sticker art

Sticker-art-NoLita-NYC

This is the fifth in a serious of occasional posts documenting the range of stickers — from the playful to the political — that surface on NYC public spaces. The one pictured above by Rx Skulls was spotted on the Lower East Side. Here are several more:

Unidentified artist on the Upper West Side

Upper-west-side-sticker-art-nycjpg

Chris RWK and K-Nor on the Lower East Side

robots-will-kill-sticker-art-nyc

Todd Colby with a question in Chelsea

Todd-colby-sticker-nyc

Colombian artist Nany Coy in East Harlem

nanny-Coy-rat-sticker-East-Harlem

Bines on the Lower East Side

Bines-sticker-art

RAE BK in Bushwick

rae-sticker-bushwick

Trump — with creative Nazi insignia — spotted on the Lower East Side; artist to be identified 

trump-as-nazi

A political statement on the Upper West Side

political-sticker-NYC

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.

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sticker-collage-fridge-dc

Currently on view at the FridgeDC is DC Street Sticker EXPO 3.0, an extraordinary ode to street art stickers. Curated by iwillnot and hosted and sponsored by the Fridge Gallery, it features over 100,000 striking stickers. They’re all here: handsome handstyles, curious characters, political posits and social statements. While in DC, I had the opportunity to speak to iwillnot.

When did you first become involved in the sticker art culture? And what attracted you to it?

It was about ten years ago. I liked the way I could easily transport stickers in my pockets and get them up quickly on the streets.

And what was it about the streets that appealed to you?

Getting my name and message across in a public space.

trump-sticker-art-fridge-dc

This is the third sticker art exhibit that you’ve curated at the FridgeDC. What inspired you to bring it indoors?

My son was born five years ago. I no longer had the time to hit the streets. Nor could I take the legal risks. DC’s laws are harsh. One can get fined $1,000.00 and be sentenced to 3o days in jail just for getting a slap up.

Gee… And with Trump here, the penalties could get even harsher.  How does this current exhibit differ from the previous two that you curated?

This is the first one that covers the entire gallery. There’s been more involvement, and — with a six-week run — it will be the longest-running sticker expo that I’ve curated.

trump-and-more-sticker-art

What were some of the challenges involved in curating such a huge exhibit?

It’s quite costly. Getting something like this together is expensive. And it demands endless hours of work, including time spent training volunteers.

How were you able to collect so many stickers? There are tens of thousands here!

When I first started posting my stickers online, Skam reached out to me to trade stickers. I’ve been trading with artists all over the world ever since. Every participant in the expo gets a return pack from me. It takes months to get them mailed out… but a trade is a trade.  After years of trading with artists I have hundreds of thousands of stickers.

dont-trump-women-and-more-sticker-art

And how do you keep track of them?

I document each and every entry. I tag each one and acknowledge receiving it.

That must be some task!

It’s a year-round lifestyle.

political-sticker-art-and-more

How has the response been to this show? The opening was packed with folks of all ages!

The reaction has been great. People seem to have discovered an untapped passion for this art form. All year round, I’m asked about the “next sticker expo.”

How can folks see the exhibit?

It continues through New Years Eve at the FridgeDC, 516 1/2 8th Street SE, and is open Thursday-Saturday 1–8pm & Sunday 1-5pm.

dc-sticker-expo

Great! I’m already looking forward to next year’s!

Note: Among the many artists featured in the above close-ups are: SkamBeas, Klozr, Jamie XV, Ed Geiniwillnot Hugh BrismanSarah JamisonSladge & Konjak, 2front, Psyco, Nikolay Milushevda_weiss, 702er, P Lust, Zas, Chris RWK, nite owl, Feln One,…(more to come!)

Photo credits: 1 Tara Murray; 2 – 6 Lois Stavsky; interview by Lois Stavsky

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edec1-sticker-art

Opening next month on Wednesday, November 18th is round two of the Con Artist Collective‘s hugely successful ‘slap’ sticker show. While visiting its space at 119 Ludlow Street on Manhattan’s Lower East Side earlier this week, I had the chance to speak to Con Artist Collective’s Brian Shevlin.

What prompted you to launch a second round of Slap?

We had gotten such an enthusiastic response to our first sticker art show two years ago. And folks kept on asking us, “When are you doing another Slap show?”

You, yourself, are quite a sticker aficionado. What is the appeal of sticker art to you?

With just a sharpie and a shipping label, anyone can become a street artist. And a handmade sticker is such an intimate object of art! I also love the way the sticker art culture brings together such a wide range of creative people from graffiti writers to fine artists, all of different backgrounds.

Klops_roger2

What would you say is the mission of Slap 2?

We are looking to involve a lot of the artists who didn’t participate in our first Slap show. And this exhibit is our way of celebrating and showing respect to the sticker culture.

How might this next sticker exhibit differ from your first one?

It will differ in scope and scale. We’ve put together an incredible team, with help from Robert Aloia of Outlaw Arts, Hugh Burckhardt and Paul Arbs from Urban Hooker. We are hoping to bring over 500 artists on board. And we will have sticker packs available for purchase.

