Despite their mostly negative coverage, Fox News is still doing an excellent job hyping artist Sofia Maldonado’s Times Square mural and I can only hope she remembers to send them a heartfelt thank you note. After their first report culled exclusively from the mural-hating public, they spoke to the artist herself, who is thrilled about the dialogue her work is generating.
With the visual overload that is Times Square, we’re surprised the public even bothered to notice Sofia Maldonado’s mural, let alone critique it, but Fox News was able to scout out a few haters. Whiny community advocate and Freemason, Anthony Herbert, was disappointed in the artwork’s lack of “brief cases and cell phones” while someone else said it degraded women. Fox encapsulates the controversy in a historical context: Read more »
Dozens of internationally known graffiti and street artists descended upon Lueneburg, Germany this past week for Artotale, an outdoor exhibition sponsored by Leuphana University. Officially part of a new student orientation, critics the street art project is part of the university’s broader rebranding effort, “an Americanization of the old German School.” In response, artist Brad Downey used his sanctioned wall space to paint a McDonald’s logo with the slogan, “I’m loving it,” which he explained to Ekosystem: Read more »
After teaming up with artist David Ellis on an arduous animated painting in Italy, Blu is solo and stateside, rolling out another massive mural in Long Island City. Commissioned by Deitch Projects, who also bankrolled Os Gêmeos’ recent mural, the Italian artist is peeling back the walls on the influential gallery’s studios to reveal a golden moneymaking machine. Watch Blu roll out the system of cash, cogs and wheels after the jump, or see his handiwork in person at the end of 44th Drive on the East River. Read more »
Albus Cavus, a nonprofit art group in D.C. secured funds from the city to paint a massive mural. Naturally, they brought in mostly graffiti artists, but that’s not really the source for concern. According to the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and local scrooge, Marshall Phillips, there’s “nothing that reflects on the Redskins,” and no tribute to Martin Luther King—two obvious prerequisites to qualify for mural status in his eyes. |WoosterCollective|
Photos by Albus Cavus
NPA City Outdoor continues flouting rarely enforced laws, stepping up their illegal advertising assault in the Meatpacking District. Luna Park points out the corner of West 13th Street and Washington Street where the unlawful outdoor ad company recently installed one of their newest illegal billboards. The building at 437 West 13th Street has no permits for the illegal ad display. Considering NPA also covered up a mural by Conor Harrington, the location is a good candidate for a street advertising takeover.
The street art loving New York Times gives an exceptionally glowing review of the “fantastic” Os Gêmeos mural painted last month on the corner of Houston Street and Bowery. It’s described as “exquisitely fine-tuned and detailed, a dazzlement of effortless technique.” |NYT|
Yesterday, street stalking newshound and friend of ANIMAL, Paolo Mastrangelo, scored some quick face time with one half of Os Gêmeos, the Brazilian street painting twins currently working on a very public mural downtown. Although they agreed to talk to him, that’s not always the case and there may be some truth to yesterday’s rumor about them regulating some videographers. Allen AKA of 12ozPROPHET was on scene helping the twins and confirmed that some overly abusive street art paparazzi were asked to move along. See video of the mural creating brothers in action below. Read more »
Despite last month’s record setting rain, work finished on the India Street Mural Project, a 400-foot long wall showcasing the work of six artists in Greenpoint. The inaugural project of the North Brooklyn Public Art Coalition will be officially unveiled with a celebration this Saturday, featuring music and food alongside the works by Ali Aschman, Eve Biddle & Joshua Frankel, Joshua Abram Howard, Robert Seng, SKEWVILLE and Chris Soria. The murals, photographed below, can be seen on India Street between West Street and the East River anytime until the building is demolished this fall. Read more »
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