pop art

Proclaimed by his former partner Keith Haring as the “Graffiti King of the Lower East Side,” Angel Ortiz aka LA2 is increasingly gaining the admiration and acclaim that he deserves. A self-taught artist, he has fashioned a distinct aesthetic that has evolved into a stylishly striking synthesis of graffiti, pop art and fine art.

Ranging in tones from black, white and gray to bright, bold hues, Angel’s new works on exhibit in “Ode 2 NYC” at Chase Contemporary vary from the seemingly simple to the remarkably intricate. Exuding a magical energy, together they are a glowing testament to LA2’s singular intuitive skills, as well as the perfect pean to NYC.

Featured below are several more images captured from the exhibit:

“Shazbot,” 2023, Acrylic and marker on canvas

“Rainbow Swirl,” 2023, Acrylic and marker on canvas

“Tiffany,” 2023, Acrylic and marker on canvas

“Subway,” 2023, Acrylic and marker on canvas

“DJ LES, 2023, Acrylic and marker on canvas

Exhibition curator and gallery co-owner and director Christopher Pusey with “Silver on Blue,” 2022, Acrylic and silver marker on canvas

“Ode 2 NYC” can be viewed through June 18 at Chase Contemporary, 413 West Broadway in Soho: Monday and Tuesday, 10 AM–6 PM; Wednesday and Thursday, 10 AM–7 PM; Friday and Saturday, 10 AM–8 PM and  Sunday, 11 AM–7 PM.

Photos and post by Lois Stavsky and City-as-School intern Antonio Gomez

{ 0 comments }

Masterfully fusing his distinct calligraphy with motley symbols, Lower East Side native Angel Ortiz aka LA II has been making his mark on the streets, in galleries and in museums for decades.  Best known for his collaborations with the late Keith Haring in the 80’s, LA’s current exhibition, Walking the Line, at Van Der Plas Gallery is a testament to the artist’s infectious aesthetic that impacted Haring and continues to captivate.

The image featured above, The Ultimate Masterpiece, was fashioned in 2022 with acrylic and marker on canvas. Several more images of artworks captured on my recent visit to the gallery follow:

Black and White Tondo, 2022, Spray paint and marker on canvas, 10″ x 10″

Vase, Sculpture

The Grand Master Tondo, 2021, Spray paint and marker on canvas, 10″ x 10″

Yellow on Blue, 2020, Acrylic on canvas, 57″ x 57″

Three Triangles, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 30″ x 40″

LA Crown, 2022, Acrylic on canvas, 24″ x 24″

Located at 156 Orchard Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Van Der Plas Gallery is open daily from 12pm – 5pm.

Note: You can check out the interview I conducted with Angel back in 2014 here.

Photos of artworks by Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

Self-described as a “NYC-based visually impaired Street-Pop artist with a vintage flair,” the lovely OG Millie primarily fashions infectious portraits of iconic international figures. Ranging from the Buddha to Biggie, they are customarily painted with brilliant hues onto vintage decorative mirrors, exuding a distinctly enchanting aura.

A wonderfully diverse sampling of the artist’s portraits were exhibited this past Wednesday at a reception held at Long Island City’s magical Paper Factory Hotel, celebrating the Queens launch of LG USA Mobile‘s impressive, new five-camera LGV40 ThinQ. Pictured above is OG Millie‘s rendition of the Buddha. Several more images follow:

The famed Brooklyn-based rapper Biggie Smalls

The legendary American rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix

The German-born brilliant physicist Albert Einstein

And all eyes upon her  — or the phone capturing her! –as she intently begins to paint live

Note: You can see the final piece painted live by OG Millie here.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

If you haven’t yet had your portrait drawn with one line in under one minute by the wonderfully passionate, nomadic Brooklyn-based 0H10 M1ke, tomorrow is your chance. From 6 – 10pm, Mike promises to do that and lots more at 198 Allen Street. Last week, we met up and caught up a bit.

When we last spoke in 2014, you said that your goal was to create 100,000 one-line matchbox portraits? Mine was 11,206! How close are you to your goal?

My most recent was #13,021! I’ve done quite a few at 17 Frost, at 198 Allen, on the trains, on the streets — anywhere I can!

How do you approach folks? And how do they respond?

I simply say, “Give me a New York moment; I’ll draw your portrait in one line on a matchbox in one minute.” They generally respond with skepticism. But once they see the portrait I’ve created, they like it.

