This is the eleventh in a series of occasional posts featuring the diverse range of trucks and vans that strike our streets.
Wane in Manhattan
Cone in the Bronx
Magda Love in Bushwick for JMZ Walls
Crane in Washington Heights/Inwood
Sienide in the Bronx
Photo credits: 1. Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2-4 and 6. Lois Stavsky; 5. Tara Murray
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I caught up with Bogota native Lorenzo Masnah — aka AEON and Third World Pirate — last week in his Bushwick studio as he was readying to head to Chicago’s Galerie F to join Stinkfish, Zas and Buytronick in preparation for APC’s first exhibit in the U.S.
You are leaving in a few hours for Chicago. What’s happening there?
I will be working with Stinkfish, Zas and Buytronick to produce a series of collaborative works. Each of us has a distinct graphic language and they all will come together on an array of surfaces – from found objects to huge outdoor murals — for this exhibit at Galerie F. Drawings, paintings, zines, shirts and all kinds of APC paraphernalia will be on sale at the gallery. The exhibit opens to the public on Friday, January 30.
Can you tell us something about APC? What does it mean? When did you guys all meet?
The crew originated almost ten years ago back in Bogota with a few artists who participated together in festivals. These days we have over 50 members representing APC throughout the entire world. The acronym has many different meanings. Its principal one is Animal Power Cult, as animals play an essential role in our individual and common aesthetic.
What about you? You seem to have three distinct identities. I primarily associate you with Third World Pirate as I remember watching you paint your iconic pirate almost ten years ago in Bogota. But there everyone seems to refer to you as AEON. And, here in NYC, I’ve come to think of you as Lorenzo Masnah.
I’ve been obsessed with pirates and drawing them in endless variations since I was a child growing up in Bogota. That explains Third World Pirate! He is the one character who always travels with me. AEON is my acronym for Al Estilo Orto Nombre (Another Name for Style) – as I began getting up back in 2002 in Bogota with distinct one-line drawings. And I adopted the name Lorenzo Masnah when I had my solo show at Fuse Gallery in 2013.
Among the highlights of your solo show at Fuse Gallery were your refashioned images of beautiful Mexican women. That is another theme that resurfaces in your work. Can you tell us something about that? You seem to be quite obsessed with Mexican ladies!
Yes, for years I’ve been collecting Mexican erotic magazines dated from the early 1950s. This past year, in fact, while visiting Mexico, I discovered in a used book store in Puebla a huge stack of 45 records with covers fashioned from these vintage magazine pictures. I bought them all! And I am now working with them, recreating them with images that transcend that specific era.
Why do you suppose these images so engage you?
I love their pure innocence, their nostalgic beauty! And they represent so much of what we are missing in our era of Internet dating, where romance has lost its essence. And I’ve also always loved working with recycled materials. It is my way of preserving the past, as I create a visual encyclopedia of aesthetics and issues that speak to me – and, hopefully, to others.
What’s ahead?
After Chicago, we plan to travel out West and then return to NYC for APC’s first East Coast exhibit.
It all sounds great! We look forward to seeing you guys in NYC.
Note: Animal Tricks opens this Friday, January 30, at 6 pm at Galerie F. Located at 2381 N Milwaukee Ave in Chicago IL. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 AM to 6 PM.
Interview by Lois Stavsky. Photos: 1. AEON paints in Chicago, courtesy Galerie F; 2. flyer for exhibit, collaborative by featured APC artists; 3. APC in NYC with AEON, Zas, Rimx and Arepa photographed by Tara Murray; 4. AEON on canvas photographed by Lois Stavsky; 5 – 7. APC in Chicago courtesy Galerie F.
