Werc

Ad Hoc Art at the 9th Annual World Maker Faire New York with: Werc & Gera Luz, Outer Source, Jenna Morello, Cern & more

September 24, 2018

An exuberant celebration of “invention, creativity, curiosity and hands-on learning,” the 9th Annual World Maker Faire New York took place this past weekend on the grounds of the New York Hall of Science in Flushing, Queens. Among this year’s exhibitors was Ad Hoc Art, presenting live truck painting, along with live T-shirt screen printing. While there, I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to Ad Hoc Art owner and co-founder Garrison Buxton (pictured below with Maker Faire director Sabrina Merlo).

What an extraordinary event this is! So much is going on here — from inventive exhibits to immersive workshops to interactive hands-on learning. Can you tell us something about Maker Faire? Its mission?

Among its missions is to celebrate creativity, while inspiring inquisitive dreamers to realize and share their dreams in any number of fields — be they art, science, technology…

How did you become engaged with Maker Faire? What spurred you to participate in this year’s festival?

Geoff Taylor — whose brother I had previously worked with — approached me about participating in this year’s World Maker Faire New York. And since I love its approach to the concepts of both community-engagement and collaborative art-making, we’re here!

These trucks look great, and the kids who come by are fascinated by them. Why did you choose to use trucks as the canvas for this live art-making project?

I love their mobility, as so many people will have the opportunity to see them. And the art is likely to last.

How did you select which artists to include?

I wanted a balance of men and women, and they are all artists I’ve worked with in previous projects through Ad Hoc Art, including the Welling Court Mural Project.

How have folks responded to what you have brought to World Maker Faire New York?

The response has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic! And we’ve been awarded two blue ribbons from the festival’s organizers!

That’s great! I’m so looking forward to next year’s World Maker Faire New York!

Images:

Gera Luz (standing) in collaboration with Werc
Garrison Buxton with Sabrina Merlo
Outer Source at work
Jenna Morello
Cern posing in front of huge segment of his truck mural
Screen-printing by Peter J. McGouran

Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky; photos by 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.

{ 0 comments }

Artists Werc & Gera Luz Fashion Exquisite Jersey City Mural Featuring the Egyptian Goddess of Justice

August 7, 2017

A strikingly beautiful mural has surfaced across the street from the Jersey City Municipal Court. Spearheaded by the Jersey City Mural Arts Program, it is the work of the incomparable duo, Werc and Gera Luz. Contemplating the theme of justice, it features Maat, the Egyptian Goddess of Justice. Pictured above are the two artists at work. What follows are additional photos — all captured on site by street and travel photographer Karin du Maire.

Gera Luz, posing beneath Maat — the Egyptian Goddess of Justice — whom she remarkably resembles!

An admirer with a gift for Gera Luz

Close-up featuring the weighing of the heart with a feather — that determined the fate of the departed soul

Werc and Gera Luz pose in front of their completed mural

Special thanks to Karin du Maire for capturing and sharing these images.

{ 0 comments }

A Visit to GAMA, a Creative Urban Arts Space, in Mexico City

January 8, 2017

While in Mexico City several weeks ago, I had the chance to visit GAMA, a distinctly impressive artists’ space and gallery in Colonia Hipódromo, and speak to its founder, Daniel Martinez and his partner, Kas Chudleigh.

This is such a wonderful space with so much positive energy. Can you tell us a bit about GAMA? There are quite a few people here. Who are you?

We are a group of artists that seek to nurture each other and others by collaborating, offering workshops, showcasing our work and providing opportunities for creatives.

How long have you been in this particular space? It is ideal.

We’ve been here on the ground floor of Comitán 10, Hipódromo since June 30^th.

How would you describe GAMA‘s mission?

With a particular focus on street art and urban art, we work with a diverse group of graphic designers, illustrators, photographers and muralists. We perceive the GAMA space as an education and resource center that offers a wide range of events, talks and exhibits, along with opportunities to collaborate with brands.

Can you give us some examples of the workshops offered here?

Upcoming workshops include: watercolor painting with Diego Andrad; working with 3-D in the gif format with Chacalall, and designing illustrations with Yolka Mx.

You’ve also curated outdoor murals. I visited the one painted by Werc and Gera Luz earlier today. When did you first become interested in street art?

In 2005 — over 10 years ago — I started creating stickers and wheatpastes. I also began following online what was happening throughout the globe, and then I spent time in Berlin and Barcelona, where I saw so much amazing art on public spaces.

What would you say is your greatest challenge at this point?

The major one is attaining the support we need to maintain the space.

What’s ahead? Any particular projects — besides all the wonderful things happening here?

We’d like to produce a series of documentaries about some of the artists we work with. We are especially interested in the creative process. What motivates and inspires artists? We’re also interested in establishing alliances with different cultural projects in Mexico and connecting to more emerging artists.

It all sounds great! How can folks contact you if they would like to visit or become involved?

They can contact us at contacto@gamacrea.com. They can also follow us on Instagram and on Facebook.