In addition to your ongoing matchbox project, what other projects have engaged you as of late?

I’ve been preparing for my upcoming solo show and performance If Basquiat and Keith Haring had a baby…reimagining the works of Basquiat and Haring in one-line drawings. I’ve, also, been working on creating sculptures inspired by Warhol; instead of using Brillo boxes, I use Nike boxes. And I’ve been staging wrestling as dance, which will be projected –along with large portraits — onto a huge screen outside 198 Allen.

What inspires you to keep creating?

I’m compulsive. I have to. And people, the street art community in particular, have been welcoming and supportive.

Are there any particular artists out there who continue to influenc your aesthetic?

Obviously Haring and Basquiat. But other main influences include UFO and Neckface.

Anything else new — in terms of your art-making?

I’ve been getting my original drawings into hand-made books. I recently constructed a 3o-pocket rotating magazine rack, and I’ve filled it with all hand-made original artbooks and magazines. I also create on a larger variety of surfaces.

What’s ahead?

Murals, prints and reproducibles.

Good luck with it all!

Note: You can keep up with 0H10 M1ke here — now that he’s posting on Instagram!

Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky; all images courtesy of the artist

{ 0 comments }

Brimming with exuberant energy and stylishly striking images, HIGH & TIGHT, LA2‘s solo exhibition, is a cause for celebration.  Proclaimed by Keith Haring — with whom he had collaborated in the 80’s — as the “Graffiti King of the Lower East Side,” LA2 is tighter than ever. Pictured above is LA2 standing next to the exhibit’s curator and gallerist, Jonathan Satin. Several more images captured while I visited the space at 198 Allen Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side follow:

Installation of several canvases, sneakers, skateboard deck and more 

 

Several more artworks and memorabilia reminiscent of LA2’s collaborations with Keith Haring

Canvases, repurposed traffic sign, skateboard deck, guitar and collaboration with London-based Stik

 

You can join LA2 tonight — from 8-11pm — at 198 Allen Street. He promises “live painting and dancing” in celebration of Independence Day. And through Sunday’s 5pm closing, the space is open every day from 12-8pm

Photos: Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

en-play-badge 2

{ 0 comments }

Few artists capture the soulful grit of NYC as strikingly as Fernando Romero aka Ski and Mike Baca aka 2Esae, collectively known as UR New York. Their most recent exhibit, A New York Story — a captivating ode to NYC — has graced the walls of Pop International Galleries since early October.  Pictured above is a work of mixed media on canvas simply titled URNY. What follows are several more artworks that will remain on view through mid-week.

Day Dreaming, Mixed media on canvas

Backstreet, Mixed media on wood panel

Don’t Kill My Vibe, Mixed media on canvas

La Bodega, Mixed media on wood panel

Already Read, Mixed media on wood panel

Pop International Galleries is located at 195 Bowery at Spring Street and is open Mon-Sat 10-7 | Sun 11-6 and by appointment. Opening this coming Saturday night at 7pm is a two-man show featuring Sen2 and Reso. To attend the opening reception, RSVP at rsvp@popinternational.com .

Photos of artworks: 1 – 3, 4 & 6 Lois Stavsky; 5 courtesy of Pop International Galleries

Note: Hailed in a range of media from WideWalls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

en-play-badge 2

{ 0 comments }

basquiat

Among the diverse works on display in Fast Forward: Painting from the 1980s at the Whitney Museum are several by artists whose contributions to the graffiti and street art movement have been monumental. Pictured above is LNAPRK by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Here are several more:

Keith Haring, Untitled, Fiber-tipped pen on synthetic leather

haring

 Martin Wong, Closed, Acrylic on canvas; the artist’s extensive graffiti collection was the subject of City as Canvas at the Museum of the City of  New York in 2014

Martin-Wong-painting-Whitney

Kenny Scharf, When the Worlds Collide, Oil and spray paint on canvas against wallpaper adapted from Keith Haring mural at the Pop Shop

 kenny-scharf-and-keith-haring-painting

Kenny Scharf, close-up 

Kenny-Scharf-painting-whitney-museum

Fast Forward: Painting from the 1980s continues through May 14 at the Whitney Museum, 99 Gansevoort Street in the Meat Packing District. Check here for hours. Admission is Pay-What-You-Wish on Friday’s, 7-10 pm.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

Note: Hailed in a range of media from Wide Walls to the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available for Android devices here.

en-play-badge 2

{ 1 comment }

free-humanity-212-arts

From the plaintive to the playful, the artworks on exhibit in From the West Coast at 212 Arts intrigue. While visiting last week, I had the opportunity to speak to gallerist Mark Leader, who curated the exhibit:

Many of these artists are new to me. Just what is going on here?

