In other news, here is a spot on Malcolm X and Dekalb in Bed Stuy that just went up two days ago. It’s always important, especially in New York, to hit cutty spots that extend beyond downtown and williamsburg, where street art becomes intimate, fresh and expands its boundaries. So in that sentiment, Blanco just put up a powerful piece in Harlem.
Babelgum has yet another street art/graffiti documentary streaming online now. Inside Outside is streaming in full on their site and features artists like Swoon, Zevs and KR. I’m not a Zevs fan myself, so I think they focus a bit too much on him, but overall it’s a great film and well worth a watch (especially since it’s free).
Here’s a clip of KR from the film:
You can watch Inside Outside on Babelgum
Gaia and NohJColey just completed this mural for Espeis Outside in New York City. I for one am loving this double-animal thing that Gaia has been doing lately, and although Gaia and NohJ aren’t an obvious duo to collaborate with each other, the result is surely interesting. Here’s a film of them wheatpasting the mural:
The mural was organized by BrooklynStreetArt, and they have a short interview with the duo on their blog.
First thing first, I think I need to note that this post is actually way cooler and less cheesy than it will seem at first, it just takes some time for the awesomeness to sink in.
For years, people have loved the projects that Graffiti Research Labs and F.A.T. have done. GRL’s is probably best known their Laser Tagging device:
And of course there was The EyeWriter Project for Tempt.
Then at Nuart, I saw Graffiti Analysis.
All interesting experiments, but not really anything that could be used by the average person. Well know that’s changed with Graffiti Markup Language (GML). GML is a file type that can store information about graffiti tags. And now you can create your own applications using GML files and GRL and F.A.T. have already released a number of applications to the public.
This film explains this a bit:
GML = Graffiti Markup Language from Evan Roth on Vimeo.
GML files are stored on 000000book.com, where you can see hundreds of digital tags. Those tags can be created on the iPhone with two applications, Fat Tag: Katsu Edition and Graffiti Analysis (a slightly simplified version of the Graffiti Analysis application which is now available for download for your computer). I’ve tried out both apps, and they are pretty cool, but essentially it’s just a fun way to draw on your iPhone.
I realize this probably isn’t the clearest explanation of GML or the applications you can use it with, but that’s in part because the possibilities are pretty endless. As silly as the whole thing sounds, just try out some of the applications and play around on 000000book.com before you rush to judgment (as I originally did, almost laughing the whole thing off).
Yes, Babelgum still has plenty of videos to post from the fairs in Miami. The latest is of Jeff Soto working on his wall for Primary Flight:
Yes. Doze Green and Josh Keyes. Does it get any better?
On Saturday, three shows open at the Jonathan LeVine Gallery in New York City. They are solo shows for Josh Keyes, Saelee Oh and Doze Green. Honestly, I have no idea about Saelee Oh, but Josh Keyes and Doze Green are two very talented artists.
Doze started out writing graffiti and was a b-boy with the legendary Rock Steady Crew, but now his work has transformed to a point that most people would never realize that Doze has picked up a spray can. To me, that transformation is evidence that Doze Green takes his art more seriously than 90% of the artists out there. I’ve got a few paintings by Doze Green in my house, and his painting at SCOPE Miami was quite impressive, so I am anxiously waiting this new work. Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed that Doze Green has been put in the Project Room instead of the main gallery. After all, he just did that project in Vegas with artists like Jenny Holzer and Richard Long.
And of course, Josh Keyes. Yes, online, his work looks like something that could be done by any talented graphic design student in Adobe Illustrator, but you have to see these paintings in person before you judge to harshly. I was blown away the first time I saw Josh’s work in the flesh. The detail is spectacular. He is one of the few artists I like whose paintings fall into that typically very boring “environmental disaster” genre.
Jonathan LeVine Gallery is going to be THE PLACE TO BE Saturday night in New York.
… and two relatively new elbowtoe pieces. Took Clownsoldier out to this wall. The MBW literally went up the other night cause when I was scoping this spot it wasn’t there. So all of this is totally fresh.
This looks like a pretty cool exhibition. Timo Stammberger and Norman Behrendt take photos of German urban artists, and they look pretty great. The show opens tonight at Fotogalerie Friedrichshain. Some more info here.
The legendary Phil Frost has just put up this billboard in LA for the Undefeated Billboard Project. Previously, artists like Os Gêmeos, Kaws, Barry Mcgee and José Parlá have participated in the project. Such a cool project.
Photos via Dr. Romanelli
Babelgum just released a short video shot by Radar Twenty-One about Aakash Nihalani. I like to watch videos in which artists step back and talk about their work and as much of this footage, which follows Aakash through New York and films him at work on the street, is interspersed with his thoughtful commentary, I enjoyed this one.
Aakash is in LA right now prepping for his upcoming show here at Carmichael Gallery – it’s going to be a fun week leading up to the opening!
– Elisa
