February 2012
8 posts
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Black Book: NOXER x DAM GIRL
I originally met NOXER and DAM GIRL through another member of the NYC graff crew DOD (Department of Defense). The crew’s refined style comes from decades of experience in the game. NOXER alone has been writing graffiti for a total of 23 years. He is probably most well known for his appearance in the bombing documentary, State Your Name.
More DOD after the jump.
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Flashback Friday: Howard Thain
Howard Thain, Grand Central Station, N.Y.C., 1927
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Black Book: OPTIMO NYC
Today I’m experimenting with a new feature i’m calling Black Book. For each entry in this series, I’ll show another page in my own book of graffiti signatures and talk a little about the artist. For the first, I’d like to talk about NYC graffiti writer OPTIMO aka WERDS aka NO SLEEP.
OPTIMO’s distinctive top hat character can be found on walls all throughout NYC. I...
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Superman to the Rescue
These new alteration-friendly Mad Men ads have been making rounds on all the New York blogs. I flicked some new ones to add to the mix, including this subtle-but-awesome Superman version.
More after the jump!
Head ‘splode.
Sk8r Men
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Flashback Friday: Mark Rothko
Mark Rothko, Untitled Subway, 1937
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Roberta Thorn's Latest
The latest work by sticker artist Roberta Thorn plays on the MTA’s favorite fear phrase. Look for these stuck up slices of goodness in a station near you.
Photos courtesy the artist.
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Flashback Friday: Charlotte Johnson Wahl
Charlotte Johnson Wahl, Subway NYC, 1994
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January 2012
4 posts
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Subway Artist Profile: Richard Estes
Richard Estes, The L Train, 2009
From Wikipedia
Richard Estes is an American artist, best known for his photorealist paintings. The paintings generally consist of reflective, clean, and inanimate city and geometric landscapes. He is regarded as one of the founders of the international photo-realist movement of the late 1960s, with such painters as Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, and Duane Hanson....
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Poster Boy's Latest
PB takes a crack at Bedford Ave hipsters in his latest mashup. Pay Poster Boy a visit on flickr!
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The Artist's Commute - Christopher Pace
It’s my pleasure to introduce you to the work of artist/designer Christopher Pace. Like other artists I’ve spotlighted in this feature, Chris makes portraits of people on the subway. His process, though, is unlike that of anyone I’ve interviewed before. Chris’ portraits are digital, made pixel by pixel on his phone in a video game-esque style.
Here’s more about the...
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UR New York's Own Art Cards
Have you ever been annoyed by how boring the MTA’s ‘art cards’ are? (those long art posters inside the newer subway cars) I certainly have. Graffiti writers turned art collective UR New York have made it their mission to make some art cards that are more reflective of the city the are supposed to represent.
UR went to the MTA firstâthey approached the Arts For Transit...
December 2011
15 posts
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PAONE at Avenue U
Some graff I caught on the Q line.
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Guest City: Beantown - MBTA Dispatcher Decks the...
A transit employee was responsible for this awesome prank on the red line in Boston. Unfortunately, the MTBA had said they were going to reprimand the employee. Have some holiday spirit MBTA! Check out this article on The Globe for more info.
Thanks to @Trabant on Twitter for sharing!
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Home for the Holidays
This week is your last chance to check out Home for the Holidays, the inaugural exhibition of downtown’s Klughaus Gallery. With a focus on graffiti and identity, the group show features some well-established writers like FAUST and KATSU. Check out the official site for the full roster and visiting info. The show closes on the 31st, so don’t wait!
All photos by Subway Art Blog...
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Christmas Eve at Broadway Junction
This is the amazing sight that I saw on my way home for the holidays while waiting for the Canarsie-bound L train.
Merry Christmas!
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Subway Themed Wares at the Union Square Holiday...
Have any last-minute holiday shopping to do? Vendors at the Union Square Holiday Market have all sorts of merchandise for the subway lover in your life. Click on an image to go to that vendor’s website.
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Seen at Fountain Art Fair Miami 2011
I caught this piece at Fountain Miami referencing the MTA’s infamous fear campaign. I didn’t catch the artist’s name. Please leave a comment if you know!
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Art Basel Miami 2011- Underbelly Miami Gallery...
In case you couldn’t make it out to Miami, here is a walkthrough of the entire Underbelly show!
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Art Basel Miami 2011 - Cope2's Rise to the...
