All posts tagged: The Bushwick Collective

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.25.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.25.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Be it ever so! The long summer days, the walls awash with fresh paint, the overspray and splatter a Greek chorus to cheer our hero/shero. Oh!

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Jason Naylor, Lexi Bella, Homesick, David Puck, Calicho Art, Atom, Hops Art, Caty Wooley, DLove, Stem and Thorn, Minvske, Jappy Agoncillo, KMS Crew, Vargas, Nicky Doll, Kanoy Muse, Bipolar, Nataniel Marreo, Voice, Mista, Carli Tops, and Pamela Rosenkranz.

Lexi Bella (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Calicho Art (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vargas for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor (photo © Jaime Rojo)
DLove (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Homesick (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Atom (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jappy Agoncillo for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jappy Agoncillo for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Minvske for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bipolar (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stem & Thorn for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stem & Thorn for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Caty Wooley (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nataniel Marrero for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Nataniel Marrero for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
VOICE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hops Art 1 for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hops Art 1 for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hops Art 1 for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
KMS Crew (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MISTA for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Carli Tops for The Bushwick Collective. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pamela Rosenkranz for The High Line Park. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2023. NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 06.18.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.18.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! These are our longest days of the year. Savor them, luxuriate in them, celebrate the light. The trees, the grass, the plants, all richly green. The breezes are smooth against your cheek, the sound of kids screaming as they play in the park is like music.

The ebb and flow of humanity washes across the pavement daily here in our gritty city – forlorn, inquisitive, raucous, opinionated, gentle, buoyant, clever, blunt, wonderous, rarely neutral. Our murals are mighty, our styles can be wild, illustrative, fantastic, inertly corporate, romantically impressionist, electric and eclectic. Unlike many downtowns, this collection is organic and unmediated – perfectly imperfect. As inhospitable as this city can feel to a newcomer, remember this; You are welcome. Do your thing.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Faile, Joe Iurato, Queen Andrea, Dasic Fernandez, Optimo NYC, CES, Hef, Spot, KMS Crew, Ange, Bekah Bad, Logan Hicks, Hiraku, Agud, Lexi bella, and Jeff Hernandez.

Queen Andrea (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Queen Andrea (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Queen Andrea (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Queen Andrea (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Queen Andrea (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jeff Henriquez (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Agud (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Agud (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dasic Fernandez and a portrait of DJ Kool Herc (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dasic Fernandez (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dasic Fernandez (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dasic Fernandez (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hiraku. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lexi Bella. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Looks like Joe’s son is getting bigger. Joe Iurato & Logan Hicks. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Joe Iurato & Logan Hicks. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Optimo NYC and friends smashing the Houston Wall. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Faile dipping back to one of their early images, updated with hand rendered “1986” (photo © Jaime Rojo)
CES. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bekah Bad for East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ANGE. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HEF & SPOT. KMS CREW. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HEF & SPOT. KMS CREW. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HEF & SPOT. KMS CREW. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2023. Hot Pink Hollyhock. New York City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023 – Recap

The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023 – Recap

Following the evolution of The Bushwick Collective and its annual block party in Brooklyn has been a captivating journey akin to an anthropological exploration into the growing embrace of street art and murals within the realms of graffiti and HipHop. Back in the day, as the neighborhood began transforming with the influx of gentrifiers, street art faced outright dismissal or was treated as a rare phenomenon, a curiosity.

Unaware of the previous codes that roughly governed the practices of graffiti writers on the street, art-students-cum-street-art-poets often obtusely stomped their way into public view to circumvent a gallery system and to express their right to self-expression in public; something HipHop culture had been encouraging for years but had perhaps not envisioned this way. The rivalry between graffiti aficionados and street artists/muralists was sometimes palpable, with throwies vandalizing fresh paint, the OGs asserting territorial dominance, and at times, even resorting to threats and insults in person and in online forums.

