Superhero or superfan, there is something here for everyone, and usually high quality. Street Art festivals worldwide have become dull and safe, perhaps because some are funded by tax dollars or their curators lack vision. The selections at the Bushwick Collective may not make a cohesive story, it’s true.
However, a sense of history, respect for graffiti’s roots, community, narrative, and free-wheeling organic creativity cuts a through-line that still feels fresh as a summer breeze in the shade of a tree. We have so many images of this year’s block party celebration that we had to split the collection into two parts.
On this Summer Solstice, we wish you strength and the wisdom to see the truth. The false will fall away.
Summer in the city with the hot asphalt, the humming of air conditioners, the tantalizing tune of the ice cream truck, the delightful shrieks of children in the playground, the BBQ smells on the sidewalks, the breeze coming from the ocean, the cacophony of songbirds, and the desires that long days bring.
Who can conjure a more intoxicating feeling than the feeling of summer? We let ourselves feel free from layers of woolen clothes and stiff limbs. When only a pair of shorts and a tattered T-shirt will do, we lay down and look at the sky, the grass soft beneath us. We hold court on rooftops, fire escape stairs, and front stoops. We celebrate the outdoors and soak in the summer rain. We are all children again, refusing to come back inside.
Joe Ficalora’s Annual Bushwick Collective Block Party is one of our official summer parties in New York City. This block party is unique, with a perfectly balanced combination of art, music, performance, and food trucks. This year’s edition was no different. International, national, and local artists came prepared to get up and get it done. Graffiti writers and street artists took over blocks and walls, bringing a vibrant palette of color, forms, ideas, icons, idols, themes, thoughts, and games with them. The public who came to see them painting live spent a full day enjoying art being made and dancing to the energy of hip-hop performers. We invite you to enjoy Part 1 of the offerings on the street, with Part 2 coming soon.
There is a lot of activity on the street right now, and despite the rain in Florida and the upcoming Heat Dome we’re promised here in the Northeast, the graffiti and Street Art never stop. Here, we mix some pieces from Belfast with Brooklyn. See if you can tell regional differences in style.
Here is our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Veng RWK, Praxia VGZ, Below Key, Fanakapan, Christina Angelina, Reme821, BK Ackler, WRDSMTH, KVLR, Staylo, CHAZ, Visual Graficalia, NEVOC, Voyder, REGOR, AMC, ESTEME, and Rob Hilken.
The 7th edition of the RUA Mural Festival arrives in Estonia’s Elva Municipality, changing the visual landscape of Elva and five surrounding villages: Rõngu, Annikoru, Valguta, Puhja, and Aakre. Running from May 27th to June 1st, this annual event brings together a diverse group of artists from various corners of the world to create murals that play to the tastes and everyday surroundings of the local communities.
This year’s festival features an impressive lineup of muralists, including Lily Brick from Spain, Pablito Zago from France, Ola Kalnins from Sweden, Viktoria Berezina from Ukraine, and several local artists such as Greete Okas and Robin Nõgisto from Estonia, as well as Karolis Desutaje and Tadas Vincaitis from Lithuania. These artists, each known for their distinct styles and illustrative techniques, reflect a broad spectrum of artistic perspectives and cultural backgrounds.
Organized by the Elva Municipality in collaboration with the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024, the Embassy of Spain, and the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of Estonia, the RUA Mural Festival is not only about improving urban spaces. It emphasizes community engagement, with activities including a youth camp for local Estonians and Ukrainians, and a community wall painting workshop. These initiatives aim to foster a deeper connection between the artists and the residents, ensuring that the murals resonate with and reflect the local culture and environment.
In its commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, the festival has also incorporated art into social facilities over the years, including schools, orphanages, and care centers. This year’s program continues this tradition, ensuring that art’s transformative power reaches all community members. The RUA Mural Festival thus stands out for its artistic excellence and dedication to making art an integral part of everyday life in Estonia’s small towns.