Images

1. Toxicómano

2. Root Rises

3. Yolka Mx

4. Werc and Gera Luz

5. Gleo

Photos and interview by Lois Stavsky

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

{ 1 comment }

Faces in NYC Open Spaces, Part XII: Werc, Vexta with Askew, Joel Artista, LMNOPI, Cern, Thiago Valdi and Leticia Mandragora

November 12, 2016

This is the twelfth in a series of posts featuring the range of faces have surfaced in NYC open spaces:

Werc in Bedford-Stuyvesant with the Open Society Foundations

Vexta and Askew in Williamsburg for the Greenest Point, one fragment of huge mural

Joel Bergner aka Joel Artista in Bellerose, Queens with the DOT

LMNOPI in Long Island City with Arts Org

Cern in Williamsburg, close-up

Thiago Valdi in Staten Island with the NYC Arts Cypher

Leticia Mandragora, Bushwick

Photo credits: 1, 3 & 7 Tara Murray: 2, 4-6 Lois Stavsky

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

{ 0 comments }

Curious Characters on NYC Streets, Part VIII: Mike Lee, Werc, Elle with the London Police, Buff Monster, Binho and Esteban del Valle

January 23, 2016

This is the eighth in a series of occasional posts featuring some of the curious characters that surface on NYC streets:

Mike Lee in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Werc, close-up in Long Island City

Elle and the London Police on Manhattan’s Lower East Side

Buff Monster at the Bushwick Collective

Binho in Long Island City

Esteban del Valle at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Photo credits: 1, 3 & 5 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2, 4 & 6 Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

Guys on NYC Walls, Part VIII: Swoon, JR, Sipros, Os Gemeos, Werc with Gera Luz, Rob Plater and Crash with Solus

January 5, 2016

This is the eighth in an occasional series featuring images of males who surface on NYC public spaces:

JR in Soho

Sipros in Midtown Manhattan with the Bushwick Collective

Os Gemeos on the Lower East Side

Werc and Gera Luz in LIC with the Welling Court Mural Project

Rob Plater in Bushwick with JMZ Walls

Crash and Solus with the Lisa Project in Noho

The first image features Swoon in Red Hook

Photo credits: 1, 5-7 Tara Murray; 2-4 Lois Stavsky

Note: This blog will be on vacation through next Wednesday, January 13. You can follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.

{ 1 comment }

Writing on the Walls in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Part I with: Werc, El Nino de las Pinturas, Eelco, BK Foxx, Lexi Bella, Fumero and N Carlos J

August 31, 2015

Conceived and facilitated by N Carlos J — noted artist, community revitalizer and founder of Brooklyn Is the Future — Writing on the Walls is a Brownsville-based mural arts initiative. Inspired to launch this project for his father, a Brownsville native who was diagnosed with cancer last year, N. Carlos’s Jay has engaged over a dozen artists in transforming his dad’s former stomping grounds into a vibrant outdoor canvas.

Another close-up from Werc and El Nino de las Pinturas

Eelco, close-up

BK Foxx based on photo by Bytegirl

Lexi Bella

Fumero

N Carlos J

Note: This blog will be on vacation through mid-September. You can follow us on Instagram and on our Facebook page. Part II of Writing on the Walls to be featured on our return.

Photo credits: 1, 4 & 6 Tara Murray; 2, 3, 5 & 7 Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

Section I Project in Baltimore with: Werc, Rubin, Billy Mode, Nether, Adam Estes, Adam Stab, La Anarchy, Kike Castillo & Jesse Kuzniarsk

August 18, 2015

While in Baltimore earlier this month, I stumbled upon an intriguing medley of murals just a few steps from Station North. I soon discovered that they were sponsored by Section 1, an ambitious urban art project aimed at transforming an adjacent abandoned 3.5-acre site into a huge urban art park with over 70,000 square feet of paintable surfaces. Here are a few more murals I sighted that day, some of which are certain to have been repainted in this open-air revolving canvas.

Baltimore native Nether

New Orleans native Adam Estes

Baltimore-based Adam Stab

La Anarchy

Baltimore-based Colombian tattoo artists Kike Castillo and Jesse Kuzniarsk

Note: The first image pictured is a collaborative mural by Werc, Rubin and Billy Mode

Photos by Lois Stavsky

{ 0 comments }

The Bushwick Collective Readies for Its Annual Block Party: Jerkface, Owen Dippie, Solus, The Toasters, Werc & Gera Luz, MCA, Ghost & more

June 5, 2015

The Bushwick Collective is once again home to a range of first-rate local and global artists, as it readies for its fourth annual block party. Here are a few more images we’ve recently captured:

New Zealand-based Owen Dippie

Dublin-based Solus

UK’s The Toasters

Mexican native Werc and Peruvian native Gera Luz

MCA with Skize

The legendary Ghost, RIS

The Block Party, sponsored by Kobra Paint takes place tomorrow, Saturday, at Saint Nicholas Avenue and Troutman Street right off the Jefferson stop on the L line.

And — in addition to the art — there will be much more!

For a wonderful introduction to the Bushwick Collective, check out this short video produced for the Tribeca Film Festival. The Bushwick Collective is also featured on the Google Cultural Institute.

Note: First photo features Jerkface.

Photos: 1-3 Lois Stavsky; 4 & 6 Tara Murray; 5 & 7 City-As-School intern Diana Davidova.

{ 0 comments }

TAG Public Arts Project Adds Visual Intrigue to the Bronx with Marthalicia Matarrita, Raquel Echanique, Sexer, SinXero, See TF, Col, Werc, Daek William, Damien Mitchell, Chris Stain, Billy Mode and Zimad

August 27, 2014

Under the curatorial direction of Tag Public Arts Project founder, SinXero, the walls on and off the 6 line in the South Central section of the Bronx have become one of the borough’s visual highlights. Loved by both local residents and passersby, these murals, in fact, are now incorporated into an official tour of the Bronx. Here is a small sampling of what can be seen:

Marthalicia Matarrita and Raquel Echanique