative space, and the serendipity of catching figures in motion.

Strøk. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

“I like watching people running around and seeing these movements, these frozen moments when they are heading somewhere but you don’t know exactly where – like a moment when time has frozen,” he says. “It’s a snapshot and you just happened to be there.”

Fortunately for many Nuart still knows how to produce a memorable shot of art in the public sphere, and we have some here for you to enjoy.

±MaisMenos± created Norway/No Way as a commentary about joining the European Union. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

±MaisMenos± Detail. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

±MaisMenos± Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

TILT. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Andreco. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Andreco. Deatil. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Andreco. Detail of his installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

SPY. Installation at TOU Scene enabled you to see the “error” part of the word only when the black light revealed it. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Martin Whatson. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Martin Whatson. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Martin Whatson completed this new mural at the airport – after being stranded on top of the cherry picker for a few hours the first day because the balance was off. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Strøk’s new mural on the right and a large ground installation on the left by ±MaisMenos±. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Anders Gjennestad)

Levalet was one of many of the artists this year who made direct or indirect reference to the oil industry – the one that powers the economy in this town and much of the country. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Levalet. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Icy & Sot created this mammoth 3-D installation with wooden cut-out stencils rising above the edge of the the building. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Icy & Sot. Installation at Tou Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Not an official guest this year Hama Woods was one of a number of artists who autonomously brought work to put up during NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Etam Cru. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

M-City. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Borondo. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Borondo. By scratching paint from the front of the glass and painting diagrams or symbols on the back, Borondo created a full illustration with shadow on the wall when illuminated correctly. Detail of the installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Levalet’s outside installations. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Levalet. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Mathieu Tremblin created an interactive piece that guests could participate in by photographing themselves before a bluescreen wall and sending the image to him. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Due to torrential rains Borondo couldn’t complete this wall before we left for NYC. Here is a composite image of the wall in progress. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

BSA would like to extend special thanks to photographers Butterfly and Henrik Haven for sharing their work with BSA readers.

Our sincere thanks to Nuart director Martyn Reed and the entire staff of Nuart and Nuart PLUS, including all of the volunteers and organizers.

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NUART 2014 Begins with “Broken Promises”

ETAM CRU AND NUART 2014 X BSA

NUART 2014 X BSA UPDATE 3

NUART 2014 X BSA UPDATE 4

NUART 2014 X BSA UPDATE 5

NUART 2014 X BSA UPDATE 6

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This article is also published in The Huffington Post

NUART 2014 x BSA Update 5 : Tou Scene Opens Tonight

September 6, 2014 Artists

Beautiful weather here in Stavanger this week – perfect for riding bike all over to find artists walls and check out some hidden spots under bridges and abandoned lots. On a side note, this hotel has a gymnasium so you can keep in shape during your visit – which seems rather superfluous considering right behind the hotel the houses are built on a hill at a 70 degree angle! Just getting around town on this bicycle you will lose 7 pounds in a week. Then the Norwegian beer will add it back on.

Tou Scene, the former beer factory now music and art venue officially opens tonight for the public to hear your favorite electronic music performer like Juan Maclean or Tôg or Hubbabubbaklubb and to of course see the installations by many of the artists invited to Nuart 2014. The morning edition of the Stavanger Aftenblad has arrived and they like the Brooklyn based Street Art brothers Icy and Sot piece for the cover of the Lokal & Kultur section understandably – but you know that the FraBiancoshok Facebook flag piece is going to raise eyebrows across social media with its references to, well, you take a look here below. We are fortunate to have interviewed the artist as he was setting this up so look forward to those comments in a coming post. Okay, gotta run and get ready for Day 2 of Nuart Plus and Icy and Sot teaching local youth how to cut stencils!

Fra.Biancoshock has completed his installation for the opening of Nuart’s Tou Scene tonight. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

SPY. Detail of his installation in progress. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

SPY team pulling the strings. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

SPY. “ERROR” Detail of his installation in progress. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Martin Whatson at work on his wall. A young photographer wants to get close to the action. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Martin Whatson. Detail. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P.

±MaisMenos± cut a stencil out f the NUART Porgram. Contextual Baby. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Strøk begins work on his wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Strøk. Sketch of his wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Strøk begins work on his wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Icy & Sot at work on their wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Icy & Sot. Detail of their installation faor Tou Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Borondo works on a piece for his Tou Scene installation. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Borondo sketching ideas for his outdoor wall at the NUART Studio. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Click HERE for NUART 2014 full schedule of events and details.

