urban calligraphy

This past weekend the Graffiti Hall of Fame celebrated its 39th anniversary in the famed schoolyard on 106th Street and Park Avenue in East Harlem. Pictured above is a b-boy celebrating Duster‘s vibrant piece. Several more images captured at the event follow:

Bronx-based Tony 164 with spray can in hand

Per One FX with spray can in hand — with Shiro and more to the left of his piece

Lower East Side-based Hektad

Yonkers-native Blame FX

5Pointz Creates founder Meres One

Graffiti Hall of  Fame director and veteran writer James Top in front of small segment of his tribute mural to Dondi

Special thanks to Scratch for helping us identify and introducing us to so many legendary writers.

Photo credits: 1-5 and 7 Ana Candelaria; 6 Lois Stavsky

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Showcasing a huge range of aerosol art, the walls in Hackensack’s Union Street Park brim with bold hues and swooping patterns. Under the curatorial skills and direction of NJ-based Darrius-Jabbar Sollas aka Nasty Neo, they frequently rotate — especially during the spring and summer months. While visiting on Friday, I captured the artworks that had been painted over Memorial Day weekend. Pictured above is a segment of one wall — featuring Wore One, TSK, Close, 2 I’ll and Buc 1. Several individual pieces — as seen throughout the park — follow:

Veteran writer Wore One — in honor of his son who is serving in the military

Buc 1 goes bold

Bronx legend Terrible TKid

The masterful Sade TCM

The legendary Part One

Special thanks to Darrius for identifying all of the artists and for maintaining Bergen County’s lone graffiti Mecca! Since my visit on Friday, the Bronx Team has graced the ever-ephemeral walls of Union Street Park.

Photos by Lois Stavsky

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The Spanish city of Móstoles — just several miles from Central Madrid — is home to a wild array of stylishly striking graffiti walls. Featured above are the works of  the hugely talented Spanish photorealist and tattooist Theo Magma and the masterful Italian graffiti artist Made514. Several more images painted by members of the DMC Rock Crew, along with their guests, in honor of their 33rd Anniversary follow:

DMC Rock Crew member Soda One

DMC Rock Crew members Eloy Fernandez and Ed-Mun

DMC Rock and FX Crew member Mataone

DMC Rock Crew member Roy

 Local artist Rosk and Spanish painter David Villaécija

The Crime Kings -TCK member Tsug and local artist Andres

Photo credits: 1 Sara C Mozeson 2-7 Lois Stavsky

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Emerging in the mid-80’s as one of the most prolific writers in his native Copenhagen, Bates has since made his mark across the world. With his swooping patterns, vibrant abstract shapes and masterful manipulation of letters, he has attained legendary status. Here in NYC to celebrate his birthday, he has graced the Lazy Susan Gallery with a selection of works fashioned largely with spray paint, acrylic and roller paint. Several more images from his solo exhibition Bates New York Bash— that opens tonight and will remain on view through Thursday — follow:

Bates on Blue with Yellow

Bates with Gold Outline

Camoflauge

You can meet the Great Bates and celebrate his birthday with him tonight — starting at 6pm — at Lazy Susan Gallery, 191 Henry Street, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

All images courtesy Lazy Susan Gallery

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