All posts tagged: You Are Not Alone

BSA Images Of The Week: 02.04.24

BSA Images Of The Week: 02.04.24

Oh, You Flatter Us.

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

It’s always a fun week when The New York Times quotes Brooklyn Street Art, like today’s riveting analyses of one New York celebrity outlaw everyone can agree upon, Flaco the Owl. So this week, we will not insult the corporate legacy press because we are in league with them, obviously.

Here is our weekly interview with the street: this week featuring Faile, Homesick, Below Key, Degrupo, UNO, Dirty Bandits, Pear, MeresOne, Qzar, BG183, NYC Hooker, Tats Crew, Albertus Joseph, Rari Grafix, Notice, Toney, Fear, Horn, Lare, and OTM Crew.

Albertus Joseph. OTM Graff Crew. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Albertus Joseph. OTM Graff Crew. MeresOne. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MeresOne (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MeresOne. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits / Your Are Not Alone Murals. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NYC Hooker. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rari Grafix. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rari Grafix. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BG183 / Tats Cru. Welling Court Mural Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fear (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Fear (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Below Key (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NOTICE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Faile (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
QZAR. LOVE. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
DEGRUPO. VISION. HOMESICK and friends. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Degrupo. Pear. Lare. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
TONEY. HORN. UNO. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
TONEY. HORN. UNO. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Winter 2024. NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week 06.04.23

BSA Images Of The Week 06.04.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Remember last summer when you realized it was already August, and you didn’t go to the beach or for a hike yet? I vow not to let that happen this summer. New York is full of summer fun opportunities; getting outside the city, even for a day is revelatory. If you want to catch street art, step outside in many neighborhoods across the five boroughs. If you want your art viewing experience to be accompanied by live Hip Hop performances and plenty of places to grab a drink amongst the live aerosol painting on the street, just go to the Bushwick Collective’s annual block party, which is happening right now.

As we enter Immigrant Heritage Month, the city is absorbing our newest immigrants, or trying to. “There are now about 45,800 migrants – or about half the city’s shelter population – spread between hotels, respite centers, transitional shelters, humanitarian relief centers and upstate hotel rooms,” says Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom. The official number of arrivals is estimated at 72,000 people. The mayor and governor are taking heat for not doing enough or doing too much or for asking communities to find space for all the new folks arriving by bus from the southern border – with the latest announcement of a 500-cot shelter in a JFK warehouse this week. If the humane view of the story isn’t enough for you, then perhaps you will be comforted to learn that new arrivals accounted for a major portion of US economic growth in the last 12 months. Ask Forbes, or the US Senate. The open secret is that Western societies have been benefitting from the contributions of immigrants for decades. We shudder to read verbiage that attempts to dehumanize these humans, who are the living example of those seeking the “American Dream”.

Similarly, we shudder to see campaigns to humanize the robot “dogs”, like this puff piece in the New York Post featuring an office visit to normalize them – in fact using one to create a painting.

“The robots march across canvasses with paint-covered paws.

Pilat’s works have become a favorite of Silicon Valley’s tech arrivistes.”

Uh, it’s not a dog, and it will probably be weaponized against you in the future. C’mon Sport! Let’s play catch!

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Skewville, Matt Siren, David Puck, Martin Whatson, Loose, Anso, Rham Bow, Narol, Forever Up, Fuckz, 156 CRU, Ebony, Aims Pukers, Feye, and Sper.

We start the collection this week with this new one marking the beginning of LGBTQ+ Pride month by David Puck, honoring drag persona Sasha Colby, as curated by The Dusty Rebel (WIP shot). David Puck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Artist, model, and sometimes canvas Rahm Bow (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Narol (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Forever Up (photo © Jaime Rojo)
ANSO LOOSE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
You Are Not Alone (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FUCKZ (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Skewville (photo © Jaime Rojo)
156 CRU (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Norwegian street artist Martin Whatson is in town. He’s been painting since the early 2000s and is known for his distinctive style that combines traditional stencil techniques with graffiti and urban art elements. Martin Whatson (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Martin Whatson. Detail. In collaboration with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Martin Whatson. In collaboration with East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Matt Siren sidebusts Optimo NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
AIMS PUKERS. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
FEYE (photo © Jaime Rojo)
SPER (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Upstate, NY. May 2023.(photo © Jaime Rojo)
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You Are Not Alone

You Are Not Alone

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. That’s very important for you to know.

Whether or not one suffers from mental health issues, knowing that one doesn’t walk alone on a scabrous path is comforting. Feeling supported, especially in times of crisis, brings assurance and healing to our anxieties and despairs.