NUART 2014 Begins with “Broken Promises”

ETAM CRU AND NUART 2014 X BSA

NUART 2014 X BSA UPDATE 3

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Elisa and Seth: The Dynamic Duo “Books” You at Carmichael Gallery (CA)

June 4, 2010 Culver City, Events, Los Angeles, Opening

Hands up, the new sheriffs of Culver City saw you lustily ruffling those pages with your flirting fingers!

Opening Saturday night, “Booked” at Carmichael Gallery

An unusual confluence of art and artists and the books that love them, this show satisfies your yearning for adventure and mystery, and more conventional pursuits like oggling and drooling. The art of reading tactile 3-D books has not completely been supplanted by glowing rectangles that are poked and prodded – much like the art of photography and painting, we were all silly to think they ever could have been replaced.

Dave Kinsey (Image Courtesy of Carmichael Gallery)

There’s nothing like pouring over a big fat book, page after page, staring and stalling, drifting and imagining expansive vistas on an overstuffed couch on a Sunday afternoon, or even Saturday night after many cocktails at a kitchen table, bleary and carnivorous for images.

But I gush.

Martha Cooper (Image Courtesy of Carmichael Gallery)

If Street Art has stars (an idea anathema to many), this event will bring many under one roof:

Aiko, Dan Baldwin, Banksy, Beejoir, Blek le Rat, Boxi, Bumblebee, C215, Henry Chalfant, Martha Cooper, D*Face, Brad Downey, Eine, Ericailcane, Escif, Faile, Shepard Fairey, Stelios Faitakis, Gaia, Hush, Mark Jenkins, Dave Kinsey, Know Hope, Labrona, Anthony Lister, Lucy McLauchlan, Aakash Nihalani, Walter Nomura (a.k.a. Tinho), Other, Steve Powers (a.k.a. ESPO), Lucas Price (a.k.a. Cyclops), Retna, Saber, Sam3, Sixeart, Slinkachu, SpY, Judith Supine, Titi Freak, Nick Walker, Dan Witz and WK Interact

Anthony Lister (Image Courtesy of Carmichael Gallery)

With a large selection of books and magazines from: Drago, Gingko Press, Murphy Design, Prestel, Rojo, SCB Distributors, Studiocromie, Very Nearly Almost, Zupi and more.

If you had plans you can go ahead and change them, call your friends go and enjoy fine art and the hospitality of Elisa and Seth Carmichel. They’ll quickly have you “Booked”

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Carmichael Gallery
5795 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
June 5 – July 3, 2010

Opening Reception: Saturday, June 5, 2010, 6-8pm

(Exhibition will open for view from 12pm on Saturday to coincide with Culver City Art Walk)

www.carmichaelgallery.com

Carmichael Gallery Presents: “Booked” ( Culver City L.A.)

May 29, 2010 Artists, California, Culver City, Events, Gallery, Los Angeles, Opening

Carmichael Gallery

Nick Walker Photo Courtesy Carmichael Gallery

For Immediate Release-

Carmichael Gallery is proud to present “Booked”, a group exhibition featuring over 35 of the leading figures in contemporary art.
The gallery’s rooms will showcase a wide selection of original works from artists including:
Aiko, Banksy, Beejoir, Blek le Rat, Boxi, Bumblebee, 215, Henry Chalfant, Martha Cooper
C, D*Face, Brad Downey, Eine, Ericailcane, Escif, Faile, Shepard Fairey, Stelios Faitakis, Gaia, Hush, Mark Jenkins, Dave Kinsey, Know Hope, Labrona,
Anthony Lister, Lucy McLauchlan, Aakash Nihalani, Walter Nomura (a.k.a. Tinho), Other
Steve Powers (a.k.a. ESPO), Lucas Price (a.k.a. Cyclops), Retna, Saber,
Sam3, Sixeart, Slinkachu, SpY, Judith Supine, Titi Freak, Nick Walker,
Dan Witz, and WK Interact.

Books and magazines will be available from a range of publishers,
including Drago, Gestalten,
Gingko Press, Murphy Design, Prestel, Rojo, SCB Distributors,
Studiocromie, Very Nearly Almost,
Zupi and more.

