Street & Urban Art « Arrested Motion

Category Archives: Street & Urban Art

Interviews: Igor Ponosov

Posted by AM, October 20, 2017

It would give a certain pleasure to Walter Benjamin if he could know that 81 years from the first publication of his The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, it would be quoted by a Russian artist in a perfectly poetic manner just right on the waters of the Norwegian port city of Stavanger. The artist, Igor Ponosov, through his Too far, Too close artwork, not only reminded us about the “aura” and “unique appearance of a distance,” but also interacted with […]

Streets: JR Installation @ US-Mexico Border Fence (Part 2)

Posted by sleepboy, October 18, 2017

Coinciding with the last day of his scaffolded installation at the US-Mexico border fence (covered), JR (interviewed) organized a gigantic picnic to commemorate the occasion. Setting up a massive table featuring the “eyes of a dreamer,” a motif the French artist is famous for, the feast spanned both sides of the fence near Tecante, Mexico and Tecate in California. People from both sides showed up, including Kikito (whose photo was the one used for the installation) and his family, to share food and to support the artist’s continued […]

Previews: Bezt (Etam Cru) – “Beautiful Mistakes” @ Spoke Art NYC / Thinkspace gallery

Posted by SAL, October 18, 2017

Polish artist Bezt, better known as part of the Etam Cru together with Sainer, is about to open his inaugural solo exhibition in New York City at Spoke Art, curated by Los Angeles-based gallery, Thinkspace. Opening on October 21st, Beautiful Mistakes will include a series of new paintings and drawings, mostly focused on portraying mundane characters and scenes with a subtle, surreal twist to them. The work of Etam Cru has always had a notable melancholic tone to it, and Bezt is pushing this idea further with his […]

Releases: KAWS – “BFF” Vinyl Figures

Posted by sleepboy, October 17, 2017

Following up the unveiling of his BFF statue in Bangkok last year (covered), as well as plush versions in blue and black, KAWS will be releasing vinyl versions of the figure tomorrow (October 18th). The blue version can be purchased starting at 10 AM EST online at MoMA and at its two NYC shops while the black iteration will be available on KAWSONE.com starting at 12 PM EST. These are mostly likely open editions. Images via Hypebeast. Discuss KAWS here.

Recap: Stik @ Fat Free Gallery

Posted by juggernut3, October 17, 2017

During this summer, British artist STIK hit up New York City and exhibited a fresh new show with Fat Free Gallery located in the Lower East Side. The painter from Hackney, East London utilized his super flat and deceptively deconstructed style to convey a variety of complex emotions reflecting aspects of society around us. He also released a copy of his self titled book (available here) documenting unofficial street murals spanning over a decade and across three continents. Discuss Stik here.

Overtime: Oct 9 – Oct 15

Posted by Khoi, October 15, 2017

More stories from the week that ended Oct 15 (click on bolded words for more information): Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, which could sell for over $100mil., to be auctioned at Christie’s. Eight things to know about the painting. RIP: Holly Block (1958–2017). Bronx Museum launches fund in honor of Block. US government withdraws from UNESCO, creating profound implications for cultural institutions. Event at 356 S Mission cancelled due to protests from anti-gentrifiers. Photos comparing black people from Africa with continent’s wild animals pulled after accusations of […]

Recap: POW (Pictures On Walls), London

Posted by SAL, October 12, 2017

“Pictures On Walls has been taken over by venture anti-capitalists and will cease trading from 31st December 2017.” This text appeared earlier today @ PicturesOnWalls.com, official website of London-based groundbreaking printing house. After 16 years of not only changing, but literally forming and directing the course that urban and street art was going, they pretty much announced the end of an era. For those of you that don’t know, POW started back in 2001 by a group of graffiti artists and illustrators working outside the margins […]

Streets: Swoon (Cincinnati)

Posted by sleepboy, October 11, 2017

While in town for her exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, Swoon (interviewed) took some time yesterday to make her mark on the streets. As per her usual practice, the Brooklyn-based artist wheat paste some cut paper pieces in the alley right next to The Findlay Market and in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Take a look at more photos below… Photo credit: Chris Breeden. Discuss Swoon here.

Streets: Jen Stark – “Chromatic Cascade” (Los Angeles)

Posted by sleepboy, October 10, 2017

It looks like Jen Stark recently completed a mural in the downtown LA arts district (1828 Conway Pl. Los Angeles, CA 90065), her largest to date. Entitled Chromatic Cascade, the impressive piece spans two walls on the facade of a building and measures 27 x 200 ft. Featuring bold colors and intricate patterning, the wall painting is a classic example of Stark’s psychedelic drippy imagery, one of the reoccurring motifs in her work. Discuss Jen Stark here.

Previews: Ludo – “The Ten Commitments” @ The Garage

Posted by SAL, October 10, 2017

Ludovic Vernhet aka Ludo (interviewed) will be opening a solo and a pop-up tattoo parlour on October 13th (and run until the 15th) at The Garage in Amsterdam. Featuring 10 original artworks & 10 tattoos, The Ten Commitments will be French artist’s second show with the gallery since his last exhibition there in 2011 (covered). Known for his nature and technology hybrids, the Paris-based artist is taking the symbol of the rose as the central emblem for this body of work. Applying it into iconic imagery and modifying it into different shapes in […]