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January 27, 2006
New Yorker Cover Paste-Up by Momo at 11 Spring St. - #1
Once again, the street artist Momo strikes the building at 11 Spring St., in Nolita, New York City. This wheat-paste is a sweet tongue-in-cheek poster. The black-and-white work is of a fictional New Yorker magazine cover depicting Momo in the act of pasting up his (her?) work. Brilliant, fresh stuff.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 01:47 AM
New Yorker Cover Paste-Up by Momo at 11 Spring St. - #2 Detail
Detail of the new Momo paste-up at 11 Spring St. in downtown Manhattan.
Background Note
Once again, the street artist Momo strikes the building at 11 Spring St., in Nolita, New York City. This wheat-paste is a sweet tongue-in-cheek poster. The black-and-white work is of a fictional New Yorker magazine cover depicting Momo in the act of pasting up his (her?) work. Brilliant, fresh stuff.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 01:45 AM
January 24, 2006
CORRECTION: Neckface Twerps! "Lobster Roll" Sticker, NYC - Detail
CORRECTION: The artist who created this sticker was misidentified in our original post below. The work featured in the detail image above is Twerps! "Lobster Roll" sticker. We apologize to the artist and our readers for the error. (Props to Mikhail in NYC for setting us straight.)
2006-04-24
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A detail of a recent Neckface sticker in Soho, NYC.
Background Note
The work of Neckface is among the most familiar array of street-art images in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York City. Neckface works in several mediums and is known for stickers and wall pieces featuring creepy characters who have little if any neck (hence the apt name "Neckface"). Neckface also often simply scrawls his name in large child-like lettering on the sides of buildings and other urban surfaces. But it is for his stickers that he is probably best known. These can be found in many major cities, including NYC, San Francisco and Tokyo. The Brooklyn-based artist is oringally from California. He has exhibited his work in galleries throughout the world and has had his art (and himself) featured in magazines and newspapers.
Gear: Nikon Coolpix 3600 Digital Camera
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 12:29 AM
CORRECTION: Neckface Twerps! "Lobster Roll" Sticker, NYC - Context
CORRECTION: The artist who created this sticker was misidentified in our original post below. The work featured in the image above is a "Lobster Roll" sticker by "Twerps!" We apologize to the artist and our readers for the error. (Props to Mikhail in NYC for setting us straight.)
2006-04-24
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Here's the wider, contextual shot of a recent Neckface sticker in Soho, NYC.
Background Note
The work of Neckface is among the most familiar array of street-art images in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York City. Neckface works in several mediums and is known for stickers and wall pieces featuring creepy characters who have little if any neck (hence the apt name "Neckface"). Neckface also often simply scrawls his name in large child-like lettering on the sides of buildings and other urban surfaces. But it is for his stickers that he is probably best known. These can be found in many major cities, including NYC, San Francisco and Tokyo. The Brooklyn-based artist is originally from California. He has exhibited his work in galleries throughout the world and has had his art (and himself) featured in magazines and newspapers.
Gear: Nikon Coolpix 3600 Digital Camera
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 12:29 AM
January 22, 2006
Street Artist Swoon Hits Rivington St. - No. 1
Here's a color image of the new Rivington St. work by street artist Swoon. The photo was shot at night, hence the yellow-orange tint to the image.
Background Note
There's some fresh work by the artist Swoon on Rivington St., between Bowery and Chrystie, in that interzone between Nolita/Soho and the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Brooklyn-based Swoon is our favorite New York street artist. This work, which depicts an African-American boy with first pumped, continues Swoon's series of life-size cut-out wheat-paste images of people engaged in everyday activities on the streets of the city.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 10:39 AM
Street Artist Swoon Hit Rivington St. - No. 2
There's some fresh work by the artist Swoon on Rivington St., between Bowery and Chrystie, in that interzone between Nolita/Soho and the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The Brooklyn-based Swoon is our favorite New York street artist. This work, which depicts an African-American boy with first pumped, continues Swoon's series of life-size cut-out wheat-paste images of people engaged in everyday activities on the streets of the city.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 10:36 AM
January 19, 2006
Ludlow St. Art, Lower East Side, NYC 1
Above is the closer-up detail photo of the some Lower East Side street art.