Adam Fu. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

We are living in a tumultuous time when people are being shot at or killed for having the misfortune of making a seemingly innocent mistake such as ringing the wrong doorbell or turning into the wrong driveway or working in your own yard with a leaf blower or getting into the wrong car at a parking lot or asking your neighbor not to shoot his gun from his porch or for being mistaken as a shoplifter. In Manhattan, an individual was murdered in the subway after a fellow passenger placed him in a chokehold apparently because he was made uncomfortable by the individual’s rambling, loud musings while suffering from mental health issues.

Alanna Flowers. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

We’re now being traumatized almost daily by news reports of mass shootings, vigilante shootings, and murder. Sometimes we simply feel that we are not safe anymore. When we talk about mental health, we should broaden the discussion to include all of us, not just those with acute symptoms but all of us who are affected by what we experience, see, and read. Our mental health is affected directly by the violence being perpetrated upon others.

The collective YOU ARE NOT ALONE MURALS has been very active in bringing the issue of mental health and its importance to the forefront of the conversations with large murals on the streets of NYC. Here they produced ten murals created by a diverse group of artists, all using the same color palette while addressing the importance of community, belonging, and support with a single and simple phrase: YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Cris Pagnoncelli. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)


If you are in any need or are in crisis emotionally or psychologically, or you simply would like to speak to someone, please call the numbers below. You can do it! You can do it, sis. You got this, bro. We love ya!

  1. New York City: The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene provides a 24/7 Mental Health Hotline for New Yorkers who need immediate help. The hotline can be reached at 1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355).
  2. United States: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24/7 across the United States. The lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).
  3. International: The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is a global organization dedicated to preventing suicidal behavior, alleviating its effects, and providing a forum for academics, mental health professionals, crisis workers, volunteers, and suicide survivors. The IASP website offers a directory of crisis centers and helplines around the world. The directory can be accessed at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/.
Indie184. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Marco Santini. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rich Tu. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sally Rumble. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Space Type. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Manhattan, NYC. May 2023. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Selection Of New Works at Welling Court 2022 in Queens, NYC

Selection Of New Works at Welling Court 2022 in Queens, NYC

Rocking this little neighborhood since 2009, The Welling Court Mural Project in Queens, New York brought a bevy of old skool and new again this summer to add to the collaborative art project that cheers the locals and thrills visitors. By now, you could call it historic, with writers from the OG crowd like Tats Cru, Lady Pink, John Fekner, and Chino giving their best alongside a slew of newbies in the mural art scene. Alison Wallis is the sole director these days, and her roots with the graffiti and street art community go deep, which means a well of trust is involved.

Too Fly. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

As she scans the list of artists who have given of themselves to this neighborhood for more than a decade in this community project, Wallis writes in the manifesto: “with early career, mid-career, and burgeoning young artists to help foster beauty of all life, peace, and support for all people of any race, belief, and/or sexual identity around the globe.” Once again it is good to see the many ways a community can join together in an evolving and inspiring collective statement that integrates positive social change via the culture of street art.

Headache. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vexta. Dirty Bandits. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Adam Fujita. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Caleb Neelon and Lena Mac. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Danielle Mastrion. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Alice Mizrachi. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ashsaint. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lexi Bella. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rari Grafix. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pinky Weber. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Queen Andrea. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Chino. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Harbor Arts. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Daze. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
BG183 Tats Cru. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
JCorp. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lady Pink. Detail. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Slow. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
The Fuhgeddaboudit Bodega. Welling Court Mural Project NYC 2022. Queens, NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 07.24.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.24.22

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Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

Jesus it’s rough out there! Throwing a frisbee could cause a heart attack in this heat wave. This situation is like the polar opposite of a winter snowstorm that forces everyone to stay inside their apartments. Believe it or not, in this city we have such extremes. We gave you Trump and we also gave you Bernie Sanders, for example.

Trying to think happy thoughts on the street despite the crushing debilitating heat and we are greeted by a mopey Gen Z guy carrying a sign that says “this is the coolest summer of the rest of your life”. Thanks, Senor Killjoy.

The good thing, and we insist on concentrating on these good things, is that New York is positively swimming with gorgeous young things who are traipsing through the streets in barely there gear and you don’t even need to buy pot to get high now because the streets are swirling with it. Also, you can buy pot anywhere; in a curbside truck, on a brownstone stoop, from a Nigerian guy out of a suitcase on the sidewalk on Canal street, even at your grandma’s Saturday canasta match.

