D*Face

Famed world-wide for its exciting night life, Downtown Las Vegas is also home to a rich array of murals fashioned by celebrated national and international artists. The image featured above was painted by the hugely talented Puerto Rican artist Alexis Diaz in 2013, the year that the annual Life Is Beautiful festival was born as part of “the major transformation of Downtown Las Vegas as a cultural hub.” What follows are several more images from the streets of Vegas captured on a recent visit by travel and street photographer Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad.

LA-native Tristan Eaton for Life Is Beautiful, curated by Just Kids, an award-winning, women-led art platform, 2016

 UK-based D*Face on the side of the Plaza Hotel & Casino for Life Is Beautiful, curated by Just Kids, 2017

Portuguese “trash” artist Bordalo II, for Life Is Beautiful, curated by Just Kids, 2018

Swedish artist Joakim Ojanen for Life Is Beautiful, curated by Just Kids, 2018

Chicago-based Kate Lewis, for Life Is Beautiful, curated by Just Kids, 2019

Photos by Karin du Maire aka Street Art Nomad 

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.

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The following guest post is by Houda Lazrak

On the facades of high-rise Parisian apartment buildings near the southern bank of the Seine are beautifully painted walls by some of our favorite local and international street artists. Paris’s 13th municipal arrondissement, a multicultural residential neighborhood — adjacent to Chinatown and home to France’s National Library — has become a street art destination in its own right, with a distinctive mural-driven identity. The 50+ walls works erected since 2009 are curated by Street Art 13, an initiative of Galerie Itinerrance‘s founder and director Mehdi Ben Cheikh, in collaboration with the local Mayor’s Office. The project has not only been fully embraced by local residents, but also officially celebrated by city’s government. The 13th municipal arrondissement Mayor Jérôme Coumet was awarded the distinguished Marianne d’Or in 2016 for his contribution to the city’s culture.

On a particularly frisky Parisian morning, I explored these streets to capture some of these works. Featured above are murals by the NY-based duo Faile, And I Held My Breath, and French artist Seth.

Seth, closer up

French artist Maye, Thau Pond

Austrian-French couple Jana and JS, Self-Portrait

West Coast-based Shepard Fairey, Delicate Balance

UK-based D’Face, Turncoat

French artist C215, The Cat

All photos by Houda Lazrak

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The following guest post is by Houda Lazrak

While in Mexico City shortly before the devastating earthquake, Roberto ShimizuCreative Director of The Antique Toy Museum of Mexico (MUJAM) and co-organizer of Mexico City’s street art festival All City Canvas, introduced me to over a dozen murals — mainly in the neighborhoods of Roma Norte, Doctores and downtown. Featured above is by Mexico City – based Curiot who — upon returning to Mexico City after living in the US —  painted a center for youth who struggle with difficulties within the traditional school system. What follows is a sampling of several more murals, organized by Roberto Shimizu, that I saw:

Arty & Chikle, the first gay street art couple to come out in Mexico City

Valencia-based Escif — at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, where the Tlatelolco massacre occurred on October 2, 1968. Students met in this plaza for a peaceful demonstration and reportedly hundreds of them were shot and killed when the military opened fired on them. The image depicts former Interior Secretary Luis Echeverría requesting President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz to order the shooting. Decades later, Echeverría was put on trial for the massacre.

UK-based D*Face

Mexico City-based Edgar Flores aka Saner

Mexico City-based Hilda Palafox aka Poni

LA-based El Mac on his mural: The image I painted is based on photos I took of a social activist and poet named María Guardado, who was tortured and left for dead in 1980 by government forces during the civil war in El Salvador. She was one of thousands of civilian victims of that war, during which the US-backed Salvadoran government employed death squads to kill and terrorize everyone from poor farmers to nuns to students. Maria survived and fled the country for Los Angeles, where today she is still a passionate fighter for social justice.

All photos by Houda Lazrak

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.

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Opening this coming Saturday, September 23, at Los Angeles’ Corey Helford Gallery is D*Face’s only U.S. solo show this year. The legendary UK-based artist — who has recently shared his talents with us New Yorkers in Downtown Manhattan with the Lisa Project NYC, at Coney Art Walls and at the Bushwick Collective — set out to resurrect romance in the contemporary era. Aptly titled Happy Never Ending, D*Face creates a family of dysfunctional characters, as he takes on such issues as illusive intimacy and conspicuous consumerism.

