(Detail) Olek

In the first of hopefully a prolific series of exhibitions, Brooklyn Street Art presents Geometricks, curated by street artist and art historian Hellbent. Rather than simply pairing random street artists together, as many exhibitions do, Geometricks attempts to delineate a movement that is currently at play within the scene. Artists scattered around the world have started creating pieces whose focus is abstract geometry. Featuring the work of Augustine Kofie, Chor Boogie, Drew Tyndell, Feral Child, Hellbent, Jaye Moon, Maya Hayuk, MOMO, OLEK, OverUnder, and See One, the show reaches to several cities to gather artists from different ends of the geometric(k) spectrum.

(Detail) Overunder

(Detail) Maya Hayuk

The different ends of this spectrum include artists who both directly and indirectly create work from rigid forms. With the paintings of featured artists Maya Hayuk and Augustine Kofie, the thematic connection to their imagery is blatant, though stunning nonetheless. It was, however, the installation pieces of Olek and Jaye Moon that I found to be most engaging in the space. The dimensionality inherent in the way that they create their pieces added a layer to their importance in a show centered on shape.

Jaye Moon

(Detail) Augustine Kofie

Jaye Moon

It is important to note that in addition to the work seen above, Hellbent has featured a wall specifically for a student’s budget. Many artists, such as Jaye Moon (featured above), See One, and Feral Child, have created smaller interpretations of their larger gallery pieces and have been priced at under $200.

Geometricks will have a public opening tonight from 6pm to 8pm at Gallery Brooklyn and will run from September 22 to October 28. Free shuttle service will be provided from the Carroll Street F/G station to the gallery as well as from the after party back to the station.

All photos by Rhiannon Platt

Feral Child

Brooklyn Street Art are going to be organizing a series of shows at Brooklyn’s new gallery, Gallery Brooklyn. Vandal or Visionary Series has kind of a cool concept, where BSA will pick a different artist to curate each show in the series. The first show in the series is GEOMETRICKS, curated by Hellbent. The artists in the show are Augustine Kofie, Chor Boogie, Drew Tyndell, Feral Child, Hellbent, Jaye Moon, Maya Hayuk, MOMO, OLEK, Overunder and See One, so between that line up and the name of the show, it’s probably pretty clear that GEOMETRICKS is about work by people in the street art community who are leaving lettering and pop art behind and including somewhat abstract shapes and patterns in their work, kind of like a street-art friendly version of graffuturism.

Augustine Kofie

In addition to a great line up of artists, the thing I’m most excited about with this show is that their will be one wall of the show devoted to inexpensive and discounted works for students only. The Young Collectors Wall will only have work by the GEOMETRICKS artists priced under $200, and you’ll have to show a valid student ID to purchase any of the pieces. I have to applaud BSA for this idea. It’s rare that a gallery will have quality artwork or art products available at prices that are reasonable for students. So students, get to the show early, because I’m betting that these works will be gone quickly. You might get a real steal and suddenly have the best-decorated room in your dorm.

Here’s a little invite from BSA:

You are cordially invited to have a blast in Red Hook Brooklyn with BSA Saturday Sept 22nd, where we’ll present amazing new gallery works from 11 of the best Street Artists doing abstract GEOMETRICKS on the street right now, musical jams from John Breiner, and a special Young Collectors Wall where a limited number of works by the artists in the show will be on sale under $200 for students with a current valid school ID. After GEOMETRICKS walk a few blocks to party with us at Brooklyn Crab and take the free shuttle bus back to the subway when it’s all over. It’s a cool September night in Red Hook that you don’t want to miss!

The show opens September 22nd from 6-9pm and runs through October 28th at Gallery Brooklyn (351 Van Brunt St, Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY).

Check out BSA for more info.

Photos courtesy of Brooklyn Street Art

Maya Hayuk. Photo by Martha Cooper

Thanks to Open Walls Baltimore and also Martha Cooper, there are a lot of new murals coming up in Baltimore these days. Here are a few from Maya Hayuk, Swoon, Nick Mann aka Doodles and Interesni Kazki for Open Walls Baltimore and a wall by Never2501 and Pixel Pancho organized by Martha Cooper.