Huetek celebrating the location of the so-called ‘Birth of HipHop’, 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

As the block party, now in its twelfth year, unfolded, its early editions predominantly featured international and some local street artists eagerly seeking out BC’s visionary leader, Joe Ficalora, for an opportunity to leave their mark on his neighborhood walls. Local street art forums found fault with Ficalora, masking a barely hidden contempt for a streetwise guy taking a leadership role and betraying their own classist privileged opinions about the right to curation. That has all melted appreciably; this year’s event evidenced the remarkable shift that has been underway. Graffiti writers took the stage alongside the muralists in prime spots, sometimes seamlessly collaborating to create art transcending boundaries, all while the electrifying sounds of live HipHop performances reverberated through the air and TikTokers danced in front of them.

SEPC. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Let’s raise a bottle to those who always believed in the possibility of this transformative phenomenon, and to those who championed inclusivity over exclusivity. It’s yet another reason why our hearts beat for this extraordinary international art movement, the embodiment of the people’s democratic spirit and the unlimited creative spirit that is in every person. And most importantly, it’s a reminder of why we hold you dear.

SEPC. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Tymon De Laat. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Urban Ruben. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Urban Ruben. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
V Ballentine. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Zach Curtis in collaboration with Danny Cortes – recreating an iconic New York deli exterior in all its glory. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Zach Curtis in collaboration with Danny Cortes. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Zach Curtis in collaboration with Danny Cortes. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hodder. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hodder. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vexta. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vexta. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dasic Fernandez. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enjoy Hads. Six Million Dollar Steve. Mr. Makro. Brandy. Creating a tribute to David Jude Jolicoeur, who rapped as Trugoy the Dove in the trio De La Soul. He passed away in February at 54. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enjoy Hads. Six Million Dollar Steve. Mr. Makro. Brandy. Creating a tribute to David Jude Jolicoeur, who rapped as Trugoy the Dove in the trio De La Soul. He passed away in February at 54. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enjoy Hads. Six Million Dollar Steve. Mr. Makro. Brandy. Creating a tribute to David Jude Jolicoeur, who rapped as Trugoy the Dove in the trio De La Soul. He passed away in February at 54. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enjoy Hads. Six Million Dollar Steve. Mr. Makro. Brandy. Creating a tribute to David Jude Jolicoeur, who rapped as Trugoy the Dove in the trio De La Soul. He passed away in February at 54. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi. Hoacs. Quest. Fours Crew. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mate Artist. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mate Artist. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cody James. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Corey Pane. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Corey Pane. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mr. Blob. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mr. Blob. Detail. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mr. Blob. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mister Alek. TankOne. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mister Alek. TankOne. The Bushwick Collective Block Party 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Danny Cortes and Team Master the Finer Details When Writing 80s Train for The Bushwick Collective Block Party

Danny Cortes and Team Master the Finer Details When Writing 80s Train for The Bushwick Collective Block Party

The Bushwick Collective’s Block Party 12th edition ended with a bang and big crowds. This year Joe Ficalora, the founder, organizer, and curator, threw a warehouse party as part of the festivities and included a full-size replica of a New York Subway train designed by Danny Cortes and tagged by dozens of graffiti writers from the Metropolitan Area. We gave you a sneak peek of the train last week HERE. Today we bring you complete documentation with details shots of the train. BSA spoke about the project with Mr. Cortes, Edward Rivera, Mike See, and Joe Ficalora.

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“So it’s amazing to me that you have taken something massive like a 1980s subway car, shrunk it down at one point to a highly detailed miniature…. and now you’re blowing it back up again!” says a BSA interviewer.

“It feels amazing, to tell the truth,” says artist Danny Cortes while a small team of fabricators and painters working feverishly on the full-scale car for an installation at the Bushwick Collective Block Party.

“Which one’s harder to do? The full-sized version or the smaller one?”

“The miniature,” Danny says with no hesitation. “Because the intricate details are so tiny and difficult to mimic something, you know? But it’s all; it’s so much fun. It’s so much fun.”

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Cortes has been having a lot of big success in recent years making his painstaking replicas of New York scenes that make you feel warm and nostalgic for the streets; bodega storefronts, ice storage machines slaughtered with tags, box trucks, blue US mailboxes covered with stickers, the front of CBGB’s club, ice cream trucks, even tiny video VHS tapes of classics like “Wild Style.” And like the best writers in the day, he has been blowing up – scoring exhibitions and sometimes a celebrity client.

