stencil art

STENCIL Continues at Dorian Grey Gallery through August 9: Lady Aiko, Icy & Sot, Blek le Rat, Chris Stain, Joe Iurato, Nick Walker, Solus & more

July 29, 2015

On view through August 9 at Dorian Grey Gallery in Manhattan’s East Village is an eclectic array of stencil-based compositions spanning 35 years. Among the 25 artists featured in the exhibit are several whose works are also presently on the streets of NYC. Here is a sampling of these artists’ pieces at Dorian Grey.

Lady Aiko, Drip Skull

Icy & Sot, Starlight

Blek le Rat, The Violinist

Chris Stain, Bukowski

Joe Iurato, Cosmic Kid

Nick Walker, I love New York

Solus, Dream Big

Located at 437 East 9th Street off Ave A, Dorian Grey Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday 12pm-7pm and Sunday until 6pm.

Photos: 1 Tara Murray 2-7 Dani Reyes Mozeson

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Amanda Marie Brings Her Alluring Storybook Characters to Welling Court, to 12C Outdoor Gallery and to Manhattan’s Quin Hotel

June 23, 2015

Colorado-based painter and stencil artist Amanda Marie has brought her alluring storybook characters to the streets of NYC and to the Quin Hotel.

At work at 12C Outdoor Gallery, on 12th Street and Avenue C

Completed mural at 12C Outdoor Gallery

Outside the Quin Hotel, as seen at night

And from, Good Story, her tantalizing exhibit of mixed-media works — whose titles suggest a somewhat subversive facet to her presumably innocent storybook characters — inside the Quin Hotel:

Drinking Partners

We Are Doing This Our Way

Bird-Riders, close-up

Curated by Hyland Mather and DK Johnston, Good Story remains on exhibit through mid-summer inside the Quin Hotel at 101 West 57th Street at Sixth Avenue.

Note: First image is at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens

Photos: 1, 4-6 Lois Stavsky; 2 Dani Reyes Mozeson; 3 & 7 Tara Murray

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Kids on Walls — Part VII: Gustavo Nénão, Joe Iurato, Stinkfish, Jef Aerosol and Danielle Mastrion

May 8, 2015

This is the seventh in a series of occasional posts featuring images of children that surface on our public spaces:

Gustavo Nénão in Chelsea

Joe Iurato in Jersey City

Stinkfish in Bushwick

Jef Aerosol at the Bushwick Collective

Danielle Mastrion in Staten Island with the Centrefuge Public Art Project

Photos: 1 City-As-School intern Zachariah Messaoud; 2, 3 & 5 Lois Stavsky; 4 Dani Reyes Mozeson

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Speaking with Mor

March 26, 2015

For the past several years, Mor‘s exquisitely-fashioned stencils have been surfacing on the streets of NYC and beyond. I had the opportunity to speak to Mor earlier this week at Con Artist, where she was preparing for tomorrow’s opening at City Bird Gallery.

When did you first get up on the streets? What was your medium at the time?

I started almost five years ago with hand-made stickers. And the following year, I pasted up my first one-layer stencil – a face looking upward — in Williamsburg.

What inspired you to work with stencils?

When I was in middle school, I was living in Bushwick — in its early stages of gentrification. I remember passing Swoon’s work on my way to school. Its beauty astounded me. She is my greatest inspiration. And C215’s amazing work – that surfaced in Brooklyn back then — also moved me to experiment with stencils.

What about the streets? What was the appeal of the streets to you?

I love the notion of creating something beautiful and just giving it to others.

Were you ever arrested back then?

I was once caught tagging with a black marker, and I ended up spending the night in jail. It is a risk that all street artists take.

How did your family feel about what you were doing?

They were positive, encouraging me to do what makes me happy.

Do you have a formal arts education?

I am, for the most part, self-taught. But my art teachers always encouraged me.

Any thoughts on the graffiti street art divide?

There definitely is a divide, and there will always be some kind of beef between graffiti writers and street artists. It’s not cool when a street artist goes over graffiti. Nor is it cool when a writer tags over street art. But I think the media – particularly the Internet – is partly responsible for the beef.

How do you feel about the role of the Internet in this scene?

