Pinched this post from Invurt, an absolute MUST see documentary on Melbourne’s graffiti and street art culture. From our awesome train graffiti to street art and gallery art; this documentary gives a great insight into the city I love and the amazing graffiti and street art that I’ve loved since I 1st got on a train as a kid. The movie features friends, favourite artists and familiar places so that makes it even more special.

From Invurt: “Created by Alex MacBeth and Miriam Hison, the documentary ‘Charts the development of the Melbourne street art scene,’ Children of the Iron Snake looks at the last thirty years and tracks the journey of graffiti from railway junctions at night to festivals, abandoned factories, rooftops, drains and galleries. Comprising interviews with over 15 artists, as well as criminologists, anti-graffiti activists, and politicians, the film offers a in-depth look at one of the biggest art movements of our time.”

While down in Puerto Rico this past fall for the Los Muros Hablan festival, I met a number of local artists – new to me – whose work intrigued me. Among these was Philip Cruz aka Pun18 whose surreal images fuse elements of comic, graffiti and pop art. These are two recent works Pun18 shared with me.

Photos courtesy Pun18

Troy Lovegates aka Other

From the photorealistic to the abstract, the characters on Toronto’s public spaces captivate. Here are a few more:

Troy Lovegates aka Other

Patrick Evoke, Alexa Hatanaka & Peru Dyer Jalea aka Peru 143

Hunto

Drew TCI and Jarus

Photos by Sara Mozeson

Toofly in Meeting of Styles in Quito, Ecuador

Based these days for most of the year in her native town of Quito, Ecuador, Maria Castillo aka Toofly recently hit NYC and Miami. Here are some images:

At Art Basel in Miami

Close-up

On Lower East Side rooftop

Photos courtesy of Toofly

Abu Sami’s Family in Jabal Al Qala’a overlooking downtown Amman

The Jordanian Jabal Al Qala’a community, situated on Amman’s highest hill, had a rare treat earlier this month. Through the efforts and support of the British Council, noted London-based street artist Stik brought his talent and passion to this historic district, where – Stik notes — “stray cats rummage through rubbish tips and children play in the streets.” In partnership with An Urban Reflection Residency Project and Creative Jordan: Platform for Visionary Ideas Festival, Stik, along with 10 local Jordanian artists, worked with local children to transform the visual landscape of this special space. Here are a few more images:

I love the way Stik and a growing number of street artists facilitate community art projects, using street art as a social tool. Since the festival was launched, the area has seen crowds of tourists, a fashion shoot and a hip-hop music video crew. For more images from this project, known as Outer Space in Al Qala’a, check here.

Photos courtesy of Stik and Alaa Qattam of the British Council

Astrotwitch on postal in Washington DC. Photo by Lois Stavsky.

A huge fan of sticker art, I love coming upon Astrotwitch‘s beguiling women whenever I’m down in DC.  Along with Astrotwitch, an array of these women recently traveled west to Portland, Oregon. Rendered in seductive colors with watercolor, acrylic and markers, they’ve made their way onto a range of surfaces in different sizes. Here’s a sampling:

Photos by Lois Stavsky and courtesy of Astrotwitch

HD Crew, photo by Lenny Collado

The exterior surfaces of many of San Juan’s decayed and abandoned buildings – along with the concrete walls found largely in its public housing projects – have become canvases for some of the most vibrant graffiti and alluring street art that I’ve seen anywhere. Here is a sampling of what we saw on our recent visit:

Pun 18, photo by Dani Mozeson

La Pandilla and Don Rimx, close-up, photo by Lenny Collado

Ske and Rek, photo by Lois Stavsky

La Pandilla and Celso Gonzalez, photo by Dani Mozeson

ADM, photo by Lois Stavsky

Bad, a member of the HD crew, escorted us to walls we never would have found on our own, while delivering cans of spray paint to just about every artist getting up in town. Curious about it all, we had the chance to ask him some questions on a brief coffee break:

Tell us about all these cans of spray paint that travel with you. What exactly is your role here?