Swoon. Photo courtesy of Open Walls Baltimore

Never2501 and Pixel Pancho. Photo by Martha Cooper

Interesni Kazki. Photo courtesy of Open Walls Baltimore

Nick Mann aka Doodles. Photo by Martha Cooper

Nick Mann aka Doodles. Photo by Martha Cooper

Photos by Martha Cooper and courtesy of Open Walls Baltimore

Via Street Art News

Open Walls Baltimore is a project that I have been personally coordinating with the not for profit Station North and is supported by the PNC foundation and a generous Our Town grant from the NEA. The intention is of course to produce great art on the streets and put on for my city that I love so much. Yet, of course, as every public art project must be, the OWB initiative will hopefully produce more than just spectacular murals. This is about an investment in a neighborhood that is burdened by 150 vacant homes and bridging the gaps between the artist community that calls Station North home and the residents of Greenmount West. Inspired by my experience with both Wynwood Walls in Miami and Living Walls in Atlanta, this initial and very exciting start will hopefully result in a continued support for public art and experimental intervention that can become more holistic as time moves forward. The current line up is as follows: Interesni Kazki, Maya Hayuk, Swoon, Specter, Doodles, Jaz, Ever, Freddy Sam, Mata Ruda, Nanook, MOMO, Vhils, Sten and Lex, Chris Stain, Jetsonorama, Overunder, and others. The website is now live. More to come!!!

Photos by Martha Cooper

Maya Hayuk, who will show at New Image Art Gallery's booth

The SCOPE art fair’s Miami iteration should, as always, have a few booths of interest to Vandalog readers to year. SCOPE opens on the 29th and runs through December 4th. Make sure to stop by these booths: Mallick Williams for Skullphone and Love Me/Curtis Kulig; Jonathan LeVine Gallery for Olek, WK Interact and Aakash Nihilani; Dorian Grey Gallery for Richard Hambleton (and maybe LAII); and New Image Art Gallery for Maya Hayuk and Retna. Of course, all those galleries will be exhibiting other artists as well, those are just some highlights. And there should be plenty of else of interesting. For the last two years, SCOPE has been where I’ve seen some of the most interesting indoor art in Miami.

Maya Hayuk, who will show at New Image Art Gallery's booth

Photos courtesy of New Image Art Gallery

Dan Witz

On Every Street is a show opening this Thursday at Samuel Owen Gallery in Greenwich, CT. Curated by Michael de Feo, it features the work of dozens of street artists. On Every Street includes a diverse of street artists both in style and (from Hargo to Tony Curanaj) and when they were active outdoors (from Richard Hambleton to Gaia).

Here’s the full line up: Above, Aiko, Michael Anderson, Banksy, Jean-Michel Basquiat, C215, Tony Curanaj, Michael De Feo, D*Face, Ellis Gallagher, Keith Haring, Ron English, Blek le rat, Faile, Shepard Fairey, John Fekner, JMR, Gaia, Richard Hambleton, Hargo, Maya Hayuk, Don Leicht, Tom Otterness, Lady Pink, Lister, Ripo, Mike Sajnoski, Jeff Soto, Chris Stain, Swoon, Thundercut, Dan Witz.

Images courtesy of Michael de Feo

After checking out 5Pointz this afternoon, we decided to walk over the Pulaski Bridge into Greenpoint, Brooklyn.  Here are a few of my favorite images:

Jaz -- as seen from the Pulaski Bridge

Paul Richard

Cekis

Maya Hayuk

Ad disruption by Homer. Check out more on Rebel Art

Because I missed this post last week, this is kind of a long Link-o-rama. Definitely at least check the first link here.

