Author: RJ Rushmore

RJ Rushmore has been involved in contemporary art as a writer, curator, photographer, arts administrator, and fan since 2008. With a focus on street art, graffiti, and public art, RJ facilitates and promotes catalytic and ambitious art outdoors, in galleries, and online. He founded the street art blog Vandalog and has worked at The L.I.S.A. Project NYC, Mural Arts Philadelphia, and Creative Time. Currently, RJ is Co-Curator of Art in Ad Places.
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Sever on street art?

What is Sever trying to say with this piece? Honestly, I am confused. That Twist head in particular looks really well painted, but the actual meaning of the piece is unclear. Is he taking a shot at street art in general? If so, Vandalog readers know that I would be ready to listen and probably even laugh. But I’m just not sure what the joke is, or if Sever is making a joke at all. Maybe I’m an idiot and the meaning of this piece is apparent to everyone but me (maybe even because it’s aimed at bloggers like me), but I have some questions…

Did Sever intend this as a diss to all street art or just contemporary street art, and what does he think of the artists whose logos he included? Does he like them and just dislike the latest street art? Does he dislike all street art? Is this piece is street art itself? Does Sever do street art now too? If so, what does that mean? Is this not a diss about street art at all but rather just a bunch of iconic images mashed up together because such a piece would obviously go viral? Is street art dead?

I’m curious to hear what, if anything, Sever will say about this piece. He is a member of MSK. Some members of MSK have transitioned over the last few years into doing art that looks more and more like street art on an aesthetic level while still retaining their roots in graffiti. Sever has done some of that as well, not just with this piece, but also with these two and probably others. What differentiates members of MSK who are embracing the aesthetics of street art from the Johnny-Come-Lately street artists whom Sever seems to be bemoaning with this piece? Is it that the members of MSK have years of experience with illegal graffiti (they definitely have that experience)? Is it that the members of MSK are more skilled than other artists (they definitely are skilled)?

Pretty much all that I can say for sure is that Sever knows how to paint and knows some icons of street art/character-based graffiti. The rest of what I’ve got right now are questions. Does anyone out there have answers? If so, please leave a comment.

And if you’re looking for some art where street art is the butt of the joke and the joke is a bit more clear, try Lush, mobstr or Katsu.

Photo by Jsinghur

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Interesni Kazki for Living Walls Concepts

Photo by Nathan Bolster

The Ukrainian duo Interesni Kazki are the latest artists to paint a wall in Atlanta with Living Walls for their Living Walls Concepts series. Neuzz is in town painting now, so expect to see something from him soon, but for now here’s what IK got up to…

Photo by Noah Orisich
Photo by Noah Orisich
Photo by Nathan Bolster. Click image to view large

Interesni Kazki are now at work on another mural in Mexico City.

Photos by Nathan Bolster and Noah Orisich

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Weekend link-o-rama

Elfo and BR1 (BR1 won the game)

Late link-o-rama this week. Troy Lovegates and Labrona are visiting to paint a mural at Haverford College, and it’s the week of all my final exams. Here’s what I’ve been reading to distract myself:

Photo by Elfo

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Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada in Argentina and Barhain

Yousif Manama Bahrain. Painted in the city of Manama, Bahrain

Here are new beautiful new walls by Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada.

The wall shown above, “Yousif Manama Bahrain,” was made in Bahrain as part of Al Riwaq Art Space’s Alwan 338 festival. The portrait of one of Bahrain’s traditional fishermen is part of Rodríguez-Gerada’s Identity series. What I did not realize until now about the murals in that series is that they are temporary pieces, washing away in the rain. Here’s a timelapse of the piece being drawn and then fading away:

To learn more about the story behind “Yousif Manama Bahrain,” check Rodríguez-Gerada’s website.

Rodríguez-Gerada also recently painted this permanent mural in Buenos Aires, Argentina in memory of his father-in-law:

Photos by Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada

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Two videos with Lister

Yesterday I came across two videos, one brand new and one slightly less new, of Anthony Lister. He speaks about a lot of the same things topics except that one has stuff LA and has stuff about his show in Milan, but it’s worth watching at least one…

Photo by Lord Jim

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Preview: Paint It Now at Space 1026

OverKill Studio’s Paint It Now has finally come to Philadelphia. The traveling series of Paint It Now exhibitions have been in Boston and Brooklyn, and the latest iteration of Paint It Now is due to open this Friday at Space 1026. The idea behind this series of exhibitions is that a group of artists have to work somewhat together as they all paint a series of white walls with only black paint. This time around, some of the artists include Gaia, el Celso, Stickman, Nose Go, Harlequinade and Buildmore.

Paint It Now opens on Friday the 4th from 7-10pm and runs through May 25th.

I stopped by yesterday to see how the show was coming together. From what I saw, the show is going to be close to that perfect mix of familiar faces and fresh talent that so many group shows strive for but few achieve. Check out our exclusive preview after the jump… Continue reading “Preview: Paint It Now at Space 1026”

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Ludo for Skateistan

Ludo has a new sculpture going for sale this week on his website. Half of the proceeds from the Grapes of Wrath sculpture will go to Skateistan, the charity using “skateboarding as a tool for empowerment” in Afghanistan, Cambodia and Pakistan. The edition of sculptures are each laser sculpted and then spraypainted. They measure 12cm x 16cm x 7cm. This is definitely one of my favorite images from Ludo, so I’m very excited to see it in sculpture form and with proceeds going to such a worth cause.

Grapes of Wrath will be available for 400 Euros plus shipping this Thursday on Ludo’s website.

Photos courtesy of Ludo

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Coming up at Jonathan LeVine: Doze Green

Doze Green‘s latest solo show at Jonathan LeVine Gallery opens later this month. Luminosity in the Dark Rift open on May 19th alongside shows at Jonathan LeVine by Eric White and Kevin Cyr. I admit I haven’t followed Doze Green’s work super closely recently, but that pale character at the bottom-center of the above piece seems like something quite different and new from him.

Luminosity opens on the 19th (7-9pm) and runs through June 16th.

Image courtesy of Jonathan LeVine Gallery