Background Note
Ludlow St., that increasingly high-rent and noisy tenement canyon in the booming Lower East Side of New York City, is home to lots of graf and street art. Pictured here is an acrylic painting on wood affixed to a light post on Ludlow between Stanton and Rivington streets. The image is a profile portrait of a man whose face in made of metal or steel like some kind of comic book cyborg hipster. "Curls" is signed twice on the image. We don't know if that's the signature of the artist or the scrawl of some third-party passersby. In the rapidly gentrifying LES, where talk these days is sometimes as much about condos, apartment sales and real estate than it is art and music, it's great to see that street art is still alive and well in the nabe.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 11:36 PM
Ludlow St. Art, Lower East Side, NYC 2
Ludlow St., that increasingly high-rent and noisy tenement canyon in the booming Lower East Side of New York City, is home to lots of graf and street art. Pictured here is an acrylic painting on wood affixed to a light post on Ludlow between Stanton and Rivington streets. The image is a profile portrait of a man whose face in made of metal or steel like some kind of comic book cyborg hipster. "Curls" is signed twice on the image. We don't know if that's the signature of the artist or the scrawl of some third-party passersby. In the rapidly gentrifying LES, where talk these days is sometimes as much about condos, apartment sales and real estate than it is art and music, it's great to see that street art is still alive and well in the nabe.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 11:35 PM
Cuba: Che and Lada in Havana
Richard Gregg is an Englishman living and working near Tokyo, Japan. He took this photo in Havana, Cuba, which is just one of many cities and countries he has visited while on an incredible around-the-world cycling journey that he's undertaken off and on for over a decade. Along the way, Gregg has taken tens of thousands of photos and has exhibited and published his photos along his cycling odyssey. Here is the first in a series of Gregg's photos of street art and urban culture that we will be posting from time to time on Global Graphica. In this image, a huge stencil-like portrait of the late Latin American politcal icon Che Guevara beams above a Lada, an East European car make from the Communist era.
Richard Gregg Photo
External Link
World Cycle - The Official Richard Gregg Website
Posted by Richard Gregg at 02:54 AM
January 18, 2006
"Peg Leg" Sticker, Winter Version, NYC - Detail
Here's a detail shot of the winter version of the ubiquitous "Peg Leg" sticker in downtown NYC. (To view the context photo, see the image below or on the next page.)
Background Note
We've noticed "Peg Leg" stickers appearing in lower Manhattan and Williamsburg, Brooklyn, since last summer. Usually the lettering of the moniker comes in warm orange and yellow hues. But last week we found this snowflaked winter version of the "Peg Leg" sticker on a lamp post on Varick St. in Soho, New York City.
By the way, we've got the Nikon Coolpix digital camera workng again, so we snapped this image with a proper hi-res cam insteading of using the lower resolution built-in cam on our Palm Treo 650 cell phone.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 08:15 PM
"Peg Leg" Sticker, Winter Version, NYC - Context
We've noticed "Peg Leg" stickers appearing in lower Manhattan and Williamsburg, Brooklyn, since last summer. Usually the lettering of the moniker comes in warm orange and yellow hues. But last week we found this snowflaked winter version of the "Peg Leg" sticker on a lamp post on Varick St. in Soho, New York City. Pictured here is the context shot. To view the sticker up close, see the detail shot above (or on the next page).
By the way, we've got the Nikon Coolpix digital camera workng again, so we snapped this image with a proper hi-res cam insteading of using the lower resolution built-in cam on our Palm Treo 650 cell phone.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 08:13 PM
January 16, 2006
Brooklyn: "You Don't Know Me" Graf
More in our Brooklyn graphica series. Here is a tag toward the lower-rent end of the Park Slope neighborhood, now the center of an anguished New Yorker real-estate condo- and apartment-buying frenzy. It's increasingly rare to see graf in Park Slope these days with all the gentrification that has swept the nabe during the past decade.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 02:50 AM
January 12, 2006
"Tetris" Graf No. 1
Above is a rotated close-up shot of graf by "Tetris" in downtown Manhattan.
Background Entry
We've walked along the stretch of Charlton St. between Varick and Greenwich in Soho, NYC, at least a dozen times during the past year. Yet it was only yesterday that we notcied one of coolest tags we've ever seen in the west Soho neighborhood known as Hudson Square. The tag is that of "Tetris," which, of course, is also the name of one of the most popular old-school arcade-style video games of all time. The tag is on the wall of a warehouse between a pair of truck bays.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 11:19 PM
"Tetris" Graf No. 2
Here's the wider context shot of the "Tetris" tag in west Soho, New York York City.
