Make your mother proud.
Photos by 4foot2, Big Bozo, Damonabnormal, FunkandJazz Graphis, Morac19, P. Matheus Lacerda, Tha Sieg Monsterrr, SOKE, Startape Photographe and ThalesFernando
Wild Style Wednesday!
Rae’s very serious installation in NYC
RAE recently installed the above piece in a New York City subway station where there had previously been a random blank spot in the wall. Maybe a sign that had been removed and never replaced? Well now he spot has been filled with some great art. I love how this piece looks like an official installation, but really RAE just saw something wrong and fixed it.
Photos by Michael Fales
Hellbent: The Devil’s in the Details
With a name like Hellbent and the detail-oriented nature of his stencils, there isn’t a more fitting phrase to capture his work than “the devil’s in the details.” Hellbent on perfection, the artist taped down layer upon layer of paint, paper, and lace to create his geometric patterns. The intricate designs coupled with the florescent colors combine to form work that is both visually and technically complicated.
By incorporating various colors, fabrics, and shapes, Hellbent has given a gate to Bushwick that can be enjoyed by any viewer with imagination. While creating the work, one woman stopped by to share what kinds of clothes she imagine the fabric to be. Others simply fixed their gaze upon the colors, even as they continued their walk down the street.
Photos by Rhiannon Platt
Anybody got photos of the murals at See No Evil 2012?
First of all, the frustrations in this post are pretty much the same that Caroline voiced in a post earlier this year about the All City Canvas festival. This year’s edition of the major Bristol mural festival See No Evil finished up recently, and I’m thinking that some great walls were painted. But how the hell can I tell? Other than Nychos’ wall, all the walls I’ve seen are in photos that have been filtered to hell because (I guess) that makes them more bloggable or tumblrable or whatever. Too often now, it seems like street art is more about the photo that will be sent to sites like this than the actual mural which should be meant to be appreciated by thousands of people every day. Photos are important, but rarely should the photo be more important than the actual work. I don’t think that the internet has to be the death of street art, but it damn sure could be when walls get painted for the purpose of taking filtered-to-hell photos of the finished product.
There were some talented artists painting at See No Evil, and the photos looks great if you think of them as photos untied to an actual mural that should be documented, but I’d like someone in Bristol to tell me how the murals actually turned out in-the-flesh. Here are some more photos that I was given from the event:
I’m sorry to pick on See No Evil about this issue. It’s not something that they started and it’s not something unique to them. They seem like a cool festival, but this is an issue which they are contributing to.
Photos courtesy of See No Evil and by Ian Cox
Thales Fernando
I’m digging this character done in Buenos Aires, Argentina by the Brazilian artist Thales Fernando aka POMB. Check out more of his work on his Flickr.
Photo by ThalesFernando
MOMO’s latest at Fame
Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of great work that loosely falls under a category of graffiti which is abstract but focused on geometry, and maybe a bit minimalist (Editor, Bino, Homer, ABCDEF). Well, it’s important to remember that of lot of these guys seem to be influenced by the great MOMO, who recently returned to Italy’s Fame Festival to paint there. Here are a few pieces from that visit.
Photos courtesy of MOMO
Weekend link-o-rama
Well, the big story this week was of course Hyuro’s wall under threat in Atlanta, but a lot more has been happening elsewhere on the web, plus I missed a week of link-o-rama when I was in Atlanta myself, so here’s what I’ve got to share:
- Living Walls mentioned in the New York Times last week, but not because of Hyuro’s mural or even in the arts section. For some reason, some narrative was created about Living Walls relating to the recession. Well, whatever. I guess it’s a hook, and strange press is better than no press.
- This is a nice mural from Erica il Cane in Slovakia.
- And of course, Aryz’ work in Copenhagen is impressive as always.
- Chris Stain painted a great mural in Charlotte, NC, and BSA interviewed him about it.
- Someone stole a Banksy street piece off of a private wall, and now he’s going to trial because of it. Beautiful.
- Run in underrated.
- I agree with Eko: “This is 2012 graffiti.”
- Or maybe this is.
- Everyone’s been quoting this Steve Powers interview where he says “Most Street art isn’t art and it isn’t street.” He’s such a provocateur (read: guy well-respected enough that the world allows him to be an asshole). Actually though, as annoying as the guy can be, he’s right. Particularly that most street art isn’t art. A lot of it is great graphic design or illustration or signpainting. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s a misnomer that confuses a lot of people.
- Hate President Bush? You’ll probably love this book.
- There’s been some hilarious/scary fallout from LEWY BTM painting the Brooklyn Bridge.
- Aram Bartholl is amazing. And here’s an interview with him.
Photo by Sam3
eL Seed paints the tallest minaret in Tunisia
French artist eL Seed recently painted this beautiful mural on the tallest minaret in Tunisia, in the city of Gabès on the Jara Mosque. On the whole, I’m a bit tired of all the giant murals going up over the last year or two, but this one really works. The piece reads, “Oh humankind, we have created you from a male and a female and made people and tribes so you may know each other.” The mural was funded by the Barjeel Art Foundation.
Photos courtesy of eL Seed
Sonni fashions huge boom box on Bowery construction container
Sonni’s distinct aesthetic, marked by bold colors and geometric shapes, has found a second home in the East Village. With his Music Machine on view at Artist Alley @ Extra Place, a huge boom box can now be seen a few blocks north at the Bowery and East 4th Street. Curated once again by Keith Schweitzer, the director of FABnyc‘s public art program, Sonni’s recent work celebrates the 16th anniversary of New York City’s International Fringe Festival. Here are a few more images of the completed piece:
Photos by Tara Murray
Wild Style Wednesday!
Drips for days.
Photos by FuckSabcat – HongKong, Graffiti Junkie, Graphis1, Heavy Artillery, Richt, Saner KGB and Startape Photographe