It has definitely changed the playing field! It’s great that it gives permanence to a transient art form. But — on the negative side — it boosts a type of showmanship, while giving exposure to mediocre artwork.

What inspires you these days?

Much of my inspiration comes from my dreams. I’m also into mysticism.

Are there any particular cultures that have influenced your aesthetic?

Tribal ones have the most influence.

Have you collaborated with other artists?

I haven’t in the past, but I will be painting with Ian Bertram at City Bird in preparation for our joint exhibit.

How do you feel about the movement of street art and graffiti into galleries?

As my father is an artist, I grew up around galleries. I do think, though, that there is something sterile about galleries as compared to public spaces. Showing in a gallery is very different from getting up on the streets. And I don’t feel that the art world understands art — not just street art, any art!

How has your work evolved in the past few years?

The streets have energized me to keep pushing myself. I feel that I’ve grown so much in just finding my process.

Have you any preferred surfaces when you are out on the streets?

I love brick walls — the way art ages on brick walls. And I like smooth doors because they’re easy to use.

How would you describe your ideal working space?

At the moment I have my ideal working space — here at Con Artist. I love my Con Artist family. But I can imagine some day sharing a huge space with the extraordinarily talented Ian Bertram, a constant source of inspiration!

What percentage of your time is devoted to art?

As much time as I possibly can — when I’m not dealing with family responsibilities or bartending, my main source of income.

Any thoughts about the marketing of graffiti by the corporate world?

We all know that the corporate world is filled with scoundrels and pirates, but we also know that as artists, we need its financial support.

What do you see as the role of the artist in society?

It is the artist’s role to channel deeply seated emotions and creativity in a positive way. It is an essential role.

What do you see as the future of street art?

I have no idea where it’s going. There’s been too much hype around street art. But graffiti will always sustain. Someone will always be writing his or her name on a wall.

What’s ahead for you?

I just want to continue to channel my creativity into living a productive life as an artist, while engaging and, hopefully, enriching others. Tomorrow night I will be showing my newest pieces, alongside Ian Bertram, at City Bird Gallery.

Congratulations! That sounds great!

Photos: 1 and 7 City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud; 2, 4 and 5 Lois Stavsky; 3 Sara C. Mozeson & 6 Ian Bertram

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Damien Mitchell on Graffiti, Street Art, Prague, NYC, His Upcoming Exhibit at Low Brow Artique and more

March 12, 2015

Australian native Damien Mitchell has been gracing NYC walls with his wonderful talents since moving here two years ago. We visited him at his studio while he was readying for his solo exhibit — Tools of the Trade — opening tomorrow Friday, the 13^th, at Low Brow Artique.

When and where did you first share your artwork on a public space?

My first experience with graffiti was at age 8. I wrote ‘fuk’ on the underside of our family’s coffee table. I then blamed it on my two-year old niece, Alice.

What or who inspired you to do so?

I can’t remember — though it must have been important, as I still do it now and then. Alice is getting really sick of my shit.

Do you have a formal art education?

No.

How do you feel about the movement of works by street artists and graffiti writers into galleries? Have you exhibited your work in a gallery setting? If so, where and when?

It is what it is. When you take a work off a truck or wall and stick it in a gallery, it no longer moves like it does outside. It can’t sneak up on you or take you by surprise. That said, I am showing paintings at Low Brow Artique tomorrow, Friday the 13^th, from 6-9pm.

When did you come to NYC? What brought you here?

I first arrived five years ago to visit my wife’s family. I was only here for a few weeks, but I got a few walls up including one at 5Pointz – R.I.P. We moved over here for a longer term on Independence Day two years ago.

What are some of the specific challenges of working/living here in NYC as an artist?

Like anywhere, when you give your work away for free on walls — often times against the will of the building owner — things can get a little weird. Luckily, there are lots of walls to go around, and sometimes they even pay you for it.

Where else have you painted? Have you a favorite city?

When I was 18, I moved to Prague in the Czech Republic. I lived there for eight years painting everything I could. Say what you will about the hangover from the Soviet era but it sure left a lot of bare concrete walls. Also, I once painted my butthole blue just to see if it would change the color of my poop. It didn’t.