I represent Montana Colors in the Caribbean. I am its sole distributor.

How did that come to be?

I saw that there was a need here for quality spray paints. Too many graff artists were using cheap paints. When I began getting up in 2002, I used to have to get mine from the States. And this way I am doing a service for the artists, and I am also making money.

How has this job affected your life?

It is my life. I know at least one graff writer in every country. I have a home anywhere I travel. It’s the best life!

How does the graff here in Puerto Rico differ from what you’ve seen elsewhere?

Our styles are more distinct and more varied than most of what I see elsewhere.

Certainly more so than we see back in NYC. How has the graff scene in Puerto Rico changed since you began getting up over 10 years ago?

Back then, most of the writers came from the lower class. That’s not the case anymore. The scene has also been going in cycles. It was huge at the beginning of the century. We hit a low in 2005, and in 2010 it began, once again, to boom.

Bad, photo by Dani Mozeson

Any favorite artists?

There are many. Among them: Os Gemeos, the Mac from Germany, Celso here in Puerto Rico…

How do you feel about graff artists exhibiting their work in galleries?

I respect both the artists who promote themselves and the galleries who support them.

How do you feel about the role of the internet in all of this?

It’s definitely been a positive force. I remember when all we had were magazines and photos of our pieces that we mailed back and forth. The internet is a much easier and speedier way for us to share our work.

What do you see as the future of graffiti and street art here in the Caribbean?

You’re here for our first international street art festival that has brought some of the world’s most renowned street artists — including Roa, Ever, Sego and Jaz — to Puerto Rico. This is just the beginning. And in a few weeks, we have a major graffiti jam happening in the Dominican Republic. It just keeps on getting bigger — both here and across the globe.

Photos by Lenny Collado, Dani Mozeson & Lois Stavsky

In Bogota, Colombia, the walls don’t talk. They scream. Featuring the artwork of Bogota Street Art, a collective of four of Bogota’s most active street artists – Dj Lu, Gouache, Lesivo and Toxicómano — the recently released Calle Esos Ojos testifies to both the visual and political impact of street art in Colombia’s capital. Here are some of the images from the book:

Dj Lu has for years been altering the visual landscape of his city with his satirical stencils, targeting a range of issues from consumerism to sexism to the military.

With asymmetrical rhythms and striking colors, Gauche celebrates Bogota’s distinct multicultural mix of everyday people.

Lesivo tends to focus on the darker — or more frightening — underside of the city.

And Toxicómano is on a mission to divert the attention of passersby from commercial ads.

Along with texts – in Spanish — by noted Colombian authors, Darío Jaramillo Agudelo and Antonio Morales Riveira, the book also includes four stencil templates and 15 embossed collectible stickers.

Photos courtesy of Bogota Street Art and special thanks to Marcelo Arroyave of the Colectivo Sursystem for getting this book over to me, reminding me how much I love and miss the streets and people of Bogota.

Jaz — from Argentina — at work

During our brief visit to Puerto Rico, we had the chance to view Jaz — one of our favorite artists — at work and discover the enchanting aesthetics of Mexican artist Eyel and local artists Pun18 and Tony Rodriguez, Josue Oquendo, Aslan Uno, and Esteban Ruiz of the Puerto Rican arts collective, Hello Again. Here are some more images:

Eyel — from Mexico — at work

Pun18 in progress

Pun18, close-up from completed mural

Hello Again, close-up in progress

Photo credits: Jaz and Hello Again by Lois Stavsky; Eyel by Dani Mozeson; Pun18 in progress by Lenny Collado and close-up courtesy of the artist

OverUnder and LNY at work

Bushwick 5 Points has quickly become one of NYC’s most exciting and enticing open-air galleries. ND’A, OverUnder and LNY, three of my favorite street artists, have recently been gracing its walls. Here are some captured these past two days:

ND’A at work

OverUnder at work, close-up

OverUnder — complete — and LNY

Photos by Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky