A hugely impressive production has recently transformed a wall on Bushwick’s Gardner Street, just off Flushing Avenue. Curated by Italian-born, Bronx-based graffiti aficionada Giulia Shine, this multifaceted production features murals, portraits, graffiti, throw-ups, tags and stickers—all paying homage to hip-hop culture. After visiting the wall, we were delighted to have the opportunity to pose a few questions to Shine.
What is the concept behind this production? It is hugely impressive!
The wall celebrates hip-hop culture and its five elements: Breaking, DJing, MCing, Graffiti Writing and Knowledge.
Who or what inspired this production?
My deep love for hip-hop culture, which brought me to NYC from my hometown in Italy. Martha Cooper’s and Henry Chalfant’s photos of painted trains have always been a huge inspiration. This wall is my way of saying thank you to hip-hop culture for shaping who I am. The wall also slowly evolved into a tribute to the important contributions of Puerto Ricans to hip hop.
How did you get access to this space?
When the artist Veng, who maintains the space, saw the wall I’d curated in Long Island City with EMPTYCANS, he challenged me to organize another one. Son Coro helped me sketch out the wall. But none of us expected such a huge production!
How did you decide which artists to approach?
As I sketched my vision on paper, I thought about the artists I know who are deeply involved in hip-hop culture. I chose among them based on their distinct styles and talents: Zwon for his detailed cityscapes; Wagner Wagz and Jaek El Diablo for their amazing characters; Bom5 and 3Modes for their old-school style; and Lucy for her illustration skills.
As the wall progressed, I brought in Zane and Mrs to represent the new generation of writers, along with Yes 1 and BG 183—both Bronx natives—to honor the Puerto Rican contribution to the culture.
Among those who tagged the piece were Cab, Coser, Henry Chalfant, Ree2, Ira, SJK 171 and Veng. Bombers included Stu, Drone, Loot, EXR, Werds and QZAR. KEST and Sten3 added stickers.
What challenges did you face in bringing the production to completion?
There were many. The first was the wall’s size and unusual structure. Creating a preliminary sketch and continually adjusting it was quite difficult. Other challenges included rainy weather, coordinating the artists’ schedules and keeping the stores’ rolling gates closed as much as possible.
I also had to find an affordable lift rental so I could cover my other expenses. Thankfully, the project received support from some amazing people: Omayra, Angelicae, Falsehood, Dirty Water, StreetArtNYC, Erestina, brooklyn.enthusiast, Sonny, DJ Blimey, Rossana, Ansha, LowBrow, Yough, Nelson Ortiz and Football Café.
How have folks responded to the production?
With great enthusiasm! Many passersby stop to photograph the wall or pose alongside it. Some recognize the characters depicted; others reminisce about their days as b-boys or writers. Models often pose against Zwon’s cityscape, and many writers stop by to check on the wall’s progress.
What’s next?
I’d love to secure walls of my own to curate. In the meantime, I’m curating another space with several artists I’d really love to see paint together. This time, though, they’re free to paint whatever they’d like!
Photos:
1 Jaek El Diablo, portrait of DJ Tony Touch; train by 3Modes
2 Wagner Wagz, portrait of Jorge Pabon aka Popmaster Fabel and Bom5
3 BG 183 at work
4 Lucy
5 Yes 1 at work
6 Henry Chalfant and Popmaster Fabel
7 Giulia Shine posing in front of her name written by Bom5
8 The complete wall
Photo credits: 1-3, 5 & 8 Lois Stavsky; 4, 6, 7, & 9 Giulia Shine
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