Any thoughts about the street art/graffiti divide?

Personally, I wear two hats. I think it’s nice to be able to drink beer in the summer time, while painting a wall at a block party somewhere, but it’s also fun as hell to run around writing shit on walls on the sly. Graffiti heads get all pissy because their work is illegitimatized by street art’s aesthetics and message.

How do you feel about the role of the Internet in all this?

When I was growing up in rural Australia, the Internet was the only way to see any of this stuff. If it wasn’t for sites like Stencil Revolution, I probably would have become a plumber or something.

Do you prefer working alone or painting with others? With whom have you collaborated? Is there anyone in particular with whom you’d like to collaborate?

For legal walls, I’m up for collaboration. There are things you learn and tips — you don’t realize you are giving — that make artists better when they work together. This last year I was lucky enough to work with Edob Love and Heesco painting a couple of walls here in NYC. Who knows what will pop up in 2015?

Do you work with a sketch in hand? Or do you just let it flow?

Both. When I’m painting a large portrait, I usually have some kind of sketch with me to start with, and then I let it go. Showing up to a wall with a big bag of paints and just emptying them all as it goes makes for some of my favorite work, though.

How has your artwork evolved during the past few years? Has living in NYC affected your aesthetic?

Since living in NYC, I’ve been offered larger walls, so I’ve had to significantly change how I work. For years I was painting primarily with stencils, but once the walls got big enough, I ditched them. As for aesthetic, I paint what’s around me, so the city and its residents constantly pop up in my work.

DM exhibit

What do you see as the role of the artist in society?

I don’t know what the role of the fine artist is, though the role of the graffiti artist — in my opinion — is to be the voice of social change. When there is nowhere to raise your voice, grab some paint and write it on the wall.

Can you tell us something about your exhibit that opens tomorrow at Low Brow Artique?

It’s called Tools of the Trade. A homage to graffiti, it celebrates the tools used by graffiti artists.

What’s ahead for you?

After spending some more time here in NYC, my wife and I are heading to Brazil. The more I look, the more I like!

Photo credits: 1. & 4. Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2. & 3. Lois Stavsky & 5. City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud

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Speaking with Bogota-Based Australian Artist CRISP in NYC

December 10, 2014

Currently based in Bogota, Colombia, the Australian artist CRISP continues to bring his vision to a range of spaces throughout the globe. We met up with him on his recent visit to NYC.

When did you first start painting on public surfaces? And where?

I’m a late bloomer, as back in Australia and during my time in the UK, I was mostly into sculpting and drawing. But when I moved to Bogota, I became very interested in getting my art out in the street. That was over five years ago now, and I never looked back.

Were there any particular folks who inspired you?

Definitely the Canadian graffiti writer Opek — who was living in Bogota at the time — as he encouraged me to get my art up in the street. Dj Lu / Juegasiempre was an important influence, great support and my favorite stencil artist. Also the local work of Toxicómano , Guache, Kochino, Senil, Vogel, Praxis and others certainly inspired me.

Do you have any preferred surfaces?

The great thing about the urban space is that it’s filled with different textures and surfaces. In terms of my stencils, though, I generally like flat concrete ones, as they’re easier to work with and brighten up an otherwise dull, grey corner of the city.

Any thoughts on the graffiti/ street art divide?

To me they are one and the same. I try not to get into the politics. Live and let live I say. It’s all expression, creativity and passion.

Have you any thoughts about the corporate world’s engagement with graffiti and street art?

I’ve never liked how corporations have always been able to impose their images on our urban environment while graffiti and street art are almost always deemed illegal. Public spaces are for everybody, not just for companies that want to make sales and money. I feel uneasy how private corporations now use urban art to sell their brand, but I also understand that artists need to earn a living!

How you feel about the role of the Internet in this scene?

It’s changed everything. So much more artwork is accessible to so many. It’s not just the people in a particular neighborhood or city who can enjoy the pieces now. It also helps bring awareness to a wider audience of street artists from countries that are less visited or unknown. Bogota has one of the most prolific and best urban art scenes in the world, but not many people know about it or visit.

Do you have a formal arts education?

