writers on tour
Ivory and Tich in Amsterdamn
Revok in PARIS
Revok in Barcelona
INTERVIEW: EASE
| 1) Where are you from?
Miami, Florida. 2) What was your earliest experience with graffiti? Who put you on? My earliest experience with writing was in 1983 with my brother Faz and our best friend Jes, these two guys were who put me on. We went to paint a truck in a construction site in South Miami and when we were nearly finished we heard gun shots and saw lights turning on and we bolted outta there. 3) Who did you look up to when you first started writing? I looked up to local writers in Miami such as Jes 1, Fazism, Name189, Glove, Mes, Mega, Ake Love, Even1er, Ask and Raze. Miami legends. 4) How long did it take you to develop your own style? My style developed in two stages earlier on. Between 1983 and 1987, I had a style from South Miami. From 1987 to 1991, my style was blending with West Miami and the North. By 1992, we started our crew The INKHEADS which was made up of half Miami members and half Bronx, NY writers so the style started to get it's own influence and shape. This all served as part of my evolution as a painter and around 1995, I started to see a change towards the more textured and calligraphy layered paintings I do today. 1995 to 2006, I'm still evolving… 5) Was it hard to move from the graffiti world to the art world? It has never been two different worlds for me. Like Lee said back in the days, "If Art is a crime, may God forgive me." 6) Which do you like more? Is it easier to be judged by your peers or by art critics? Everyone has the right to criticize art. I listen and read and enjoy the reaction people have whether it's positive or negative. 7) Are there any artists out there that you look up to? Hiroshi Sugimoto, Young Kim (Suitman), Anselm Keifer, Takashi Murakami, Lee Quiñones, Futura, Cy Twombly, Robert Raushenberg, Christian Mendoza and my brother Rey Parla. Once Upon a Time in America, The Guns of Navarrone, Get Carter. 9) What music have you been listening to lately? Truth & Soul Records, El Michaels Affair and Beny More. 10) Where is your favorite place to paint? My favorite place to paint is my Brooklyn studio. Ease is part of Stussy's World Tour Project. His tee drops this Saturday, June 3rd along with Futura, Revolt, Haze, Lyons, Elms and Ghost at Stussy stores around the world. http://www.stussy.com/life.html
|
What are some of your favorite movies?
BANNED FROM TELEVISION 7 (reminder)
This Wed 8-11 WON
CYCLE
RAMMELLZEE
RYAN MICHAEL KELLY
RON ENGLISH
SACHA JENKINS SHR
DAZE
Rammellzee: tag master killer, evil griller, gothic futurism's futurist, tank commander
Ron English: Subverting the ideals of pop surrealism
Cycle: Provider of beautifully irrational content
Won: An unobstructed view into your skull on fire
Ryan Michael Kelly: Only related to pop mega-star R.Kelly by way of subject matter.
Sacha Jenkins SHR: particularly fascinated by variation in skin pigmentation
Chris “Daze” Ellis: Globe trotter, observer and el presidente-for-life of the dominion called Dazeworld
May 31st– June 23rd
Opening Reception, Wednesday May 31st 8-11 pm.
Curated by Sacha Jenkins SHR
AT THE CANAL CHAPTER
343 CANAL STREET
FOURTH FLOOR
OPENING MAY 31ST
8 TO 11
Decked out
June 1st - June 15th 2006
Opening Reception:
June 1st, 2006 7pm - 11pm
@ THE SHOWROOM NYC
117 Second Ave, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10003
212 673 5424
Sponsored by:
Golden Wheel
Toy Tokyo
Urban skateboarding just got more extreme! From extreme sport to extreme
art! Join us for Decked Out at The Showroom NYC gallery in the East Village and view more than 100 custom longboards by contemporary artists. Curator Junko Matsuno has assembled artists from the world of graffiti, cartoons,
and even tattooing, to use the skateboard as their canvas. Discover the
variety of images, styles, and compositions by the old-school masters of the 1970s-80s to the young artists of today.
This is a once in a lifetime show and its appeal will be from all ages, 6 to 60. The DECKED OUT show offers so much to the aspiring young artists today,
first and foremost being a part of an art movement that they can call their
own. This art form that started in the sixties now permeates every market
place and is used in every form of advertising and packaging. Whether it is
for cars, cd's, video games or clothes, its influence is everywhere. For children and adults alike it is a show where both the roots and effects of a
forty-year-old movement can be seen. This will prove a very inspirational
show for all ages.