Background Entry
We've walked along the stretch of Charlton St. between Varick and Greenwich in Soho, NYC, at least a dozen times during the past year. Yet it was only yesterday that we notcied one of coolest tags we've ever seen in the west Soho neighborhood known as Hudson Square. The tag is that of "Tetris," which, of course, is also the name of one of the most popular old-school arcade-style video games of all time. The tag is on the wall of a warehouse between a pair of truck bays.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 11:18 PM
"Tetris" Graf No. 3
We've walked along the stretch of Charlton St. between Varick and Greenwich in Soho, NYC, at least a dozen times during the past year. Yet it was only yesterday that we notcied one of coolest tags we've ever seen in the west Soho neighborhood known as Hudson Square. The tag is that of "Tetris," which, of course, is also the name of one of the most popular old-school arcade-style video games of all time. The tag is on the wall of a warehouse between a pair of truck bays.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 11:16 PM
January 11, 2006
NYC Street Art: Mailbox DIY Poster - Detail
Here's the detail shot.
Background note: The artist had his tongue firmly in cheek when he put up this wheat-paste poster on a U.S. Postal Service mailbox on Houston St. in Soho, in New York City. The do-it-yourself cut and fold paper mailbox diagram is clever, cheeky, ironic and funny. Good stuff.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 11:21 PM
NYC Street Art: Mailbox DIY Poster - Context
And here's the context shot.
Background note: The artist had his tongue firmly in cheek when he put up this wheat-paste poster on a U.S. Postal Service mailbox on Houston St. in Soho, in New York City. The do-it-yourself cut and fold paper mailbox diagram is clever, cheeky, ironic and funny. Good stuff.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 11:16 PM
"Beautiful Decay" Sticker Tag, Soho, NYC - Detail
Here's the close-up shot.
We've been seeing a lot of these "Beautiful Decay" stickers around lower Manhattan recently. This one was found on a lamp post at the corner of West Broadway and Prince Street in Soho.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 08:24 AM
"Beautiful Decay" Sticker Tag, Soho, NYC - Context
We've been seeing a lot of these "Beautiful Decay" stickers around lower Manhattan recently. This one was found on a lamp post at the corner of West Broadway and Prince Street in Soho. Here's the context shot.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 08:22 AM
January 10, 2006
Brooklyn Street Art: Sharks on the Slope 1
Here's another shot, from another angle, of the shark stencils near the 7th Ave. subway stop in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NYC
Background
The well-groomed and excessively gentrified (and real estate crazy) Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope isn't full of the street art and graf so common in other parts of New York's largest borough, such as Williamsburg. But the street art is there, tucked between apartments and brownstones, especially the further down the slope and away Prospect Park one heads. Such is the case of these wonderful stencilled silhouettes of sharks near the 7th Avenue F-Train subway station.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 12:22 AM
Brooklyn Street Art: Sharks on the Slope 2
The well-groomed and excessively gentrified (and real estate crazy) Brooklyn neighborhood of Park Slope isn't full of the street art and graf so common in other parts of New York's largest borough, such as Williamsburg. But the street art is there, tucked between apartments and brownstones, especially the further down the slope and away Prospect Park one heads. Such is the case of these wonderful stencilled silhouettes of sharks near the 7th Avenue F-Train subway station.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 12:19 AM
January 08, 2006
"Waystr" Graf on Lower East Side Truck
"Waystr" appears on at least three or four different trucks that operate out of Chinatown and the Lower East Side of downtown Manhattan. In each case, "Waystr" is rendered in different colors. Here the writer has upped his massive tag in blue and white hues. Look for it when your in New York City.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 07:57 AM
January 07, 2006
NYC Artist Flower Guys Makes New York Mag Cover
In a special double issue that hit stands last week, New York Magazine published a feature under the teaser "123 Reasons to Love New York Right Now." It's, as they say, a keeper. But what we really love about this issue is the magazine cover. There's a photo of a street artist painting a massive line-drawing of a flower.
The flower image is instantly recognizable to New Yorkers, especially downtowners, and anybody who follows street art. The artist is known generally as "Flower Guy." His real name is Michael De Feo, an artist whose work has been exhibited worldwide. De Feo is also the author of "Alphabet City," one of several books on street art recently published in the U.S.
De Feo's flowers have become icons within NYC. Flower Guy's work can be found as massive paintings that appear on sides of tenement buildings and lofts (like the one on the New York cover) and as small wheat-paste posters on post boxes and the bases of lamp posts.
According to British author and graphic designer Tristan Manco in "Street Logos," his ever reliable book on street art around the world, De Feo started creating stencils of moons, flowers and safety pins around downtown New York City in the early 1990's, but locked onto the flower image while experimenting with a paint brush.
In a cheeky touch, the New York mag editors list De Feo as reason "NO. 124." (the cover teaser, as noted above says "123"). Love it.