Not in the formal institutionalized sense, but both my parents are artists, and I grew up around art all my life. My dad is a sculptor, and my mom is a traditional painter. They taught me a lot from a very young age.

How do they feel about what you are doing these days?

They love it. I’ve even turned my mom on to street art! When she came to Bogota, she painted some walls with me!

What’s the riskiest thing you’ve done?

Well, I did get stabbed in the hand during a robbery this year while photographing street art in a dodgy neighborhood in Bogota. I was stupidly doing the wrong thing in the wrong place, and I learnt the hard way! I had to paint with my left hand for a few months while my right hand healed.

What inspires you these days to keep getting your art up in public spaces?

I love the idea of sharing my work with a wider audience without the limitations galleries and internal private spaces impose. And I love it when folks discover my work by chance and enjoy it! I want to be a part of a city’s visual landscape – the one I live in and the ones I visit.

What’s your ideal working environment?

Working in areas of cities where my street art will impact passersby by adding something to their commute, walk or day. Every city and street has its own unique aesthetic and feel.

Has your aesthetic been influenced by any particular cultures?

I’m especially influenced by Asian cultures and by different tribal aesthetics from around the world. Also popular culture, current world events and the environment influence my work. My work is a mix of socio-political and solely visual expression.

How has your work evolved in the past few years?

I work on larger surfaces, and I’m experimenting more with different materials and subject matters. I’m doing more complex stencils and experimenting with mixing free style with stencils. Also, I’ve started doing more sculptural works in the street through my masks.

Would you rather work alone, or do you prefer to collaborate with others?

Both. It’s always fun to collaborate with other artists, as it can add something new to all our pieces. Among the artists I’ve collaborated with are: Ronzo, Pez, DjLu, Dast, Tarboxx2, Miko and Kochino.

Where else – besides Bogota and NYC – have you gotten up?

I’ve gotten up in London, Mexico City, Miami, Atlanta, Sydney, Alaska, Canada and the Dominican Republic. May favorite place by far, though, is Bogota, Colombia!

What do you see as the role of the artist in society?

To visually reflect a particular perspective of the history and culture of the times and place. The artist highlights a people’s social and political values in a way that’s aesthetically expressive and open to different interpretations.

What about the photographers and bloggers? How do you feel about them?

Urban art is continuously evolving, changing and disappearing. It’s important that it’s documented as eventually it won’t exist. And as I mentioned before, it helps people discover and learn about scenes and artists they wouldn’t generally access.

What’s ahead?

I want to keep painting and creating as much as possible. I want my work to keep evolving. I love combining my love of travel with street art, so I will keep mixing that up! My family and my art are the most important things in my life!

Interview by Lois Stavsky; photos 1, 2, 4 & 6 courtesy of the artist; photos 3 and 5 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn by Lois Stavsky

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Banksy in New York: Writer and Photographer Ray Mock Chronicles Banksy’s New York Residency

October 30, 2014

The following guest post is by Houda Lazrak, a graduate student in Museum Studies at New York University.

Last October, the British stencil artist Banksy paid an unexpected visit to New York City. And fervently chronicling the elusive artist’s daily workings — during his month-long residency — was writer and photographer Ray Mock. The founder of Carnage NYC, Mock presents — in Banksy in New York — a comprehensive and insightful account of the month that captivated us street art aficionados, along with so many other New Yorkers.

For each of Banksy’s pieces, Mock offers a short narrative, providing insights into the various sites and neighborhoods, as well as into the artworks and the reactions they elicited. Each account is complemented with a range of photographs — from selected close-ups to shots of strangers’ poses with the pieces.

In addition to chronicling the pieces that surface throughout the month, Mock shares first-hand insider anecdotes. We follow him on his adventurous rides to the designated locations and we meet some of the others out there — who, too, are obsessed with locating and photographing every Banksy piece that appears. Mock also offers us intriguing background information. He recounts, for example, how a half-joke by a local resident to charge for photographs of the East New York beaver stencil resulted in a price tag of $20 for each photograph shot that day.

