Hanksy’s Best of the Worst Pop Up Art Show!

Best of The Wurst Signage
All Photos By Gail

If you weren’t making the scene at 104 Delancey Street — the former site of a Chase Bank — this past weekend, then you missed out on your chance to see street artist provocateur Hanksy’s Group Show and Pop Up Happening, Best of The Worst! It was a good time.

Tom Hanks Hansky Face
Hanksy Signature Tom Hank’s Face Tag on Top of What I Believe is a Drawing by BEAU

For the uninitiated, Hanksy is an “unknown” tagger/artist who emulates the style of Bansky while often incorporating the likeness of actor Tom Hanks. Best of The Wurst not only featured perhaps 20 or so of Hanksy’s punny slogans and celebrity icon parodies, but also included a separate pop up Street Art Gallery within the large gallery space, as well as Free Beer and Asian Dumplings, a Skate Ramp, Photo Booth, Free Vintage Pinball Games, a DJ, and a Clown making Penis Balloon Hats. Just being serious.

Penis Balloon Hat
Penis Balloon Hat-Making Clown, Now You Have Seen Everything.

Back to the Future Pin Ball Machine
Back to the Future Pin Ball Machine

Hanksy Line
Behold: The Line Ride, which Stretched East to Essex Street and then Headed Uptown

The event kicked off Saturday evening at 6 PM, when the doors opened and — thanks to Geoffrey arriving early and holding a space in line for me! — we were inside the graffiti covered walls of this cavernous space within ten minutes. Adding an atmospheric backdrop to Hanksy’s works were contributions from Street Artists such as Left Handed Wave, Frank Ape, Magda Love, Clint Mario, Gilf!, CB23, Don’t Fret, Lexi Belle, Nda, Elle, Roycer, Joseph Meloy, Beau, Claw Money, Tony Depew, and Col Walnuts.

Leaf
I Love This Little Guy

Left Handed Wave and Frank Ape
Left Handed Wave, Frank Ape

Here are a few of my Favorite Hanksys of the Evening:

Doin It For The Likes
Doin’ It For The Likes, Because You Know You Are

Bill Murrito
Bill Murrito

Hamuel L Jackson
Sighs Matters, Hamuel L. Jackson

Mile E Coyote
Mile E. Coyote. Appropriate.

Beer
Former Teller Window Dispenses Free Beers to Thirsty Street Art Fans!

Street Art Gallery
Gag-Osian Street Art Gallery

In the left rear corner of the space, visitors could check out the Gag-Osian (get it?) Street Art Gallery, with its separate exhibit, Purgers & Acquisitions: Selling Out Tomorrow’s Urban Art Stars, Today. This area displayed small canvases and sculptures by a variety of Street Artists of varying degrees of popularity, priced to sell!

Purgers and Acquisitions

Purgers and Acquisitions

Purgers and Acquisitions

Hanksy Swag

Affordable Hanksy Swag, in the form of limited edition prints and T-Shirts, was also available.

The Scene

Look at everyone having a fun time and enjoying the art!

Fake It
Words to Live By

TGIF FML
TGIF / FML

Sucklord Gets Interviewed
Sucklord Gets Interviewed

I spent about an hour inside before I needed air and decided to head home. As I walked back up the street, I noticed the Sucklord lurking in a nearby doorway, being interviewed by god knows who. All in all, it was a most enjoyable evening.

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