Posted by icorsa at 10:50 AM
January 05, 2006
Street Art on Berlin Wall in New York City 1
When the Berlin wall fell in 1989, its pieces -- its concerete bits, chunks and slabs -- ended up as so many souvenirs and art objet for collectors, museums and public urban installations all over the world. The Berlin wall was a long, massive canvas for sreet artists and graffiti writers. Covered in layer upon layer of scrawls, imagery, paint and political messages, the wall was like lonr-running (literally) communal, open-source work of of public art on the West Berlin side. Viewed out of its context far away from Berlin, a slab of the wall functions as a stand-alone piece of art that is a legitimate subject of aesthetic consideration. And it also functions as a historical artifact that reminds viewers of one of the uglier 20 geo-political events of the 20th Century.
New Yorkers have their own slab of the Berlin wall in Midtown Manhattan. This image shows an actual segment of the Cold War barrier on public view behind real-estate developer Jerry Speyer's office building at 520 Madison Avenue. To get to it, you need to access a small, open plaza on the north side of 53rd Street between 5th and Madison avenues. Check it.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 06:58 AM
Street Art on Berlin Wall in New York City 2
Here's a detail shot of the Belrin wall sgement in Midtown, New York City. The most prominent imagery is that of an illustrated face.
Background
When the Berlin wall fell in 1989, its pieces -- its concerete bits, chunks and slabs -- ended up as so many souvenirs and art objet for collectors, museums and public urban installations all over the world. The Berlin wall was a long, massive canvas for sreet artists and graffiti writers. Covered in layer upon layer of scrawls, imagery, paint and political messages, the wall was like lonr-running (literally) communal, open-source work of of public art on the West Berlin side. Viewed out of its context far away from Berlin, a slab of the wall functions as a stand-alone piece of art that is a legitimate subject of aesthetic consideration. And it also functions as a historical artifact that reminds viewers of one of the uglier 20 geo-political events of the 20th Century.
New Yorkers have their own slab of the Berlin wall in Midtown Manhattan. This image shows an actual segment of the Cold War barrier on public view behind real-estate developer Jerry Speyer's office building at 520 Madison Avenue. To get to it, you need to access a small, open plaza on the north side of E. 53rd Street between 5th and Madison avenues. Check it.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 06:57 AM
Street Art on Berlin Wall in New York City 3
Here's another shot of the Berlin wall slab in NewYork that shows a tourist inspecting the wall. This image was taken from an angle and looks out toward E. 53rd Street.
Background
When the Berlin wall fell in 1989, its pieces -- its concerete bits, chunks and slabs -- ended up as so many souvenirs and art objet for collectors, museums and public urban installations all over the world. The Berlin wall was a long, massive canvas for sreet artists and graffiti writers. Covered in layer upon layer of scrawls, imagery, paint and political messages, the wall was like lonr-running (literally) communal, open-source work of of public art on the West Berlin side. Viewed out of its context far away from Berlin, a slab of the wall functions as a stand-alone piece of art that is a legitimate subject of aesthetic consideration. And it also functions as a historical artifact that reminds viewers of one of the uglier 20 geo-political events of the 20th Century.
New Yorkers have their own slab of the Berlin wall in Midtown Manhattan. This image shows an actual segment of the Cold War barrier on public view behind real-estate developer Jerry Speyer's office building at 520 Madison Avenue. To get to it, you need to access a small, open plaza on the north side of E. 53rd Street between 5th and Madison avenues. Check it.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 06:55 AM
January 03, 2006
Paris: "X" Mural at Swiss Cultural Center
We love this massive "X" on these freight doors outside the Swiss Cultural Center in the trendy Les Marais district of Paris. The Swiss Cultural Center is kind of a hidden gem; the center is in a beautiful, post-modern multi-level exhibition space at the end of a narrow alley. The cneter is home to frequently changing art shows featuring work by young artists and designers. The alley, through which one pust pass to reach the center, is filled with great street art and graf.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 08:31 AM
January 02, 2006
Paris is My Baghdad
This phrase has greater resonance in light of recent riots in the suburbs of Paris and other cities throughout France, as well as ongoing events in Iraq. We found this phrase sprayed in English and Arabic on the asphalt outside the entrance to the Swiss cutural center's art gallery in Les Marais in Paris.
Ivan Corsa Photo
Posted by icorsa at 05:48 AM
January 01, 2006
Happy New Year!
"Happy New Year!" from the Global Graphica massive to all of our readers, contributors and friends around the world! Big up and best in 2006!
Posted by icorsa at 05:58 AM
