Linz by Tatscruinc

Graffiti is a gateway crime.

How and Nosm by Tatscruinc

Neist by Voodoodi London

Totem 2 Shark by Tatscruinc

Soez by Morac19

By Read More Books. Photo by Gargantuen

Photos by Gargantuen, Morac19, Tatscruinc, and Voodoodi London

Have you ever seen a street piece that, for whatever reason, made you really wonder “What kind of person does this?” Not everything I walk by captures me like that, but on rare occasions, something will be so provocative, unusual, outstanding, or even awkward, that I’m lured deeper than just what I’m looking at, toward piecing together the person behind it and what they’re all about. It’s pretty rare that I actually get to ask.

LNY is one of these artists where the back-story is as enticing as the art. While I cannot promise that this interview makes him any less of a curiosity, I can say that this is one guy worth checking out.

1. Describe one of your first experiences with street art.

I fondly remember getting buffed for the first time because It made the whole experience of working in public space come to life. Having someone buff your work is like a pat in the back begging you to keep going, like “try again man, try again”… that buff is still running to this day in Weehawken, New Jersey.

2. One reason you do it.

Easy; because I believe art is a powerful vehicle for change and a practice that can positively impact the world, myself, and those I work with. There is nothing else I would rather do with my life than this, there were never other options just random distractions. In the end I don’t really define what I do as street art or inside art or what not because the work sometimes doesn’t fit those categories so I don’t bother, and defining something does more to constrict than expand. Anyway, I’m just doing me.

3. Current muse.

Coffee. Read the rest of this article »

Gut by thesaltr

It’s that time again…

Kanos by SOKE

Gun by TheHarshTruthOfTheCameraEye

Mers by thesaltr

Pink Eye / Gats by thesaltr

Kroma by TheSaltr

Photos by TheHarshTruthOfTheCameraEye and TheSaltr  

Mr. Wany is an Italian-born graffiti artist and part of the Heavy Artillery crew and Ironlak Team Europe. His character-style incorporates an imaginative approach to graffiti, and has appeared on walls all over the world. He has been writing since 1990 when he was just 12.

More of Mr. Wany after the jump… Read the rest of this article »

Rilla by Gorillahs

It’s time for some springtime colors.

Anoe by Respa by Brighton Rocks

Lovepusher by Voodoodi London

Pref by Voodoodi London

Rula and Size by Voodoodi London

Photos by Brighton Rocks, Gorillahs, and Voodoodi London

Warhol and Basquiat

Let’s be real: Subjectively, it is difficult to see these and not immediately think of Mr. Brainwash, Supreme, or any of the other thousands of examples of celebrity images used in wheatpasted vandalism.

If I walked by one of these I would probably deface it until I really felt it learned its lesson.

This was the response Burton Machen was hoping for he when went around New York City and Los Angeles putting these up. Machen periodically revisited his paste-ups to document their evolution with time, and the alterations or destructive contributions of passersby.

Cindy Sherman and Terry Richardson

Next month, April 19th to May 19th, Hionas Gallery in New York will be exhibiting photographs of his defaced posters and others selected works, in Machen’s upcoming show Urban Evolution: PORTRAITS PROJECT.

Personally, I feel a lot less compelled to deface images of people I don’t know. Do you think Machen’s choice to use celebrities was a matter of taste or a strategic move to maximize their alterations?

Images courtesy of Hionas Gallery

Ders by Voodoodi London

Help the police.

Warg & Wizo by AVK ONE

Fisher by Datachump

Achoe by Voodoodi London

Serval by Datachump

Photos by AVK ONE, Brighton Rocks, Datachump, SÖKE, Thias, and Voodoodi London

Photo by MyJediLightSaber

Being that I just got back from China, I decided to do this week’s Wild Style Wednesday with the graffiti and street art of the Chinese city of Shanghai.

Photo by MyJediLightSaber

Roka. Photo by Kersavond

Banksy Legal Team. Photo by Kersavond

Legal Team? Whatever that means.

Photo by Kersavond

Fiked and Gsar. Photo by Kersavond

CLW and Yems. Photo by Kersavond

Photo by MyJediLightSaber

Photos by Kersavond and MyJediLightSaber

That flared tag is chilling. Hush gave us this as a little sample of what we’re to expect at his upcoming solo show in May at Metro Gallery in Melbourne. The show will be displaying a large body of his work and wide range of techniques. RJ and I frequently debate Hush’s work since we have strong opinions and fairly different tastes, but even he liked this one. What do you think?

Check out that detail

Photos by Cleo la Vel, courtesy of Hush

Sr. X and Spidertag, sick artists with two extremely different styles, collaborated on this piece done in Spain. There’s a video of them getting it up.

Photos by Spidertag