Continuing through February 23, 2025 at the Saar Historical Museum in Saarbrücken, Germany, is “ILLEGAL. Street Art Graffiti 1960 – 1995,”  the first museum exhibition anywhere to focus solely on illegal graffiti.  I recently had the opportunity to pose a few questions to its curator, Dr. Ulrich Blanché, a Heidelberg University art historian who specializes in global graffiti and street art. When did you first become interested in illegal markings? And what ignited your interest at the time? Growing up in a house in the middle of nowhere in Bavaria with no neighbors within a kilomet ..read more

Currently on view at Woodward Gallery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side is “The Eyes Have It,” a delightful exhibition showcasing several contemporary artists’ interpretations of eyes, as distinct elements of larger images. Among these artists are many well-known to us street art and graffiti aficionados. The untitled image above was fashioned with enamel on canvas in 2019 by the legendary Bronx-based artist John Matos aka Crash. Several more diverse renderings of eyes follow: Brooklyn-based Moody Mutz, “Berries and Grapes,” 2015, Acrylic on canvas Hudson Valley-based Cosbe, “My Madonna Dot Com ..read more

On the weekend of June 15, First Street Green Art Park was home to dozens of legendary artists, first-rate photographers, and graffiti aficionados as they came together to pay tribute to Fun Gallery co-founder Patti Astor, who had passed away in April. The first art gallery in Manhattan’s East Village to feature the works of such noted artists as Futura 2000, Lady Pink, Lee Quinones, Kenny Scharf, Keith Haring, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, Fun Gallery ran out of a small storefront  but had enormous impact. The mural featured above was painted by 5POINTZ founder and the wonderfully versatile ..read more

The 13th Annual  Bushwick Collective Block Party brought a wonderfully diverse array of local, national and global artists to Brooklyn’s iconic outdoor gallery. The huge, beguiling dog featured above was painted by Denver-based Patrick Kane McGergor against a deftly-executed cityscape crafted by multidisciplinary artist Chris Haven. In this Part II of At the Bushwick Collective are several more images of artworks that have surfaced this month at the Bushwick Collective, curated by its founder, Joe Ficalora. Miami-based Nate Dee, “Brooklyn Trogon” Austin, Texas-based Taiwanese-Ameri ..read more

Last weekend — as the Bushwick Collective presented its 13th Annual Bushwick Collective Block Party — a wonderful array of local, national and international artists shared their talents and visions with us. The captivating image featured above was painted by the masterly Chilean native artist Claudio Picasso aka CP Won. Several more images that we captured follow: The delightfully versatile Carson DeYoung aka Deps One The ever-clever gifted nomadic artist and designer Never Satisfied The ingenious Peruvian native artist Sef Sef captured in action The legendary South Bronx-based Puerto Ric ..read more

On Thursday May 15, Woodward Gallery held an elegant reception at the Down Town Association, 60 Pine Street, for 12 in 24. Presenting an intriguing array of artworks by 12 artists — all working in distinct styles — 12 in 24  continues through July, 2024. The image shown above features Cosby, along with his first-born son, standing in front of his 2022 work Soft Spot. Fashioned with acrylic and mixed media on acrylic panel, it is representative of Cosbe’s raw, instinctive, signature aesthetic. In addition to Cosbe— who is well-known to many of us street art aficionados — several other art ..read more

The following post is by guest contributor Kristy Calabro  On May 15, I attended the opening reception for the wonderfully inventine NICK WALKER | A PORTRAIT OF A VANDAL. Continuing through the summer at 685 Third Avenue, the exhibition features a delightful series of works on canvas and on paper — largely referencing Nick Walker‘s iconic vandal. Faceless, concealed subjects, all enveloped in an air of mystery, abound. Among these are tantalizing variations of  the bowler-hatted “Vandal” — reputedly his alter-ego. A particular highlight of the exhibition is Nick Walker‘s belove ..read more

With their seductive colors and striking styles, the graffiti that surfaces in Gefafe, Madrid always tantalizes. The image featured above was fashioned by Tras, CZB. Several more images that I captured while graffiti-hunting in this southern Madrid city follow: Rikams and Riser Nak2, MKC  Rojas Seka and Rojas Yenis NKS Okas Oner Photos: Lois Stavsky ..read more

On October 7, 2023, 27-year-old Haifa-based art student and graffiti writer Inbar “Pink” Haiman aka The Pink Raven went down to the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel to serve as a volunteer. While there, she was kidnapped — along with dozens more partygoers — by Hamas terrorists riding motorcycles and armed with knives. On December 16, her family was informed that she was dead and that her body was still in Gaza. Approximately two weeks later, a huge group of artists celebrated her all-too-brief life in a painting session in Tel Aviv. The image featured above is a portrait of Inbar paint ..read more

While there are only a limited number of legal murals in Bratislava, the streets of the Slovakian city teem with unsanctioned tags, graffiti bombs and motley urban interventions. What follows is a small sampling of what we captured on our recent visit to this captivating city: Cork, Ireland native Fin DAC One of several stenciled messages French artist Cart’1, segment of larger mural Local artists Daor & Dano One of many several elegantly crafted tags Poland-born, UK-based TANKPETROL One of many distinctly stylish graffiti bombs Photos: Sara Ching Mozeson and Lois Stavsky ..read more