As Banksy’s pieces — particularly those that are politically-motivated — are contingent on location, the local viewers’ reactions and interpretations are part of the process. Banksy’s piece, Ghetto 4 Life, in the Melrose section of the Bronx, for example, did not go over well with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, who had loved Banksy’s previous Ronald McDonald installation.

Despite all the attention Banksy’s residency received in the media, Mock provides us with something that was lacking — an overarching personal account of Banksy’s legacy on this city’s urban and social landscape. We speculate, along with Mock, on Banksy’s possible intentions and we embrace the artist’s uncensored creative expression.

In addition to the limited edition of the book — with a screen printed cover — which can now be purchased via Ray’s site, a new hardcover edition will be available for pre-order on his site starting on November 3. It will also be in bookstores by Thanksgiving.

All photos by Ray Mock

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Stencil Art Pioneer Blek Le Rat at the Quin and on NYC Streets

October 28, 2014

New works by the legendary French stencil artist Blek Le Rat – whose rats first surfaced on the streets of Paris in 1981 – can now be seen at the Quin on West 57^th Street and on the streets of our city.

Here are two more works from the exhibit Escaping Paris, curated by DK Johnston, at the Quin:

The Violinist

Obama

And the artist — captured — signing a spray can at a reception held earlier this month at the Quin

We, also, discovered the following two new pieces on the streets of Manhattan:

In Little Italy for the LISA Project

And the artist’s iconic portrait of Andy Warhol on West 57^th Street

The first image is a close-up from The Tango Dancers.

Photos by Dani Reyes Mozeson

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Bogotá Native Praxis Brings His Vision to NYC

October 24, 2014

Known for his socially conscious, often satirical, stencils that have surfaced throughout his native Bogotá and beyond, Praxis has lately been sharing his vision and talents with us here in NYC.

What inspires you to get your work out there on public space?

I love to paint anywhere, on any surface – but especially in places where I know that folks will appreciate it. I also like to paint in neighborhoods where there isn’t much art. Those are the spaces that need it. I like bringing cheer to others!

Have you any messages that you wish to convey in your artwork?

There is always some concept or message behind what I do. I’m especially concerned with animal rights and human injustice.

Are there any specific cultures that have influenced your aesthetic?

Certainly the culture in which I grew up in Bogotá. I’ve also been influenced by African culture and from what I read. I read a lot!

You’ve been in NYC for a few months now. Any particularly striking differences between painting here and back home in Bogotá?

Back home, there is more of an appreciation for artists who paint on the streets. The people love it. They bring us drinks and food, and they always make us feel welcome.

Any thoughts on the graffiti/ street art divide?

I don’t feel it. Many of the writers I know work with or alongside street artists.

How do you feel about the movement of graffiti and street art into galleries?

It’s a great opportunity for us to make money some money, although I often don’t like the attitude of some of the folks who run the galleries. And graffiti and street art really do belong on the streets!

Do you prefer working alone or collaborating with others?

Both; I enjoy the mix of different styles.

Is there any one artist with whom you would especially like to collaborate?

C215.

Any thoughts about the role of the Internet in this scene?

It’s useful.

Do you have a formal arts education?

I did study art formally – but just about everything I learned was by painting with other artists.

What’s the riskiest thing you’ve done?

Bombing in cities far from home – like Berlin.

Were you ever arrested?

Twice back home in Bogota. I ended up each time spending over 12 hours with drunks and thieves – but they all liked graffiti.

How would you describe your ideal working environment?

Painting in La Candeleria in downtown Bogotá.

What percentage of your day is devoted to your art?

All of it! When I’m not painting on the streets, I work as an illustrator.

Are you generally satisfied with your finished piece?

Of course!

How do you feel when you look back at the work you did a number of years back?

I feel that my skills have improved.

What do you see as the role of the artist in society?

To bring happiness to others.

What’s ahead?

I will be showing in STREET MURALS: An Exhibition, curated by Kevin Michael, opening this evening, October 24^th 6pm-11pm at Be Electric on 1298 Willoughby Avenue in Bushwick, BK.

What do you see yourself doing in five years from now?

I would just like to paint all day every day!

Interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky; images 1 and 5 courtesy of the artist; photo 2 by Lois Stavsky; photos 3 and 4 by Dani Reyes Mozeson

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