In the quiet embrace of rural Estonia, street artists find a harmonious refuge. With the century’s turbulent past, its break with Moscow in the 90s and its joining with NATO and the EU in the 2000s, Estonia today enjoys political stability, economic growth, a thriving tech sector, and a progressive social welfare that enhances the
Today we have a new exhibition of stencil art by the UK duo Snik at Franklin Park Zoo. Nicholas Ellis and Laura Perrett have made a name for themselves with hyper-realistic stencil work, now showcased in the “Handle With Care” project. This series of murals, situated along the Tropical Forest Pavilion, reflects the delicate balance between humanity and nature, featuring animals like the western lowland gorilla and the Panamanian golden frog.
Through this collaboration, Zoo New England spotlights its conservation efforts and One Health initiatives. The artwork underscores the importance of biodiversity and the critical role of community engagement in preserving ecosystems. By merging public art and conservation, Snik’s murals aim to provoke thought and inspire action toward environmental stewardship.
This project isn’t just about pretty portraits of gorgeous natural models; it’s about making a statement, a visual reminder of the interconnectedness of all life and the urgency of protecting our planet. The Franklin Park Zoo’s partnership with Snik is a call to action, challenging viewers to consider their impact on the world and encouraging them to contribute to conservation efforts.
Explore the murals, absorb their message, and understand the significant conservation work being done locally and globally.
When surveying the current crop of street art here and in other cities around the world, we wonder where the political will has gone – the one that seemed much more confrontational and conflicted in earlier years of the modern movement. The once fiery, in-your-face spirit seems to have mellowed and become pleasant and pleasing. One theory that pops up regularly when surmising why there is a lack of conviction in street messaging, even as wars break out and the wealth gap widens everywhere you look, is that there is no such thing as anonymity as there once was. Privacy has almost completely been allowed by the citizenry to be eroded.
With a default Digital ID following your every movement and transaction, the means for someone to triangulate a particular data point are so sophisticated that if you speak out or actually challenge the status quo, you will probably be traced. Hell, any Twitter storm can produce an army of motivated detective volunteers to doxx someone who has offended social media “norms,” and we use that term loosely.
Your 13-year-old nephew Lucas can easily unearth someone’s personal details without breaking a sweat, and he doesn’t even have a laptop. 20 years ago, a graffiti or street artist could assume some modicum of anonymity, but in practice, the current crop uses the streets as a marketing extension of their Instagram account, an expression of their online personas, studiously and clearly spraying @ tags and websites on their street pieces to make sure you can find them.
So if you are pissed off at the system, you probably think twice before you put it on the streets these days unless it is a screed sprayed with a fire extinguisher that is largely untraceable – or something like that. In the case of whoever sprayed “Rishi Sunak is a Rat-Faced C*nt” on a wall, you may even inspire a punk ditty.* For many right now, activism is not even the point.
Here is our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring David Puck, Shok1, Epic Uno, Par, Kitsune Jolene, Smug One, Trasher, V. Ballentine, Inker, P.T., King57, FUP One, and Cope Doz.
“The Crypt of St Pancras Church, now THAT was an underground gallery”—showcasing alternative and experimental art for the cool kids before it got popular, or not. Who can forget City Racing and The Approach in London? DIY outposts full of promise and feigned contempt for the blue-chip buyers, most of whom never came. New York’s Fun Gallery was hardly hidden, and Alleged Gallery nearly ushered in Shepard Fairey faster than Andre the Giant.
Oh, the fun of going where art shouldn’t be, discovering new ideas, minds, and manners of self-expression against a backdrop of modernity. It became a 20th-century tradition that kooky/angry white kids with art degrees always considered themselves avant-garde, living on the ‘edge’, stirring up a menagerie of pills, powders, and discontented privilege surprisingly well – before eventually growing up and moving on to the suburbs. Nonetheless, that early-mid-20s freedom from a need to make money often produced some of the most outrageous, angst-ridden, technicolor, jarring, and sometimes subversive art and shows.
These particular off-beat gallery spaces may or may not have directly inspired the conceptual/street artist Biancoshock’s latest act of buried treasure, making it truly underground. However, his critical eye on the unsubtle gallery caste system at large and the perverting reach of commercialism on subcultural movements is not completely subterranean. More likely, his critique is directed at current events and accepted practices that all point to the commodification and blanding of street art culture.