See 100 original pieces of art, from Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, United
Kingdom, USA and the rest of the world, side by side in an exhibition the
likes of which have never been seen before. DECKED OUT brings together the work of animators, illustrators, painters, graphic designers, sculptors,
musicians, toy designers and graffiti artists, all hitting these decks in
free style mode and using the mediums that they want to use, be it paint,
wood carving, sculpting, even decoupage. No restrictions, no guidelines, all expressing their art with no rules.
DECKED OUT will run from the 2nd to 15th of June. The Showroom NYC is
located at 117 Second Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10003. Gallery hours
are Tuesday through Sunday, 2PM to 7PM.
DO NOT MISS THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT!!
Artists showing at the Decked Out exhibition:
Part 1
Lewis Ojada
Jeff Kaslik
Roger Newton
David Cortes
Greg Oakes
Butch Belair
Seen
Brad Digital
Eric Holswade
David Healey
Justin Volpe
Mariangel Tan
NYC Lase
G-Mos
Keanan Duffty
Hom Burglar
Mez
Sipestar
Voltaire
Duro
Rich Browd
Eric Orr
Ghost
Johnny Crap
Joe Ledbetter
Secret Base
Digger
Eric So
Luke Felisbret
Graig Weich
Tim Smith
How
Won ABC
Shamey ABC
NOSM
Snipe
AJ (Jankins)
Oliver Vernon
Ron English
Jason Siu
Dr. Revolt
Shepard Fairey
Johnny Ace
Mars-1
Nome
David Choong Lee
Brett
Cheo Leon
Devilrobots
Peter Kato
Brian Procell
Keith Ciaramello
Osaka Popstar
Mad Barbarians
The Fountain
Josh Vietze
Ed Hush
Pete Fowler
Tristan Eaton
Dalek
Dizmo
Futura
Stash
Jakuan
Too Fly
Ewok
Destructo
Ceaze
Opiem
Charlie Wilkins
Victoria Wilkins
Jim DeBarros
Set 1
Shane Steinhilber
Bryan Dit
The Wonderful Design Works
Touma
Ruth Holswade
Robbie Busch
Brendan Bilko and Doug Cross
Klim Kozinevich
Ces
FA-Q
TweeQIM
Cope
Chris Ryniak
T-Kid
Christopher Pierro
Mark Bode
Adam Rodriquez
Alice Mizrachi
Bigfoot 1
NEMO
Danny Kimanyen
Tev
Nick Martin
AOK-BFK-KTC
An other fresh line up including,Sien5,Bem,Wolf,Reas,Mone,Kirs and Cavs..
Strictly Kings and Better
Don't know if it's out or not,don't know where to find it,but might be cool to watch..
Revs Robots Invade New York
It's been a year since the New York Times profiled Revs, NYC's metal sculpting graffiti kingpin. Looks like he hasn't slowed down– Tenement City spotted the amazing "No Future" piece above this weekend in Greenpoint. The one next to it is from Soundklash's photosteam– but it's not clear where it's from. And if you happen to be in DUMBO tomorrow, don't miss out on the classic red robot that's been running on Pearl Street for the last couple of years. Have you spotted any other robots around?
Related: the Revs page at Streetsy has a lot of his metal work. This Gothamist post has some more Revs links.
Posted by Jake Dobkin
http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2006/05/21/revs_robots_inv.php
MTA Considers Surveillance Cameras To Catch Vandals On Tape
May 22, 2006
There are already cameras in subway stations, but now for the first time, the MTA is considering putting surveillance cameras in subway cars to catch criminals in the act.
It's one of several strategies transit officials are considering to combat a growing graffiti problem reported earlier this month NY1.
The markings are created with etching acid, a chemical that eats into subway car windows, causing permanent damage.
There are already more than 2,000 cameras in subway stations, and a pilot program to put them onboard buses, but they've never been put onboard trains.
Most riders NY1 talked to Monday liked the idea, pointing out the cameras could deter all different kinds of crime.
“Sometime at night people come in from work and people try to rob them in the trains. I think that's a good idea," said one straphanger.
“If it can make the trains cleaner and safer for everyone, that's better," said another.
Cameras are just one strategy. Police have also stepped up their efforts to catch criminals, and the NYPD is on pace to make three times as many graffiti arrests as last year.
Officials are also considering retrofitting the windows on older subway cars with a Mylar coating that's already in use on new car windows. That could cost about $25 million over three years.