This exhibit is a survey of various West Coast artists — largely from LA, San Francisco, Santa Monica and New Mexico.

Eddie-Colla-acrylic-spray-paint

There is certainly quite a diverse range of styles represented here. What spurred you to bring these artists to NYC?

It was an opportunity to introduce a brand new visual language to others. My sense is that the West Coast sensibility is quite different from ours.

Mike-Giant-212-arts

How did you first discover these artists?

Largely through Instagram. And I had worked with some of them before.

sket-one-212-arts

Were there any particular challenges in making this happen?

Just the logistics of transporting the art from the West Coast to here in the East Village.

Max-Neutra-acrylic-212Arts-NYC

How have folks responded to the exhibit?

They’ve responded positively with lots of curiosity!

bisco-Smith-212-arts

How can folks see the exhibit?

As there has been a pique of interest in the exhibit since these works were initially showcased, there will be a second launch this Thursday, April 21, beginning at 6 pm.

212-arts-invite

And what’s next for 212 Arts?

Opening May 6 is Round Trip, Emilio Ramos‘s first solo exhibit.

Interview and photos 1, 2, 4-6 Lois Stavsky

Images:

1. Free Humanity

2. Eddie Colla

3. Mike Giant

4. Sket One — on platform designed by Tracy 168, with Marc Leader on right

5. Max Neutra

6. Bisco Smith

Note: Hailed in a range of media from the Huffington Post to the New York Times, our Street Art NYC App is now available here for Android devices.

en-play-badge 2

{ 0 comments }

keith-haring-close-up-untitled-1984

Unlike so many of Keith Haring‘s playfully iconic works that exude a child-like innocence, the huge works on exhibit in Heaven and Hell largely suggest an eerie darkness and unfettered eroticism. Here’s a sampling:

Wide view of two untitled works, 1984

keith-haring

Untitled, 1985

Keith-haring-Untitled-1985

Untitled, 1984

keith-haring-untitled-artwork, 1984

Untitled, 1984

Keith-Haring-art

Heaven and Hell remains on exhibit at Skarstedt at 550 West 21 Street through next Saturday.

Photos of images: 1, 4 and 5 City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud; 2 and 3 Dani Reyes Mozeson. Note: First photo is a close-up from the huge mural below it (R).

{ 1 comment }

Betso-Mickey-Splash-PIQ

An extraordinary range of artworks in various media celebrating the iconic Mickey Mouse is currently on exhibit at PIQ at 8 Grand Central Terminal in the Shuttle Passage. Among the artists featured in Twisted Mouse are many who also grace the streets of our cities. I recently had the opportunity to speak to its curator, Sabina Nowik.

Can you tell us something about this exhibit? What is happening here?

It is a celebration of Mickey Mouse with dozens of works ranging from the quirky to the gruesome.

"Eric Orr"

Why Mickey Mouse? What is his significance to you?

Having lived and worked in Orlando, Florida, I’ve always had a special relationship with Disney’s characters. Mickey Mouse represents youth and fun!

Sienide

How did you bring such an extraordinary array of artists together? How did you find them all?

I knew some of the artists from the previous exhibit here at PIQ; some I discovered via word-of-mouth. And I did considerable online research.

"Mizz Zukie"

What was the experience like? Was it different from what you had expected?

It was very pleasant, as I had expected it to be. But the installation itself — incorporating everything from soft vinyl to triptych art — came together far more seamlessly than I had anticipated.

ChrisRWK

Note: Twisted Mouse continues through March, with many artworks to remain on exhibit through April. Hours: Monday-Thursday: 8-10 | Friday 8-11 | Saturday: 8-10 | Sunday 9-9.

Artworks

1. Betso, Mickey Splash

2. Eric Orr, Max with Mickey Ears

3. Sienide, Wickey Mouse

4. Miss Zukie, Stuffed Mouse

5. Chris RWK, Tourist Trap

Photo credits: 1 Sara C. Mozeson; 2 – 4 Lois Stavsky and 5 courtesy of the artist

{ 0 comments }