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“I can show you what I’m working on,” he says, “I can show you, uh, one that I got for Drake for July” he reaches in his pocket to pull out his phone to show you his replica of a subway train pulling in under the tiled sign that says “Atlantic Avenue”. “So Barclays Center commissioned me to make this for Drake for his tour that’s coming in July. I’ll show you on Instagram. So it has almost the same concept.”

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Mike See, who has been working long hours for days with Edward Rivera (aka Shutter Ed) and a team of people to fabricate this train, doesn’t even seem fatigued. When he talks about the sophisticated techniques of creating the lights, the windows, the seats, the finishes, and even the strap hangers – you can tell he’s excited to be a part of a crew. He may be more excited to have seen some graff heads who stopped by to tag the train in progress.

“A bunch of legendary graffiti artists came through – they cleared the warehouse for certain people to come in and be secretive. They did what they do, and there are layers of graffiti history from New York City graffiti right here. Is amazing. Outsides, insides, .. it makes you imagine the movie ‘The Warriors.’”  

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“Legends in the game,” says Cortes of some of the tags they have collected on this tribute train. “These are names that have been doing it for years and used to hit this same style of train for years. So this makes it more authentic. Not only is it like a stamp for me, but it’s also, it’s important to bring realism,” he says as he describes the process of layering, distressing, and applying finishes to the original pieces and tags to make them appear as authentic as possible.  

“That’s why I faded out sometimes, right? You know, just to give it that overlay look and the fade distress, the stress look. That’s my style. The gritty, dirty, rusty. Yeah. What’s an eyesore to somebody else’s eye? It’s beauty to me, okay. So I accomplished that on this piece right here with my team.”

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. Curated by The Bushwick Collective for the 12th edition of The Bushwick Collective Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

This replica of a subway car has been tagged for this special project by GIZ, SAINT, GHOST, THEAM, IR, CES, SPOT, JAKEE, KED, PGISM, ACNE, BERT, AND LANDO, DANNY CORTES, NEP, NOE, CHEO MSG, AND MIKE SEE among other graffiti writers.

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The Bushwick Collective – Block Party 2023 Now Underway

The Bushwick Collective – Block Party 2023 Now Underway

The Bushwick Collective Annual Summer Block Party, now on its 12th edition, has established itself as an official opener of the Summer season in New York City. With its combination of art, music, and food, this is at its root a street art initiative founded and provided by local resident and business owner Joe Ficalora. Joe continues to show his steadfast dedication to the community with a significant, free open event for everybody in the family to enjoy.

Artists from around the world and local artists are invited to create vibrant and large-scale murals that encompass all disciplines, including graffiti in a very big way, on the walls of buildings in Bushwick. Making public space safer for the public to enjoy, many streets are closed off, allowing attendees to roam freely and explore the various murals, including many that are being created by the artists as passersby watch. Live music performances by local performers and DJs add to the festive atmosphere, with food trucks, vendors, and art installations – a true community event for people of all backgrounds.

Here are some of the new murals and installations underway. We’ll bring you a recap of the newly finished pieces soon. Enjoy!

Ruben Ubiera. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ENJOY. MAKRO. ASIA. SURE78. BRANDY. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ENJOY. MAKRO. ASIA. SURE78. BRANDY. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ENJOY. MAKRO. ASIA. SURE78. BRANDY. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor. WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Zach Curtis in collaboration with Danny Cortes. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Zach Curtis in collaboration with Danny Cortes. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mate Artist. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Tymon De Laat. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Huetek. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
You may see Martha Cooper’s photos of Dondi and Ken Swift from Rock Steady Crew here, as well as Grandmaster Caz. Huetek. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
1520 refers to the address 1520 Sedgewick Avenue in the Bronx, historically referred to by many as the birthplace of Hip Hop. Huetek. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vince Ballentine. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
TankOne. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
TankOne. Detail/WIP. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Surprise Train Pulling into Bushwick Collective Warehouse Party – Danny Cortes – Sneak Peek