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A range of comic characters — from Calvin and Hobbes to Snow White to Batman — have made their way onto NYC walls. Here are a few:
John Matos aka Crash in the South Bronx for the Tag Public Arts Project
Ozmo in Little Italy for the LISA Project
Jerkface in Bushwick
Mr OneTeas at the Bushwick Collective
See One at the Bushwick Collective
Photos 1, 4 – 6 by Lois Stavsky; 2 by Tara Murray & 3 by Dani Reyes Mozeson
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Often showcasing artworks by diverse street artists – from DALeast to Ludo to Meres – the wall outside rag & bone has also featured various artists who don’t generally share their visions in public spaces. For the past several weeks we have been treated to a selection of pages from the journals of Rainer Judd, the daughter of the late artist Donald Judd,
Close-up from “Sunlight on the Iguanas.” Book no. 6, Black Leather Silver Corner, 1987- 1989 — as seen last week
“The idea was to see books on the wall, changing pages,” Rainer explains. “I’ve been filling journal books since I was 11. On November 16, 2014, I brought Swiss bags full of these books to photographer Henry Leutwyler and Javas Lehn. With a focus on the graphic quality of them as objects I could see them differently. For me, journals are a place of dialogue with myself, a testing ground for ideas, a pal, a repository for the stuff of the highway of my heart. This is a small window into a deep archive.”
Here are some pages from Rainer Judd‘s journal that surfaced in December
Then earlier this month
And through the end of this month, you can check out the final piece now outside rag & bone on Elizabeth Street off 73 East Houston.
Photos 1-3 by Dani Reyes Mozeson; 4 courtesy rag & bone’s Houston Wall Project and 5 by Lois Stavsky
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A specialized new online gallery certain to appeal to us street art aficionados, Cluster Wall launches tomorrow evening with an exhibit and party at 17 Frost in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We recently had the opportunity to speak to Cluster Wall’s founder, Evan Tobias.
What is Cluster Wall? Why that name?
It is a term I respond to! As an art-lover and collector, I tend to cluster art of all colors and styles in our Brooklyn apartment. The results are vibrant, bold and kinetic, like New York City, itself!
What is your mission in launching Cluster Wall?
My mission is to provide art lovers with the opportunity to purchase first-rate, hand-embellished affordable art. There will not be any ink jet prints. All of the artworks will be signed and numbered, and editions will be limited. Prints will be released in a series of 100 or fewer. And, in addition, a small number of original works will also be made available.
What work experiences do you bring with you to your current position?
I was the founder and editor of Block Magazine, and founder of the Full Circle Bar in Williamsburg.
Most of the artists — whose works you will be exhibiting and selling — are active on the streets. Why the focus on street art?
I’m a big fan of street art. I’ve been living in Williamsburg since 2001, and I’ve seen how street art has enhanced my neighborhood. It has made it a better place to live. But Cluster Wall is not limited to street artists. I will be releasing artworks by other contemporary urban artists, as well.
How did you decide which artists to work with?
I started off by contacting artists I know, and then I was connected to some others. I was specifically looking for artwork that I love that would also work well as prints.
Can you tell us something about this weekend’s exhibit? What can we expect to see?
We will be featuring prints and original artworks by Chris RWK, Joe Iurato, Rubin, ASVP, Elle, The Drif, London Kaye, Solus, Opie and ORYX, along with collaborative works by John Paul O’Grodnick and Jilly Ballistic, who will also be painting live.
What is Cluster Wall bringing to the art scene?
It provides art lovers with the opportunity to collect outstanding, innovative artwork at modest prices.
That all sounds great! Good luck!
Note: The launch begins at 7pm tomorrow — Saturday — at 17 Frost Street and will feature, along with dozens of artworks, music by DJ Nigel Rubirosa and refreshments provided by Lion Beer and Sea Grape Wines.
Interview conducted by City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud.