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How can folks submit stickers to Slap 2?

They are to fill out this form, and then drop off or mail their handmade stickers to: Con Artist Collective, 119 Ludlow Street, New York, New York. They can find additional information on our website.

What is the deadline for submissions?

They have until November 13th.

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 What’s ahead?

We will travel the world! Our first Slap exhibit has already traveled to Sri Lanka and is heading to Singapore and Bangkok. It will continue to travel with new submissions added. And we will, once again, publish a zine.

Slap2-ConArtist

What a great opportunity for artists! This sounds wonderful!

Note: The exhibit will open on November 17th with an opening party and end on November 28th with a closing party.

Images of works submitted for Slap 2: 1. Edec1 2. Klops 3. Kenji Hirata 4. Whut

Interview by Lois Stavsky

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Motohiro-Nezy-sticker-sticker-bomb-skulls

Researched and edited by Ryo Sanada and Suridh Hassan of Studio Rarekwai, Stickerbomb Skulls is an extraordinary collection of skull stickers certain to appeal to those of us who love street art. Ranging from the humorous to the morose, the stickers included in the newest addition to the Stickerbomb peelable sticker book series encompass an array of styles and cultures.  And as Finland’s  Micke Nikander – whose image is the first one featured in the book — suggests, the skull is the one thing we all share as it “follows us from cradle to grave.”

Micke Nikander

Micke-Nikander-sticker-skull

Colombian artist Matacho Descorp

"Matacho Descorp"

Australian artist Mike Watt

"Mike Watt"

Singapore-based artist One Two Delta

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Welsh artist Mr. Kobo

"Mr. Kobo"

Here in NYC, the Stickerbomb peelable sticker book series, published by Laurence King, is available at StrandBarnes and NobleMcNally Jackson and at the Museum of Modern Art Bookstore.

"Stickerbomb Skulls"

 Book review by Dani Reyes Mozeson; first two stickers — Run DMC & the Notorious Big — by Japanese artist Motohiro Nezu

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This is the fourth in a series of occasional posts showcasing sticker art that surfaces on an array of NYC public surfaces:

Screwtape’s homage to Army of One

Screwtape

Skullphone goes small

Skullphone

One of Kosby‘s many musings

Kosby

Fling’s curious creature

Fling

RAE’s lovable, zany character

RAE

Faust‘s calligraphic handstyle

Faust

Milwaukee-based RealAbstract‘s magnetic sticker

"Real Abstract"

CB 23’s now-iconic character in the rain

"CB 23"

Zato’s much-loved fellow

Zato

And for those stickerheads who’d like to participate in the upcoming Sticker Nerds 3, organized by the inimitable Skam Sticker, the deadline to get your slaps in is this Friday, March, 14th.  Send them to Sticker Nerds 3, Post Office Box 13492, Portland, Oregon 97213.

sticker-nerds-3

Photos of NYC sticker art by Lenny Collado, Dani Reyes Mozeson and Lois Stavsky

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Featuring a wondrous array of sticker art from first-rate handstyles to images of alluring women, SLAP: Adhesives and Egos, a DIY Sticker Exhibition opened this past Wednesday evening at Con Artist Gallery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Here are some images from the exhibit that continues through April 3 at 119 Ludlow Street.

Lady Millard

Lady Millard sticker

Luv1

Luv1 Sticker Art

Choice Royce

Roycer sticker art

Lady Aiko

Lady Aiko sticker art

WKST

WKST sticker

Shaina

Shaina sticker art

Klops

Klops sticker art

Amongst Thieves

Amongst Thieves sticker

Serp 

Serp sticker art

And from Wednesday evening’s opening party

Con Artist Gallery

Opening Party at Con Artist

Check us out on Facebook next week for more sticker images from the exhibit.

Photos by Dani Mozeson & Lois Stavsky 

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This is the second in a series of posts showcasing NYC’s stylish stickers that surface on an array of public surfaces:

Tokyo native Lady Aiko

Aiko street art

NYC-based Read

Read sticker

Harlem-born artist and curator Choice Royce

Choice Royce

Chicago-based Don’t Fret

sticker

The ubiquitous KA and MTK 

KA and MTK

Jos 1’s signature style

Jos 1 stickers

Zato’s character in one of his many poses

Zato sticker

 Photos by Lenny Collado, Dani Mozeson & Lois Stavsky

 

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Boasting first-rate hand styles, cunning commentary and intriguing characters, the stickers that surface on NYC streets are among the best anywhere. Here is a brief sampling:

Australian born painter and installation artist Anthony Lister

Anthony Lister

First-rate hand stylist(s) Aidge and Serch

Aidge

Queens-based artist, curator and educator Alice Mizrachi aka AM

Alice Mizrachi

One of Curly’s playful statements — though usually handwritten

Curly

Brooklyn-based artist RAE

RAE

NYC’s prolific Katsu

Katsu

The legendary NYC-based artist Billi Kid in collaboration with the Russian-born graphic designer and illustrator Street Grapes

Billi Kid and Street Grapes on sticker

 Photos by Lenny Collado, Dani Mozeson, Tara Murray and Lois Stavsky

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