"They scratch that, and it doesn't penetrate in most cases through the Mylar onto the glass, so it doesn't make a permanent scratch in the glass,” said NYC Transit Senior V.P. of Subways Michael Lombardi. “We then remove the Mylar and replace the Mylar."
As for the cameras, there isn't any cost estimate or timetable yet.
“There's a lot of technical solutions out there that sound pretty good, but whether they really work is another thing. So we have to see what's out in the world, test it, see the results of other countries and other cities, see how it worked there, then determine what we want ourselves," said Lombardi. "Then we'll determine how much money will that be, and then the total amount of money will determine how many cars we do."
Where exactly the money will come from also remains to be seen.
More press..
Their canvas, the facade of a 200,000-square-foot former factory, has been transformed into a legal "aerosol safe haven" that attracts both local city kids and commercial artists from overseas in their 30s and 40s.
It is supervised by William Green, 41, known by his "tag" or graffiti signature, "Nic One." He is part of a movement in New York — the birthplace of modern graffiti — to distinguish graffiti as an art form rather than vandalism and to fight back against anti-graffiti laws.
As skateboarders gathered near the vibrant, multicolored complex, Green and his partner Jonathan Cohen, 33, alias "Meres", the creator of the space, gives teen-agers tips to improve their craft.
Cohen wants to establish a permanent graffiti school and gallery. Five years ago he received the landlord's permission to transform the factory's facade into graffiti art using techniques requiring a high level of skill, such as murals based on movie or comic book scenes.
"Here you don't have to look over your shoulder or start running from the cops; you have people like Nic looking out for you," said Diego Garces, 16.
When struggling youths in the 1970s began scribbling messages on subway cars in this once crime-ridden city, few might have suspected it would spawn a worldwide commercial street art and fashion phenomenon.
Now commercial artists are seeking to change negative opinions about the movement closely linked to hip-hop culture. Faced with a new city law that banned the possession of broad-tipped markers or spray paint by people under 21, graffiti artists say lawmakers have lumped vandals in with legal artists, violating constitutional rights to free expression.
"At its core it's sloppy legislation and highlights the cultural disconnect between these politicians and a younger generation," said designer Marc Ecko, 33, who is helping seven young artists challenge the anti-graffiti law through a lawsuit.
The kids won the first round when a federal judge imposed a temporary injunction stopping it from being enforced until the case can be heard in court.
Ecko, who owns a graffiti-inspired fashion business, won a separate legal clash with the city last year when a judge allowed him to stage an event that featured artists spray-painting mock subway cars.
The New Jersey-bred entrepreneur, who used graffiti designs to gain credence with the hip-hop world because as a kid he was in his words "too fat to break dance", has taken his battle nationwide, funding a lawsuit against the city of Miami and threatening one against Denver. He plans to write to dozens of mayors seeking talks and graffiti exhibitions.
Others like Green, who prefers the term "aerosol artist" due to graffiti's association with illegality, seek to educate through creating legal spaces.
"Graffiti is a part of New York for good or for bad," said Green, who grew up in the South Bronx selling guns and spray-painting subway cars and basketball court walls. He now travels the world holding exhibitions and doing artwork for movies, animation and video games, including designs for Ecko.
"You can't completely stop it," he said.
But New York City Councilman Peter Vallone aims to do just that. He calls the graffiti art movement a thinly veiled advertising campaign for Ecko that incorporates some of the city's most notorious "taggers".
The city estimates three-quarters of its 2,500 graffiti-related arrests in 2005 were of people under 21.
In addition, the cost of removing graffiti rose from $300,000 in 1993 to $10 million in 2003. Nationally it costs more than $10 billion a year to remove.
"I've seen how graffiti can lead kids down the wrong road," said Vallone, a former prosecutor and sponsor of the New York law being challenged in court. "It starts them out in a life of crime and then they graduate from there."
Vallone says if "some innocent people" are dragged into the net then that may be the price to achieve his ultimate goal "to completely rid this city of graffiti."
"Your right to free expression ends where my property begins," he said.
For now, the battle continues. Vallone vowed he will introduce "even tougher" laws while Ecko, who declined to say how much he was spending on his lawyers, sees himself as a "watchdog for legal graffiti art."
"I don't want the kids to forget about the '80s and what it meant," he said, referring to graffiti's transition from an emblem of urban poor to commercial success. "I am in the private sector; I've got the resources and I've got the time."
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