Surprise Train Pulling into Bushwick Collective Warehouse Party – Danny Cortes – Sneak Peek

Joe Ficalora, the Bushwick Collective founder and curator, invited us to stop by the warehouse where tonight’s Warehouse Party will be held and offered us an exclusive peek at the Subway Art Installation that Artist Danny Cortes, and his team – headed by Mike See and Edward Rivera have been working on. This replica of a subway car has been tagged for this special project by GIZ, SAINT, GHOST, THEAM, IR, CES, SPOT, JAKEE, KED, PGISM, ACNE, BERT, AND LANDO, DANNY CORTES, NEP, NOE, CHEO MSG, AND MIKE SEE among other graffiti writers.

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

“So, the concept behind Danny’s miniatures fascinates me,” he explains amidst the swirling cloud of sawdust, the cacophony of drills, and the booming voices. “They are incredibly small, which presents a unique opportunity for an exclusive experience, allowing you to truly step ‘inside’ his miniature world.” BSA (Brooklyn Street Art) was fortunate enough to be invited for their own exclusive experience. Here we give you a chance to catch a preview glimpse of the train-in-the-making, set to be unveiled tonight at the grand opening of Ficalora’s annual celebration of street culture, urban art, graffiti, Hip Hop, and sidewalk selfies.

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

As always, this year’s Bushwick Collective block party sparks numerous collaborations. “The synergies within our circle are remarkable,” Joe affirms. “We rely solely on our resources to create exactly what we need; you know what I mean?”

The level of detail on this train is astonishing. It showcases layers of tags and pieces on the exterior, some acid washed and weathered, while others shimmer with a silver tint. Inside, vibrant tags of New York graffiti heroes from the movement hustle for space, accompanied by door panel pieces, vintage advertising, faded throwies, curved orange seating, and even meticulously crafted 3-D printed straphangers that match the originals in size and shape.

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Miniatures of New York scenes are brought to life regularly by Bushwick’s very own Danny Cortes, who faithfully recreates architectural and street-inspired works brimming with nostalgia and imbued with character. In a stroke of curatorial wizardry, Joe Ficalora, the founder of the Bushwick Collective, has decided to commission two enlarged versions of these miniatures, playfully warping perception and conjuring your own memories of New York and its streets.

Over the course of a dozen years, the initiative of bringing hundreds of artists to paint in this Brooklyn neighborhood has undeniably transformed not only the physical landscape but also the scene and spirit of the area. It has become a more welcoming and inclusive environment than one might expect. You will witness fresh combinations, collaborations, and occasional superstar appearances here. However, the essence of the “collective” still remains at the core.

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Another one of Joe’s curatorial endeavors for 2023 includes enlarging one of Cortes’ miniature sculptures—an iconic bodega scene—which the artist himself was working on yesterday from a lift. “Zach Curtis from Michigan is also here, and we decided to collaborate once again, this time transforming his miniature model of street life into a mural. The concepts behind the two pieces- the train and the bodega – beautifully align.”

More on this captivating project will be shared here later. Make sure not to miss the grand arrival of the train, scheduled for tonight and set to be showcased throughout the weekend here in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danny Cortes Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Mike See (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Edward Rivera (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Danny Cortes talks with Edward and Mike in the background. Subway Car installation with the production assistance of Edward Rivera and Mike See. WIP shot. Curated by The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
Joe Ficalora, founder and curator of The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Steven P. Harrington)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 04.09.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 04.09.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! Happy Easter! Happy Passover! Merry Arrestmas!

This is an excellent time to be in New York because everything is in bloom, and for a moment, there is love in the air everywhere you look. Or is that just the legal weed they sell from the truck in front of your apartment the way they used to sell falafel?

This is s beautiful time

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Louis Masai, Jason Naylor, Voxx Romana, HOXXOH, Voxx, Optimo NYC, Vers, Jesus, Lasak, D.Z.L.T., Envio, MENY X, Krave, and Abuse.