“Current street art has become a media phenomenon,” he complains in his press release. “Many brands and institutions use this art to promote products or initiatives of fake redevelopment.” Certainly, you’ve seen moribund downtown areas transformed by mural projects and Street Art festivals hundreds of times in the last decade and a half. The soaring aerosol-painted results are often a far cry from the subversive, uncomfortably political, or anti-authoritarian sentiments more common during street art’s earlier years.
“My ‘Underground’ project highlights the main features on which my way of experiencing street art is based: independence, its clandestine nature, and the ability to talk about social issues without having to censor oneself to promote brands or get permission from an entity.”
True to the word, Biancoshock’s ‘Underground Show’ takes place beneath the surface of the abandoned ex-Arsenale of Pavia. Transforming a grimy trap door used for machinery repairs into a mini-gallery, the artist created a hidden exhibit featuring photographs of his four site-specific installations. The pièce de résistance (for all you art-school kids)? The entire exhibition was buried forever, making it the most literal—and cleverly concealed—underground art show imaginable.”
Born in 1986 in Caracas, Venezuela, KoZ Dos is a prominent graffiti artist whose journey began in the streets of his hometown. His early work was heavily influenced by the local graffiti culture and his limited media exposure, shaping a style that melds urban culture with a self-discovered means of artistic expression. Over the years, Koz Dos has developed a distinctive aesthetic, integrating geometric patterns and organic forms, often cross-pollinating structured geometric elements like lines and triangles with natural, organic motifs such as flowers and animals.
KoZ Dos’ work frequently chronicles a fantasy dialogue between human and animal figures, a silent conversation of photorealistic faces with interchangeable qualities and characteristics. His is a unique approach that not only depicts confrontation and harmony between mankind and the natural environment but also possibly invites you to reflect on broader environmental and existential themes. Blurring lines between street art and fine art, his murals often tout dreamy, creamy colors and suddenly appearing geometric patterns.
A graduate of UNEARTE, the Arts University in Caracas, KoZ Dos has participated in many exhibitions in Venezuela and abroad. His works adorn walls in cities such as Berlin, Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Quito, and Tel Aviv. His philosophy appears to center on creating art that is accessible to all, fostering unity, respect, and reflection. Through his quizzical magic and large-scale murals, KoZ Dos inspires and provokes thought — and he solidifies his place in the global street art scene.
We spoke with KoZ Dos in a wide-ranging interview below, in which he speaks of his artistic journey on the streets of Caracas, his unique blending of geometry and organic forms, and what fascinates him about his interplay with human and animal figures.
Brooklyn Street Art: You began as a graffiti writer in Caracas. Were you part of a crew?
KoZ Dos: Yes, my beginnings were in the streets of Caracas. I started as a graffiti writer painting what, for me, was graffiti at that time. Given that I am geographically located far from important cultural centers like the United States and Europe, Latin American graffiti was what I had the fortune to practice. I dabbled in the style of graffiti that I saw and understood. Internet access was limited then, and my exposure to graffiti came from what I saw on TV, like music videos. I absorbed my knowledge from what I saw around the city and on the highways, from tags and pieces by other writers. At that time, graffiti and hip-hop culture were not very popular or accessible in my environment. Everything changed significantly with the arrival of “HipHop Nation” magazine. The magazine had a section dedicated to graffiti, showcasing global graffiti to inspire and immerse myself in the culture. I got caught up in graffiti culture at a very young age. When I took the initiative to go out and paint on the street, I was a teenager. Initially, I painted alone, but after a while, I met other writers who were also painting. We became good friends and painted together. It was a good experience because I learned many things in general, such as painting in crews such as CUC, ASP, and ABR.
KoZ Dos: Since I was a child, I liked art. I didn’t understand it then the way I do now, but when you like something, and it draws you in, you go at it without explanations. My dad inspired me to be an artist. He wasn’t an artist by profession, nor did he describe himself as an artist by today’s standards, but he was very creative and crafty. He created incredible things that inspired me and taught me a lot. For some people, being creative comes easily, and they are self-taught. That’s my father. Indeed, there’s a strong artistic vein in my family, and I have accepted it and followed it with pleasure.
