A huge fan of RAE’s folksy, outsider aesthetic, I love the way his characters surface surreptitiously — quite regularly — throughout Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Here are a few more:
My favorite wheatpastes rarely lose their beauty. They just continue to evolve until they, sadly, wither away. Here are a few:
Photos by Dani Mozeson, Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky
Another massive month in Melbourne in April with some great events, shows and work on the streets. This month I’ve also decided to include a bit more on graff and also some work off the streets in some of Melbourne’s awesome abandos.
There’s been an explosion of panels running in Melbourne recently, including a couple of whole cars. Whilst some of the pieces are not the best in quality it’s still rad to see so much graff on trains again lately. Are the authorities asleep? Or is it our lack of trains to meet demand to blame so they HAVE to run them? The best of Melbourne graffiti Facebook page is a good place to keep up with what’s running, they cover anything running each day on the Melbourne rail network (good and bad). Here’s my favourite flick from the page for April. Continue reading “Melbourne Monthly Madness – April 2013”
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
From the photorealistic to the abstract, the characters on Toronto’s public spaces captivate. Here are a few more:
Photos by Sara Mozeson
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:
Photos courtesy of Toofly
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
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
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:
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.
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