Regarding his new works, D*Face states: “For me this work is about the tragedy of losing someone you love. Not just in the physical sense of death but also in the metaphorical way that romance has become such an artificial thing in recent years. Courtship used to be a craft, something careful and considered; marriage was an everlasting bond of trust and commitment. Today, though, romance is comparable to a shop bought commodity – instantly attainable at the touch of a button or swipe of a screen. In a constant search for someone or something better, people treat others as if they were mere objects – infinitely attainable and instantly disposable.”

He continues: “With this new series of work I wanted to re-kindle the lost romance of a bygone era, back when, even in death, the memory of a loved one could last an eternity and a marriage went beyond just a symbolic gesture. For the show I want to construct a mini chapel where we can actually hold a real ceremony and a graveyard in which I want people to leave momentos to the people they have lost. If romance is truly dead, then I want to resurrect it for the modern age.”

By rethinking, editing and subverting imagery — such as currency, advertising and comic books — drawn from decades of materialistic consumption, D*Face transforms these now iconic motifs, figures and genres in order to gain new insight into today’s values.

Happy Never Ending‘s opening reception will be held this Saturday from 7-11pm in Gallery 1 at Corey Helford Gallery. The exhibit remains on view and is open to the public through October 21st.

Photo credit: Spraying Bricks, in-process shots from D*Face’s studio 

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.

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The following guest post is by Houda Lazrak:

Since 2010, the annual urban art festival, Santurce Es Ley, has been gracing the walls of the downtown San Juan district of Santurce, revitalizing it with dozens of distinctive works by local and global street artists. Here are several that I came upon on my recent visit:

London native D*Face and Puerto Rican artist Bik Ismo

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Puerto Rican native Abey Charron

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The Puerto Rican Collective El Basta

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West Coast – based Zio Ziegler

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Puerto Rican Collective Morivivi

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French artist Seth GlobePainter

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Puerto Rican artist David Zayas (top) and Buenos Aires-based Pastel

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All photos by Houda Lazrak

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.

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Pictured above is Argentine artist Felipe Pantone, painted for this year’s Mural Festival. Here are several more murals we captured on our visit to Montreal last week:

UK-based D*Face, 2016

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Montreal-based Xavier Raymond aka X-Ray, 2016

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Australian artist Reka, 2013

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Toronto native Troy Lovegates aka Other, 2013

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Tel Aviv-based Klone, 2016

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Belgian artist Roa, 2013

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Note: LOST PARADISE, a solo exhibit featuring the work of Xavier Raymond aka X-Ray will be on display at Montreal’s Station 16 Gallery from August 18th to September 10th.

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Photo credits: 1, 6 & 7  Tara Murray; 2-5 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.

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This is the 19th in an occasional series of posts featuring images of girls — and women — who grace NYC public spaces:

D*face in Manhattan

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Pixel Pancho in Manhattan

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Commodore in Brooklyn

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Faring Purth with Thievin’ Stephen in Brooklyn

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JR in Manhattan

JR-LES -street-art-nyc

Photo credits: 1 & 3 Lois Stavsky; 2 & 4 Tara Murray and 5 Dani Reyes Mozeson

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.

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Note: This blog will be on vacation through July 8. You can follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.

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This is the second in our series of NYC couples that were spotted around town. Pictured above is Dasic Fernandez as seen at the Bushwick Collective. Here are several more:

D*Face at the Bushwick Collective

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Mr. Nerds at the Bushwick Collective

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Jorit Agoch and Leticia Mandragora in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

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Faith 47 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

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Sipros, as seen earlier this year at the Bushwick Collective

sipros-street-art-Bushwick-Collective-nyc

 Photo credits: 1-3 Tara Murray; 4-6 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.

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In town this week for the SCOPE art fair, UK artist D*Face is gracing huge walls in Manhattan and Brooklyn with impressive, satirical murals.

In Williamsburg, Brooklyn

"D*Face street art mural in Brooklyn, NYC"

More after the jump!

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