Optimo NYC. DeGrupo. Ollyn. SAY NO WARS. Houston/Bowery Wall takeover. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
This is not going all too well Donald, is it? Unidentified artist. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
D.Z.L.T. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
D.Z.L.T. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
D.Z.L.T. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor (photo © Jaime Rojo)
VERS (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enivo for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Enivo for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HOXXOH for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HOXXOH for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JESUS (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MENY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
KRAVE for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
VOXX (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lasak Art (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ABUSE for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Louis Masai for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Louis Masai for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Magnolia. Spring 2023. NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Photos Of BSA #6: Photo Realistic, X-Rayed, in 3-D by Insane 51

Photos Of BSA #6: Photo Realistic, X-Rayed, in 3-D by Insane 51

Happy Holidays! We’re celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of the next by thanking BSA readers, friends, and family for all of your support in 2022. We have selected some of our favorite shots by our Editor of Photography, Jaime Rojo, and we’re sharing a new one every day to celebrate all our good times together, our hope for the future, and our love for the street.


The new mural movement of the last decade has produced a few categories and recurring themes. One is the photorealistic portrait, and another is the x-ray that enables you to see within the physical presentation. Combine these trends with the penchant for punchy pop palettes in primary hues, and you have this pensive penitent from 2022 – who is best viewed with 3-D glasses – by the Greek artist Insane 51.

Insane 51. The Bushwick Collective. Brooklyn, New York City. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 08.07.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 08.07.22

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

An exceptional collection of new works from across the city today. The streets are not resting this summer in New York.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Praxis VOZ, Toxicomano, ERRE, A Visual Bliss, Huetek, Hef, COrn Queen, DepsOne, Baby Nivo, Vaynegiare, Ark, and Aerosol Kingdom.

ARK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Praxis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Aerosol Kingdom. A Visual Bliss (photo © Jaime Rojo)
C0rn Queen (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Toxicomano (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Toxicomano (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vaynegiare (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ERRE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ERRE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Huetek (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HEF (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HEF (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Baby Nivo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Black Lives Matter…yes don’t you ever forget. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
DepsOne (photo © Jaime Rojo)
DepsOne. Detail. The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Brooklyn, NYC. Summer 2022. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 06.26.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.26.22

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Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Not much to report this week.

Unless you’re talking about the seismic Supreme Court decision to take away people’s right to have a legal abortion in the United States. The topic immediately appeared in street art. Abortions will still continue in the US of course. Rich women will pay for them, and go back to church the following week. Senators and congressmen will pay for their girlfriends abortions, with a crocodile tear and a wad of cash. Poor women? Not a consideration.

Clarence Thomas took a swing at other Americans by hinting that same-sex marriage may be in jeopardy. He didn’t mention interracial marriage.

Because of this legal shock and its affect on people – It looks like we have another long hot summer coming. Protests in the streets will also take on a different caliber because Thursday the Supreme Court decided that people are entitled to carry guns openly on the streets.

What could possibly go wrong?

One street art text piece we caught yesterday just as the abortion decision was being announced is appropriately in Spanish. Que voy hacer con llorar? or “What good does crying do?”.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Captain Eyeliner, JJ Veronis, Modomatic, Voxx Romana, Hijack, Fear Arte, IMK, 3784, Jaw1, Smoe, JC3, Mayd1, Spot KMS Crew, Heavylox, and Bongggblue.

An unidentified artist is sharing with us, what many of us might be feeling. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Captain Eyeliner (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hijack Art (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Houston/Bowery Wall (photo © Jaime Rojo)

The curator/owner of this wall, Jessica Goldman, posted recently on social media that the famed graff/street art/mural wall is “on pause.” The street has its own ideas of course and the wall has been very active for the last weeks in an organic manner. As usual, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Houston/Bowery Wall. Detail. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bongggblue and Heavylox for The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bongggblue for The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Heavylox for The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)
KMS Crew for The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mayd1 for The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JC3 for The Bushwick Collective (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Modomatic. Bug 029. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JJ Veronis (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fear Arte (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Voxx Romana (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Smoe (photo © Jaime Rojo)
37 84 / Jaw1 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
IMK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. The Chrisler Building. Manhattan, NY. Summer 2022. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 06.19.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.19.22

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Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers and those filling that role for families. We know it’s not easy work. We’re thankful to all the guys who are there to raise our kids, to provide guidance and love, and to model love and respect for their partners and wives.