BSA: You tend to work in large-scale murals. How do you approach each wall? Does the context and the city influence your composition?
KoZ Dos: Interesting question. Each project is different. I usually consider the technical, conceptual, and general aspects at the beginning of each project. I consider the type of wall, texture, location, and where the sun rises and sets. It’s important to know when the wall is exposed to direct sun and when it is not. This way, I know which sectors will be worked on at certain times of the day, especially when trying to match the colors with the color palette on the sketch. Regarding the concept, I focus on context, the city, and its characteristics. I establish a relationship between myself, the art, and the viewer. The locals need to take ownership of the art as I seek to establish harmony and invite reflection and dialogue. I respect the space and its surroundings, and my goal is for the art to be accessible to the viewer.
BSA: It is natural to mix geometric compositions with organic forms, like flowers (daisies). How do you manage to balance those two elements in your work?
KoZ Dos: Since my beginnings, I’ve liked geometric shapes and graphic elements, although I love volumes, lights, and shadows. Color planes and geometry always caught my attention. When I started painting in the street, geometric compositions were not so relevant. I used geometry but without giving it the importance it has in my work today. As the years went by, I became more open to exploring geometry in my work. The thoughtful, analytical, and clean nature of geometry is something that I like. As I got deeper into my work and gave more importance to the background, I understood that the background is as fundamental as the form. I’m fascinated by the concept of color, and using it in my work helps me explore the combination of geometry, forms, and nature. I think my ethnic background, which I have been aware of since childhood, is reflected in my work, research, and artistic output.
BSA: Animals and humans are recurring themes in your work. The way you present them goes beyond pure interaction; it’s more like an inception. Do you have to go through multiple sketches to get to the concept you have in mind, or once the concept is formed in your mind, do you translate it to one sketch and then onto the wall?
KoZ Dos: Interesting question. I usually work without asking myself questions or questioning or passing judgment on my thoughts when creating. Art is a sincere act, especially when it comes to personal work and research. My creative process is spontaneous and intuitive; I am not analytical here. Animals, shapes, and forms arise in my mind without questions or reasons. Then, I look for compositional harmony through the interaction of the elements. I intuitively add or subtract from the work if the idea suits me. No matter the type of element or how illogical it seems, I integrate it if I think it is needed. I draw inspiration from everything that surrounds me, but above all, from Nature and its power. The idea for the piece is one of my favorite parts. It is a dance, a connection with something greater than myself. It is the fortune of making something intangible tangible, materializing something non-existent through art. For me, it is one of the most important parts of creation. Thank God I am fortunate to make art and create ideas.
BSA: Climate change and its implications are ever-present in the news. Is that something you pay attention to when seeking inspiration in your work?
KoZ Dos: The damage is done, and if we continue like this, our self-annihilation will be faster than expected. The most ironic thing is that the Earth will continue its course as it always has; I am in danger, not it. Climate change does not inspire me; it worries me. It is inspirational to provide a message of unity, coexistence, and respect. I aim to convey a positive message that helps prevent these issues, especially for the little ones, as they are the future of our beautiful home called Earth. Seeing all this, you could say that three factors move me to do everything I do: firstly, art; second, giving access to art to all people regardless of age, color, ideologies, sex, and status; and third, giving a positive message that invites unity, respect, and reflection.
BSA: Your style is unique. How has it evolved throughout your career?