Photos
1. Chris RWK
2. Cluster Wall founder Evan Tobias, seated in front of artwork by London Kaye
3. The Drif
4. John Paul O’Grodnick and Jilly Ballistic
5. Joe Iurato
All photos courtesy Cluster Wall, except for pic of Evan by Lois Stavsky
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This is the 15th in an occasional series of posts featuring images of girls — and women — who grace our public spaces:
David Cooper in Bushwick
Cern in Greenpoint, close-up
Mag Magrela on the Lower East Side
Caratoes in Bushwick
Andre Trenier in the Bronx
Dasic Fernandez at Welling Court in Astoria, Queens
Photos: 1 and 5 by City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud; 2-4 and 6 by Lois Stavsky
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We’ve been noticing more and more subway trains on walls down in Brooklyn and up in the Bronx. Here’s a sampling:
Damien Mitchell for the Bushwick Collective
Downer Jones in Bushwick
Bella Amaral in Bushwick for JMZ Walls
Danielle Mastrion in Bushwick for the Dodworth Street Mural art project
Dek 2DX in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx
Shiro in Bushwick for JMZ Walls
Cern in Williamsburg
Photos: 1, 2, 4 and 6 by Lois Stavsky; 3 by Tara Murray; 5 by City-as-School intern Zachariah Messaoud and 7 by Dani Reyes Mozeson
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This is the eighth post in an occasional series featuring artwork on NYC shutters:
Sweet Toof on the Bowery for the LISA Project
With Darkclouds
Ben Eine in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx
Ramiro Davaro in the Bronx for the Tag Public Arts Project
Kashink in Bushwick
The Drif on the Lower East Side for the LISA Project
Buff Monster on the Bowery
Photos 1, 2, and 7 by Tara Murray; 3 and 4 by Lois Stavsky; 5 and 6 by Dani Reyes Mozeson
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With Sheryo and the Yok completing the missing letter — S — , the B-U-S-H-W-I-C-K mural at the Bushwick Collective is now complete. Here are some images:
Sexer at work after completing the letter ‘B.’ Letter ‘U’ by David Louf aka June1 to its right
Sheryo and the Yok, the letter ‘S’
Dasic Fernandez at work on the letter ‘H’
Billy Mode at work on the letter ‘W’
Eelco ’Virus’ Van den Berg, the letter ‘I’, with Bushwick Collective founder and curator Joe Ficalora to its right
John Matos aka Crash, the letter ‘C’
Zimad at work on the final letter, ‘K’
With some additions
Photo credits: 1, 4 & 7 by Dani Reyes Mozeson; 2, 3, 5, 6 & 8 by Lois Stavsky
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Back in September, a huge orange carrot surfaced on the streets of Williamsburg. We soon discovered it was the work of the Italian artist Nemo Tibi Amat, whose distinctly curious aesthetic was on view at Exit Room NYC at the time. Eager to find out more about it all, we posed some questions to her.
Why a carrot? What does the carrot represent?
Because it makes me smile, and it makes other people smile. I think of it as a kind of Carrot Therapy. Also, the carrot fits wonderfully into our urban architecture. It can be vertical or horizontal; it can be whole or chopped. There will always be a place for it.
When was your carrot first born?
Everything was born some years ago. At the beginning, I used to paint a fat radish instead of the letter O when I wrote my name. Then when I began doing rollers, I replaced the letters with the carrot. Even a child who can’t read can recognize a carrot.
What about the carrot on a cross that I saw over at Exit Room? What does that represent?
It’s the sacrifice. Anyone who aims to change the world by fighting against the system — with his or her own powers — is a Jesus on Earth. He wasn’t the only one crossed, as so many were, are and continue to be in many other ways. He’s just the most famous, because apparently his father was a god! The real crucified carrots that I use represent the inevitable decay of the body. After death, there is no resurrection.
And your burqa? It’s such an intriguing, powerful image. What does it represent?
Since I began painting — back in 1995 — I’ve had to deal with hiding and covering myself. I’m fascinated by the relationship between one’s interior self and the exterior world. And I love playing with the concept of protecting your body by hiding it. Covering your face can be a choice, but sometimes it is a necessity — a rule that others impose on you. Through my burqas, masks and balaclavas, I also tell stories that range from personal experiences I’ve had with real people to secret urban legends. If you scratch away the plasticine on my scratch card artworks, you can win my face.
What about your characters? Can you tell us something about them?
The characters themselves tell me how to draw them. You would have to ask them.
What is like being a female in a male-dominated world?
I don’t think about it. If you know who you are and where you are, you can manage just about everything going on around you. Most of the time, I paint on my own, and most of my friends are guys. I think I’m lucky, as I feel free from those mental prisons that a lot of girls feel enclosed in. I don’t, though, support the feminist way of thinking as it only increases the separation between us.
What is your impression of NYC?
Everything is really messed up, and I do love it.
Interview by Lois Stavsky with assistance by Daniela Croci aka Zoe; Photos 1, 2, and 5 courtesy of the artist; 3 and 4 by Lois Stavsky
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