• Most important article in this list: How the current NYC graffiti removal policy is seriously fucked up and needs to be changed.
• It’ll be interesting to see if Mr. Brainwash reacts to this. By the way, I met him last week and he signed my black book. As terrible as I think he is, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Maybe one day I’ll put the page on eBay and retire on the proceeds. Hopefully not. To be fair though, he was a super nice guy even though I think he knew that I hate his artwork, so that’s big of him.
• Interesting commentary on Art in the Streets from Eddie Colla I guess, but I can’t ignore that he signed the work and even included a QR code. I’m pretty sure he would’ve participated in Art in the Streets had he been invited. In fact, he is part of a group show that opened on the same weekend as MOCA’s show.
• Artinfo interviews Retna.
• Is graffiti unfair competition when the artist starts working indoors? I don’t think that’s the intent of most writers or street artists, but this might be the case for street artists who are just using the streets for the purpose of advertising.
• Maybe the best street intervention I’ve seen all month.
• The Chinese government is afraid of some political street art/graffiti.
• That illegally buffed mural in LA was unbuffed by the graffiti removal company. Haha.
• An interview with Leon Reid IV.
• Dadara’s guerilla banking project.
• Maya Hayuk and Jen Stark will be at Show & Tell Gallery next month.
• A critique of Art in the Streets and street art and graffiti in general by someone who hates and doesn’t understand the culture.

Photo by Homer

Galo and Pixelpancho in Miami (click to view large)

Well, I was expecting to see my family today, but snow in London have half of them stuck there. Luckily, snow where I am in Colorado is keeping me busy. Too busy to post very much unfortunately. Here’s what I’ve been missing:

• Roadsworth is Lisbon. Definitely check this out.
• Todd Seelie took some great photos of Monica Canilao and Saelee Oh making a beautiful installation in Detroit.
• M-City killed it in Miami even though his stencils arrived days after he did.
• While I didn’t care for Banksy’s latest print release at all, he did give the proceeds (almost £100,000 in total) to a great cause.
• Yellow Pants‘ first show, at Montana’s gallery in Lisbon, looks fabulous. With art from Remed, Zosen, Maya Hayuk and others, how could it go wrong?
• I’m way late on this, but Ron English made some shirts with Hurley earlier this year.
• Sometimes Mint and Serf (who work together as Mirf) do some interesting things. Other times that say crazy things. In an interview with Brooklyn Street Art, Mint said this “So back in April I designed the original Mirf poster and put a bunch of them in Russia. It was one of the first times I’ve seen graffiti being put up on the street but with wheat paste.” While he’s not taking credit for inventing wheatpasting for graffiti, he’s definitely taking too much credit for something that isn’t particularly innovative in 2010.
• DabsMyla and Greg Simpkins teamed up for this great mural in LA.
• World War Won’s new logo for Hackney would be a perfect way to spice up their image a bit.
• Postermat, the latest show at The Hole in NYC, sounds like it will either be awesome or really really terrible. If you go, let me know what you think.

Sure and Faust. Photo by euniyah

I’ve been out of the loop and stuck in libraries lately (and then in Miami for the weekend), and that’s led to me miss posting about a lot of things. I’ve got some catching up to do, so here’s the start of that:

• EPOS 257 built a fence in a public square in Prague. A. It reminds me of Richard Sera’s amazing Tilted Arc and B. Seems like a great way to screw with the local bureaucratic government. I guess there’s the important question left though of if the public actually thought about anything when looking at the work. I’m hoping that some did, but perhaps it was too nondescript to provoke much thought.
• Cost’s newspaper box (mentioned recently) was stolen from the street and ended up on eBay. The winning bidder paid over $4,000!
• The first show from YellowPants Gallery will open in Lisbon this week with a great lineup including Maya Hayuk and Remed. More info here.
• If you’re feeling the recession, you’ve got to check out this artwork by Patrick Martinez.
• Evan Roth gets clever with the TSA full-body scanners.
• SF’s Ratio 3 Gallery will be holding a solo show of Margaret Kilgallen’s work in March.
• Ending on a very sad note, Brooklyn Street Art has received word from Faust that his friend and fellow graffiti writer Sure has died while serving the USA in Afghanistan.

Photo by euniyah