There will be an opening reception for the exhibition on Saturday,
June 5th from 6 to 8pm. The
gallery will be open for viewing from 12pm that day to coincide with
Culver City Art Walk. The
exhibition will run through July 3rd.

Carmichael Gallery
5795 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
June 5 – July 3, 2010

Additional and/or high resolution preview images available, please do
not hesitate to contact me!

Best,
Lauren Licata
PR Associate
Carmichael Gallery
www.carmichaelgallery.com

‘OCEAN OF BLOOD” PROJECT – A SILENT AUCTION FOR SWIMMING CITIES to go on the GANGES RIVER

March 3, 2010 Artists

SWIMMING CITIES is a diverse group of artists, builders, and performers who come together each year and embark on a challenging large-scale project. Originally united through the international artist Swoon, the group traces its roots to the DIY raft project on the Mississippi River, the “Miss Rockaway Armada.”

From their press release:

Taking a new waterway each year our projects create a vivid community of artists floating into towns to present an interactive environment which encompasses art, sculpture, music and performance. The uncommon talents of our members interact in an organic design process in a unique form of living art. Our previous projects include THE SWIMMING CITIES OF SWITCHBACK SEA on the Hudson River for Deitch Projects and THE SWIMMING CITIES OF SERENISSIMA across the Adriatic Sea for the Venice Biennale.

Below THE SWIMMING CITIES OF SERENISSIMA at The Grand Canal in Venice.

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

This image is from The Grand Canal in Venice, during the most recent Swimming Cities tour across the Adriatic Sea to the Venice Biennale. © Tod Seelie

For Swimming Cities upcoming project, they will construct a fleet of small sculptural river craft at the foothills of the Himalayas, in a cultural exchange with local South Asian artists and artisans. The hand-crafted boats will traverse the Ganges River from Kanpur to the holy city of Varanasi stopping at towns and villages along the way to meet locals and commission crafted embellishments for the boats in the local styles. Upon arrival in Varanasi the boats will merge together into a great floating island stage. In collaboration with local artists and musicians they will produce a performance inspired by their adventure and the immense cultural history of the Ganges.

Street Artist Imminent Disaster will have the piece below up for auction to benefit the “Ocean of Blood” project.

Imminent Disaster. “Curled Web” Image Courtesy of the artist.

Complete list of artists to be included in the auction:

Swoon, Tom Beale, Imminent Disaster, Tod Seelie, Ben Mortimer, Ben Wolf, Ero, Andrew Poneros, Tony Bones, Jeff Stark, Isaac Aden, Ariel Campos, Greg Henderson, Doyle S Huge, Leslie Stern, Lopi LaRoe, Katelan Foisey, Iris Lasson, Spy, Sarah Atler, Matt Curtis, Petric Seeley, Zev David Deans, Elizabeth Bentley, Hannah Mishin, Orien McNeill, Ksenija, Angie Kang, Ben Devoe, Czak Tucker, Heather Jones, Noah Sparks, Porter Fox, Tim Treason, A’yen Tran, Dan Sabau, Virginia Reath, Clair Huntington, Kara Blossom, Martina Mrongovious

For information about this organization go here:

http://weareswimmingcities.org

FRIDAY MARCH 05

56 Walker St, Tribeca
7pm-1am, $10 Door, Open Bar
DJs Small Change and Shadetek

SpY from Madrid

February 3, 2010 Artists

SpY is a street artist from Madrid whose started in the 1980’s doing graffiti. Since then he’s been exploring other forms of artistic communication in the street. His work involves appropriating urban elements through transformation or replication, commentary on urban reality, and the interference of its’ communicative codes.

To us, this one looks like a giant tag, rather than street art, per se (whatever that means). But the video is pretty cool.

He calls this “An intervention” by urban artist “SpY”
Filmed, edited by SpY
Music, AKHA 100

Most of his work comes from observing the city and an appreciating its components, not as inert elements but as a palette of materials overflowing with possibilities. Balancing irony and positive humor, he wants his work to cause a smile, incite reflection, and to perhaps even raise consciousness.

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Velasquez, the painter of the Spanish Golden Age died here. Along with the mannerist paintings of El Greco, the extravagant baroque of the Flemish Rubens, and the romantic Goya, one can see Velasquez’ works here at the wealthy and famous El Museo Del Prado of Madrid.

