Last December, Freeman Alley — the street art Mecca on NYC’s Lower East Side — delivered one of the most delightfully unconventional holiday installations I’ve seen in ages: a Christmas tree made entirely from empty spray paint cans. Installed at the entrance to the boutique hotel UNTITLED at 3 Freeman Alley, the piece celebrated the neighborhood’s deep connection to graffiti and street art while giving the traditional holiday tree a thoroughly urban makeover. Continue reading Eye On Design: The Graffiti Christmas Tree of Freeman Alley→
Untitled (2007) by David Hammons is a conceptual and found-object artwork that consists of a luxurious fox fur coat defaced with spray paint. This piece is a striking example of Hammons’ ongoing critique of race, class, and the art market. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: David Hammons Untitled (Fur Coat)→
In the heart of New York City’s vibrant Lower East Side, Freeman Alley has once again served as a canvas for the prolific street artist Phetus. This latest mural, first spotted by me on a Sunday morning in mid-October, bursts with a riot of color and quirky charm, showcasing rows of tightly stacked faces. Each one is an exaggerated, monster-like character — signature Phetusstyle —wildly expressive and almost cartoonish in their otherworldly features.
Kenny Scharf (b. 1958) moved to New York City in 1978 to attend the School of Visual Arts, and rose to prominence in the downtown art scene alongside his friends Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Influenced by popular culture and comic books, Scharf’s distinctly colorful and dynamic work presents joyful worlds filled with carton and anthropomorphic characters. Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Kenny Scharf, Inside Out→
Granville Island is a tourist destination populated with specialty shops, food markets and art galleries that’s accessible via a short ferry ride from the Vancouver waterfront. It was there that I stumbled upon this monumental work of public art locked away behind the security fences at Ocean Concrete. I immediately recognized the larger-than-life mural, entitled Giants, as the creation of one of my favorite street artist duos, Brazilian twin brothers Gustavo and Otávio Pandolfo a.k.a. Os Gemeos. Continue reading Giants By Os Gemeos on Granville Island→