KoZ Dos: I think that because I didn’t put labels on myself from the beginning or try to get somewhere specific, I allowed myself to let the work feed on itself and explore things that I hadn’t considered. Knowing how to listen gave me a glimpse of what could be done. Looking back, it’s interesting because when you like something, you like it. No matter how much I wanted to do something different, fate reminded me that I was a painter. I started writing graffiti at a very young age. After spending several years in graffiti and painting letters and cartoons, I became more interested in figurative and proportional graffiti. This desire for more realistic proportions and color led me to a self-taught practice intuitively. I practiced on the same wall, working on strokes, fills, blending, speed, and versatility. Even though I was very young, I was curious and disciplined. Painting with friends for many years, I saw that it was not just about painting. There is a dialogue between painting and support, and the work’s layers demand what you need or don’t need. That’s when I realized that the work had to be developed in increasingly larger spaces and with different materials. Working in the streets required factoring in tools, logistics, and materials. For me, it was something new and an interesting challenge. I was invited to an event in Ecuador, which was my first international event.
Leaving Venezuela to paint and live that beautiful experience was the best for me. After the event in Ecuador, invitations followed to Brazil and European countries. When painting for several years in Europe, I realized that the work required more and more formality and depth, both theoretically and technically. That’s when, consciously and with pleasure, I began to study more about composition, shapes, backgrounds, colors, and materials. I started to focus on the unification and integration of painting within public spaces, where the work doesn’t impose itself on people but invites the viewer to establish a friendly dialogue while living with it daily. There, I realized the huge responsibility of painting on the street. I am a visual communicator and an invader of space, and I owe respect to the people who coexist and interact with it. After painting murals, I began studio work and working on canvas. People became interested in my paintings, and I started working internationally with collectors, galleries, and exhibitions. Today, I continue learning and studying how much I still have to learn as I enjoy painting, creating, and doing this great interview.
BSA: What excites you in the world now? Is there anything that feels like a positive development in our current state of affairs worldwide?
KD: I am excited that there is a lot of information on the environment, information of all kinds. Everything is accessible, with millions of people willing to share knowledge. There’s also tons of bad and negative information, but it is up to us how to be informed. Taking the positive side of this is great. One can share one’s perspective and concerns with others, making it universal information. This has made the world evolve in many ways. At the same time, young people are more aware of the world’s problems, are more vocal, and are interested in topics that were previously taboo or hidden from them by gatekeepers. Today’s technology enables kids to have their own criteria and ideals and create their voices. I hope that there are more positive and inclusive developments that give us the capacity to grow. Come on, it’s possible!
The preceding interview was translated from Spanish to English and edited for brevity and clarity.
How’s your summer been so far? Many people say that Memorial Day unofficially begins Summer, so this week was the first one. Indeed! Baseball, soccer, and kickball are in the park, and movies or cocktails are on the roof. Lifeguards are on the beach, and kids are throwing up on the Cyclone at Coney Island or throwing frisbees on Central Park grass. The air in some neighborhoods smells like lilac bushes, urine, french fries, marijuana, or aerosol paint. Or all of it at once. When it all swirls around you, it is a heady mix. Cute girls in short shorts and cute boys on skateboards may not fall in love given these circumstances, but they might!
This week, 45 was found guilty on 34 counts in court. We New Yorkers, who have known him for years, are unsurprised.
Here is our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Specter, Alice Pasquini, Degrupo, Optimo NYC, Enzo, Nite Owl, Miki Mu, NYC Kush Co., Klonism, Max Grax, Friz, KMG, Agent Decay, Jare, SYE5, Benny Cruz.
The first time artist Specter painted this memorial for Yusuf Hawkins in Brooklyn was in 2011. He’s restored it and added more to the environment of the mural, two times since then. This is the second restoration that he did in the past few weeks.
When you live in a big city, you are quickly aware that it can be a lonely place, and the feeling of isolation can be very strong, even though you are surrounded by people. When you suffer from a mental illness, that feeling can be compounded. Walls often symbolize division, but street artists and muralists know that their work on walls can often bring city dwellers together, and the “You Are Not Alone” mural project takes that fact and creates an environment of connection and hope.
This non-profit public art initiative has brought artists worldwide to create murals that spark conversations about mental health, fostering a sense of solidarity and community. What began with three murals in Brooklyn in 2019 has slowly grown into a global movement, boasting 65 murals across various continents. With unique style and messaging that reflects our various backgrounds and experiences, it reminds passersby that they are not alone in their struggles.