Also, we cannot forget the Bosch exhibit opening here at the end of the month. In fact there are two dozen or so world-class museums hosting vast collections of historical and contemporary art all around this capital of Spain.

Borondo at La Tabacalera. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Naturally, their influences are also felt on the streets of the city, but you’ll need to veer away from the scrubbed-clean tourist areas and glide beyond the high-end boutiques to get this story. Behold Borondo! Suso! Spy!

Borondo. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

The images below sent to us by BSA contributor Lluis Olive Bulbena are culled from Tetuan and La Tabacalera for this Madrid Diary.

Suso 33. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Suso 33. Detail. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

San. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

San. Detail. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

San. Detail. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Pincho at La Tabacalera. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Spy. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Spy. Detail. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Susie Hammer at La Tabacalera. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

E1000. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Parseci at La Tabacalera. Madrid, Spain. (photo © Lluis Olive Bulbena)

Jaime’s personal favorite of 2014; The site specific Kara Walker in front of her site specific installation at the Domino Sugar Factory in May of this year in Brooklyn. Artist Kara Walker. (photo via iPhone © Jaime Rojo)

TILT. “Panic Room” Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

±MaisMenos± NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

SpY. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

John Fekner. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Fra.Biancoshok. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

DOT DOT DOT. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

±MaisMenos± NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Strøk. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

±MaisMenos± created Norway/No Way as a commentary about joining the European Union. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

±MaisMenos± Detail. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

±MaisMenos± Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

TILT. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Andreco. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Andreco. Deatil. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Andreco. Detail of his installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

SPY. Installation at TOU Scene enabled you to see the “error” part of the word only when the black light revealed it. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Martin Whatson. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Martin Whatson. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Martin Whatson completed this new mural at the airport – after being stranded on top of the cherry picker for a few hours the first day because the balance was off. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Strøk’s new mural on the right and a large ground installation on the left by ±MaisMenos±. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Anders Gjennestad)

Levalet was one of many of the artists this year who made direct or indirect reference to the oil industry – the one that powers the economy in this town and much of the country. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Levalet. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Icy & Sot created this mammoth 3-D installation with wooden cut-out stencils rising above the edge of the the building. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Icy & Sot. Installation at Tou Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Not an official guest this year Hama Woods was one of a number of artists who autonomously brought work to put up during NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Etam Cru. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

M-City. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Borondo. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Borondo. By scratching paint from the front of the glass and painting diagrams or symbols on the back, Borondo created a full illustration with shadow on the wall when illuminated correctly. Detail of the installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Levalet’s outside installations. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Levalet. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Mathieu Tremblin created an interactive piece that guests could participate in by photographing themselves before a bluescreen wall and sending the image to him. Installation at TOU Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Henrik Haven)

Due to torrential rains Borondo couldn’t complete this wall before we left for NYC. Here is a composite image of the wall in progress. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Fra.Biancoshock has completed his installation for the opening of Nuart’s Tou Scene tonight. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

SPY. Detail of his installation in progress. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

SPY team pulling the strings. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

SPY. “ERROR” Detail of his installation in progress. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Martin Whatson at work on his wall. A young photographer wants to get close to the action. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Martin Whatson. Detail. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P.

±MaisMenos± cut a stencil out f the NUART Porgram. Contextual Baby. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Strøk begins work on his wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Strøk begins work on his wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Strøk. Sketch of his wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Strøk begins work on his wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Icy & Sot at work on their wall. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Icy & Sot. Detail of their installation faor Tou Scene. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Borondo works on a piece for his Tou Scene installation. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Borondo sketching ideas for his outdoor wall at the NUART Studio. NUART 2014. Stavanger, Norway. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)

Hands up, the new sheriffs of Culver City saw you lustily ruffling those pages with your flirting fingers!

Dave Kinsey (Image Courtesy of Carmichael Gallery)

Martha Cooper (Image Courtesy of Carmichael Gallery)

Anthony Lister (Image Courtesy of Carmichael Gallery)

This image is from The Grand Canal in Venice, during the most recent Swimming Cities tour across the Adriatic Sea to the Venice Biennale. © Tod Seelie

Imminent Disaster. “Curled Web” Image Courtesy of the artist.

Featured Video | Martin Wong’s “Houston Street”

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