Awer

It’s a shortish link-o-rama this week, but with some really good stories and great walls…

• ICHABOD is one of America’s great freight train writers. He also has Asperger’s Syndrome. This article by Caleb Neelon gives rare insight into the mind of a great graffiti writer and an artist with Asperger’s. It is a must read.
• OX has a new book out with photos of his many ad takeovers.
• Conor Harrington just painted a new piece in East London.
• A1one’s mixture of Persian calligraphy and graffiti is really beautiful.
• Sometimes the world just needs more color.
• AEC of Interesni Kazki recently painted this stunning piece in Croatia. Great site-specific optical illusion.
• If you liked Fra.Biancoshock’s film The Cleaner that I posted earlier this week, you may also enjoy this video.

Photo by Awer

Rothko from beyond the grave by Freddy Sam

Not much to say this week except of course that I’m pumped for The Art of Comedy. Not too much news either, but some important stories…

• Bonhams is holding an Urban Art auction in LA (Christ, 5 years after I first heard it and I still hate that term). This has been going on in England for years and of course Doyles New York just did something similar in NYC, but this is the first time Bonhams is doing an Urban Art auction in the USA. Notable lots include this absolutely classic Banksy, some very expensive kindling, an alright Shepard Fairey (a bit special since his originals don’t go to auction often), a Calvin Klein ad by KAWS, a nice Barry McGee panel from 1996, another nice Banksy, one of Chaz Bojórquez’ Señor Suerte stencils on canvas, and a large COST and REVS collaboration from the early 1990′s (yes, its legit, and yes, I would like to hang it in my dorm room if anyone feels like gifting me $20,000).
• Caleb Neelon recently painted some work in Turkey.
• Butterfly and Opera Gallery London have teamed up for a show of 33 artists including Sweet Toof, El Mac, Roa, Shepard Fairey, Ron English and many more. It opens next month.

Photo by Faith47 and via Wooster Collective

Katie Yamasaki and Caleb Neelon

Organized by Ad Hoc Art, The Welling Court Mural Project is once again bringing some of the finest artists anywhere to Astoria, Queens to grace the walls of the Welling Court community. The event opened officially today at noon, coinciding with Welling Court’s annual block party, but a number of artists have already had begun making their mark earlier this week. These images were captured yesterday:

Toofly @ work; image begun by Sheryo on the right

Subtexture — with a message

Veng

Christopher Cardinale

Images from opening day to follow.

Photos by Dani Mozeson

Cost and Revs. Photo by Caleb Neelon

Tomorrow, the authors of The History of American Graffiti (Caleb Neelon and Roger Gastman) will be joining Taki183 at The Hole in NYC for a book signing. I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet, but from what I hear it is one of, if not the, best graffiti histories told so far. The book signing will take place from 7-10pm on Thursday at The Hole’s new location (312 Bowery). SNAKE 1, SJK 171, MIKE 171 and ROCKY 184 will also be there.

Here are a couple more images from the book:

Twist, Reminisce and KR. Photo by Jim Prigoff

Bisaro. Photo by Jim Prigoff

Photos by Caleb Neelon and Jim Prigoff

I made it over to Welling Court this afternoon – and was greeted by dozens of freshly-painted walls. Some shutters were closed and a few of the spaces were inaccessible, but there was still much to see and document. I also discovered some new artists.

El Kamino, photo by Lois Stavsky

A Memorial Wall by Caleb Neelon and Katie Yamasaki, photo by Lois Stavsky

Joe Iurato, photo by Lois Stavsky

Roa, OverUnder, Veng and Sofia Maldonado, photo by Lois Stavsky

Hellbent, photo by Lenny Collado