Also today is Juneteenth, one of our country’s newest official holidays, recognizing the foundational earthquake of African emancipation from slavery in the US. Institutional slavery and all its effects – events in our history that continue to impact our laws, institutions, education, civil and economic justice, our relationships with one another – are yet to be addressed in many ways. For Juneteenth, this is a sweet and joyful celebration that is also deeply needed.

It doesn’t get any better with the weather than at this time of the summer in New York – and street art and graffiti are enjoying a very prolific crop this season. The politics of this moment are also showing up the street, with abortion and gun rights and vaccines surfacing as themes alongside what seems like ever-present LGBTQ+ rights. We keep seeing the graffiti/street art spots enlarge, contract, and scatter like a sneeze from one neighborhood to another, largely do to the rampant gentrification rate in some areas and the tendency for people to kill off the very arts culture that attracted them to the neighborhood in the first place. Right now street art in Manhattan is concentrated on the Lower East Side and Chinatown – Chelsea has a few remaining pockets left but it could be gone soon, and a little still remains in Soho and Noho. In Brooklyn, the neighborhoods Bushwick of going strong, Williamsburg Industrial park Williamsburg and Dumbo not so much. In Queens there is Welling Court, maybe Ridgewood, and of course Mott Haven and South Bronx are still popping

But let’s not get distracted by the city topography – lets look at some new stuff Jaime Rojo caught this week.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Sipros, Adam Fu, CRKSHNK, Below Key, Modomatic, Hijack, Homesick, BK Ackler, Sally Rumble, Real Art Daddy, Yosnier, JG, The Eyeknow, Fear Arte, and Natalie Robinson.

Here’s a portrait of “Brooklyn” the sweetest, most ferocious-looking dog in Bushwick by Patrick Kane McGregor. “Brooklyn” passed away and he was the loyal pet of the Bushwick Collective lady who tends shop when Joe isn’t around. La Signora is Joe’s aunt. Much respect. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BK Ackler (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Modomatic. Bug 005 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Modomatic. Bug 007 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sally Rumble in collaboration with Adam Fu. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Real Art Daddy (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hijack (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hijack (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Yosnier for Save Art Space Org. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sipros for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sipros for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sipros for The Bushwick Collective. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Below Key (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Homesick (photo © Jaime Rojo)
CRKSHNK (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JG (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Eyeknow used Food Baby Soul crotcheted installation as the canvas for their colorful display of ever-seeing flowers. Artist The Eyeknow (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fear Arte (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fear Arte (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fear Arte (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Natalie Robinson (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Natalie Robinson (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. The Empire State Building. Manhattan, NYC. June 2022. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 06.05.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 06.05.22

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Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

A great beginning to summer with the Bushwick Collective Block Party this weekend – an enduring event that features ever larger hip hop names performing right on the street amidst a sea of street art and graffiti that still characterizes this Brooklyn neighborhood. Long gone are the naysayers and those who thought this international democratic people’s art movement was in the purview of a few tastemakers and gatekeepers. Joe showed that this form of creative expression was meant by the people to be for the people, and every year thousands traipse through to enjoy it.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Cycle, Faile, Lexi Bella, HOACS, Roachi, Duel, Trace, Zaone, Ligama, Carrasco, Minus, Foursome Crew, Feroz, Gerik Duenas, Rich Vagos, Loste, and HEFS.

Shades of Grace Jones come to mind here in this new mural by Lexi Bella for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party this weekend. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HEFS three-dimensional tag. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HEFS three-dimensional tag. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
HEFS (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cycle (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Loste and Ligama for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ligama painting for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ligama for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rich Vagos in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Duel (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Gerik Duenas in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Feroz in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Trace / Foursome Crew for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hoacs / Foursome Crew for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Roachi / Foursome Crew for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ZaOne for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ZaOne for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vintage Faile somewhere in Queens (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Carrasco for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Minus for The Bushwick Collective 11th Annual Block Party. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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