$100 two years ago is worth only $85, but our parks are still free and full of leafy trees and concerts and theater and city pools are staying open extra hours to cool off. Burning Spear, UB40, Animal Collective, Sharon Van Etten, The Decemberists, Khruangbin, Erykah Badu, Shakespeare in the Park, anybody? We always sit on a blanket outside the gate and enjoy the music nonetheless – you can too. Also, as a reminder, we are not at war with each other – all us different races and religions. That’s all a huge lie on the TV machine. New Yorkers actually like each other.

Our street art as usual is off the hook. This week it seems a little bit cuddly, to tell the truth.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Rambo,Hiss, Dirty Bandits, Modomatic, Neon Savage, Muckrock, You Are Not Alone, Third Rail Art, Rari Grafix, OH!, Drama, and Banksy Hates Me.

Prolly not. Banksy Hates Me (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Been seeing these at your summer picnic? Modomatic. Bug 015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Is this a three layer strawberry cat cake? Hiss (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits in collaboration with You Are Not Alone Murals and East Village Walls. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rambo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Oh, what DRAMA! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MuckRock (photo © Jaime Rojo)
MuckRock (photo © Jaime Rojo)
OH! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Neon Savage (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Third Rail Art and Rari Frafix (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Summer 2022, NY (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 07.17.22

BSA Images Of The Week: 07.17.22

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Welcome to BSA Images of the Week!

From throw-ups to tags, banal to topical, paste-ups to high-gloss murals, the New York pays you back in grit and passion when you keep your eyes open. This summer the heat is on – and you really only need shorts, a tee-shirt, and comfy footwear to get lost in this city that is speaking to you at all hours and pouring poetic discourse into your head and heart. As hard as it may be sometimes, we are always thankful to be in a city full of people and artists that inspire daily.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Invader, Elle, Goog, Urban Russian Doll NYC, Homesick, King Baby, Miss 17, Cramcept, You Are Not Alone, Rambo, Dense, Beep Beep, Red Eye Mob, Crypto Compadres, and Dominator.

You Are Not Alone (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Vanilla Cool Dance (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Urban Russian Doll (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Homesick (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Invader (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dominator (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Elle (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Elle (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Crypto Compadres (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Red Eye Mob! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cramcept (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Beep Beep (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dense (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Goog (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rambo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Miss 17 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
King Baby (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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BSA Images Of The Week: 05.12.19

BSA Images Of The Week: 05.12.19

You are not alone.

In an era where people may feel more under attack, more alienated, more disconnected from one another (despite “always on” connectivity), comes this new campaign from Dirty Bandits, “You Are Not Alone”. New York walls have been popping up recently (see above) with this message and somehow it completely resonates, hopefully just in time to remind someone struggling.

Brooklyn based lettering artist Annica Lydenberg of the design company Dirty Bandits tells us that this was an idea she came up with her best friend who had recently published a memoir about living with anxiety disorder. The he murals are intended to have broad appeal and offer support to anyone who feels misunderstood, victimized, or abandoned.

She tells us that people need to know “they are not the only ones struggling with mental health. My wish is to be seen as an ally, for not only mental health, but to the many communities who do not feel supported.” She says the campaign is not strictly commercial, although it is certainly not anonymous and some funding came from a media concern. But we agree that it is a very worthwhile message, can actually help people and if you want to learn more go HERE.

As long as we are on the topic, please call these numbers right now if you need help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Worldwide Suicide and Crisis Hotline numbers:
http://suicidehotlines.com/international.htm

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Suicide Hotline
1-866-488-7386

Teen suicide hotline
1-800-USA-KIDS (872-5437)

National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).

So here’s our weekly interview with the street, this time featuring Abe Lincoln Jr., Adam Fu, Cash4, Dirty Bandits, Elms, Icy & Sot, Jason Naylor, Mad Villain, Maia Lorian, Rude Reps, SAMO, Sinned, Smells, Soar, UFO907, Victor Ash, and Winston Tseng.

Top image: Dirty Bandits (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Winston Tseng (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Victor Ash for Street Art For Mankind. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Icy & Sot. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Icy & Sot (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jason Naylor for #youarenotalone campaign. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Adam Fu for #youarenotalone campaign. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dirty Bandits for #youarenotalone campaign. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Ufo 907 & Heck (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Rude Reps (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sinned (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mad Vaillan (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cash 4 . Smells (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cash 4 . Soar (photo © Jaime Rojo)
One smile, four eyes. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Elms with friends. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Abe Lincoln Jr. in collaboration with Maia Lorian. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Samo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Seen on the streets of Manhattan…you’ve been warned! (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Untitled. Abstraction. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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