The origins of the project trace back to co-founder Samantha Schutz’s memoir, “I Don’t Want to Be Crazy,” which details her experiences with anxiety. Drawing from this deeply personal inspiration, the murals are visual testimonials of the power of vulnerability and shared human experience. Artists like Jason Naylor emphasize that “when you walk by a mural, you are involved,” making every viewer participate in an ongoing mental health dialogue. Whether a high school collaboration or a professional installation, each mural is a beacon of empathy and support.
Special projects have further cemented the impact of this initiative. In New York City, a 160-foot collaborative mural at The Seaport, art installations at NAMI Walks, and partnerships with organizations like Priority Bicycles for a postcard campaign have amplified the reach and resonance of the murals. These efforts not only claim urban spaces but also create inclusive environments where mental health conversations are encouraged and destigmatized.
The 2024 mural collection continues the tradition, showcasing diverse artistic voices and messages. From whimsical illustrations to profound statements, these new murals invite you to reflect on our shared humanity. As artist Adam Fujita puts it, expressing pain and suffering through art is a cherished outlet, sometimes transforming personal turmoil into public solidarity.
NAMI-NYC helps families and individuals affected by mental illness build better lives through education, support, and advocacy. Its programs and services are led by trained individuals with lived experience—people who understand what you’re going through because they’ve been there, either as someone living with mental health issues or a family member, friend, or other supporter. Everything it offers is available free of charge to anyone who needs it!
Mental health conditions can affect anyone at any time. If you or someone you care about is in need of support or information, contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC) Helpline at 212-684-3264 or helpline@naminyc.org. Visit naminyc.org to learn more about how they can help you.
The Peace Walls in Belfast are a series of separation barriers erected during the Troubles, a period of conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s to 1998. Constructed to separate predominantly Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods, these walls aimed to minimize inter-community violence and protect residents from attacks. Adorned with thousands of personal inscriptions from visitors, the Peace Walls stand as a poignant reminder of the city’s troubled past and a symbol of the ongoing journey toward peace and reconciliation.
The first peace walls were built in 1969, following widespread violence. Initially intended as temporary structures, they became more permanent as the conflict persisted. Their primary purpose was to provide physical separation between communities in violent conflict, part of a broader effort to reduce the frequency and intensity of sectarian violence.
These walls vary in length and height, with roughly 100 segments totaling approximately 21 miles (34 kilometers). Over time, they have become canvases for murals and messages of peace. Locals and tourists have written messages on the walls, ranging from calls for peace and unity to personal reflections and political statements.
During our visits to the Peace Walls with our knowledgeable guide, Billy Scott, we had the opportunity to read many of these messages and reflect on the profound sentiments expressed. Sometimes, they are simply markers of pilgrimage; other times, the writers delve deep to express philosophical views and yearnings. With a backdrop of large graffiti pieces cradling these heartfelt or whimsical writings, visitors can be profoundly moved by our imperfect nature and global struggle to understand ourselves better.
It’s Memorial Day Weekend in New York and there are many commemorations, celebrations and family picnics in the parks. In Brooklyn the Memorial Day Parade kicks off in Bay Ridge at 11 am on Monday, from 78th Street and Third Avenue. The springtime fresh weather continues as we enter the unofficial first weekend of Summer, with lifeguards on our beaches and Fleet Week bringing 2,300 U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard members to New York to see, hear, and taste all that the city has to offer. Also in Brooklyn, you can listen to a concert by high-school musicians of the ISO Symphonic Band at Third Street near Greenwood Cemetary. The musical selections commemorate those who served in the armed forces, and will feature music by some of Green-Wood’s permanent residents, including James Weldon Johnson, Fred Ebb, and Leonard Bernstein. And, of course, there is new Street Art and graffiti to bring commentary and character to many neighborhoods.
Here is our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring Modomatic, Mike Makatron, Muebon, Mike King, Frank Ape, Naito Oru. COSA V, Sen1, Cram, Senkoe, Kreau, No Snitch, Ali Baba, GLAD, Merk 26, Snik, and Ron Muralist.
BROOKLYN STREET ART LOVES YOU MORE EVERY DAY