NYC graffiti king COPE2 also showed paintings during Art Basel in Miami at his solo show called “Rise to the Occasion.” In many ways his work was similar to UR New York’s—a mix of collage, painting and tagging. COPE also references the subway in his work with subway cars and wet paint signs.
Check out COPE’s site for more!
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Seanna Sharpe Performs High Above the JMZ
Aerialist Seanna Sharpe 285 Feet Over The Williamsburg Bridge from Ronen V on Vimeo.
This past summer, aerialist Seanna Sharpe performed and acrobatics show illegally on the Willamsburg Bridge, swinging high above the JMZ line for passers by. Check out this video about the whole shebang!
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Miami Art Basel 2011 - John Gagliano, "Sold My...
While roaming the streets of Wynwood in Miami, I found some fun subway art in a very unlikely place: an ice cream truck. One gallery took the less expensive route by selling art out of the back of this vehicle (seen below).
John Gagliano is the artist behind this very epic painting called “Sold My Soul for a G Train.” If only waiting for the G were actually this interesting.
...
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Fun with Wet Paint Signs: Miami Edition
It appears as though some awesome person brought NYC subway wet paint signs to Miami to create some fun anagrams. The number of New Yorkers and New York inspired art here is uncanny!
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Miami Art Basel 2011 - Leandro Erlich, "Global...
I found this awesome video piece by Leandro Erlich on the showroom floor at Art Basel. The video is a loop of views outside subway car windows from all over the world. Each clip is stitched together to look like one seamless trip. Even cooler is that the LCD TV is made to look like the window of a subway car, completing the experience.
Check out Leandro’s official site.
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Miami Art Basel 2011 - Breaking and Entering
Graffiti writers 2ESAE and SKI of UR New York showed new work at their own show called “Breaking and Entering” in Wynwood, Miami this weekend.
In one series that was being displayed, the artists appropriated traffic signs and other city signage as their canvases. One of these works, called “Good Ole Days,” utilized a sign from the M train. Another series in the show was...
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Miami Art Basel 2011 - Photos from Underbelly...
[caption id=”attachment_4429” align=”aligncenter” width=”650” caption=”Outside the gallery in Wynwood, Miami”][/caption]
Last night was the Underbelly Project’s book prerelease party at the group’s exhibition in Miami. Several Underbelly artists where on hand to sign early special edition copies of We Own The Night, a compendium of...
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Fletcher Crossman - "Train Car"
Fletcher Crossman is an England-born painter who now resides in New York City. He has done some wonderful work depicting the transit system such as Train Car above. Check out his site if you like what you see!
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November 2011
2 posts
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Occupy Subway Art
Some great artwork has come out of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Check out some of the subway art that we’ve spotted underground!
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Getting Head in New York City
It’s not this dude’s grin, or the subject that bothers me; it’s the quotes.
Photo by Jack Katsman
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October 2011
1 post
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Getting a Head in New York City
Don’t stare, it’s rude.
Spotted by Aaron Freimark
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September 2011
1 post
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Underbelly Project Gets a Book
If you are not yet familiar with the underground subway art “Underbelly Project,” you should check out this New York Times article.
If you are familiar with the project (and you are a big fan like myself) you will be excited to hear that the organizers, Workhorse and PAC, are putting together a book.
Since the existence of the project had been announced publicly in the Times...
August 2011
0 posts
1 tag
On NYC Air Quality
The last affordable thing in NYC.
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July 2011
5 posts
1 tag
Cash 4 Underground
NYC graff writer Cash4 seems to have been making his way underground as of late. Cash is most well known for his large paint roller pieces as seen on the side of a building near you. We are excited that he is exploring new venues for his work!
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Keep it Up
These nifty sign alterations were spotted by Reddit user blackrobot at the Nassau Avenue G station this morning. It isn’t clear who is responsible for this heinous act of vandalism, but they remind me quite a bit of this recent project by Beast. Let us know if you have any info!
Update: They are by none other than Trustocorp!
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Good Advice is Hard to Find
Some Good Samaritan decided to add a salient piece of advice to this poster parodying the MTA’s safety campaign on a Manhattan street. A friend of The New York Observer’s Azi Paybarah passed it along to him two weeks ago, and we in turn pass it along to you as a public service.
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On Graffiti and Advertising
When it comes down to it, graffiti and advertising are not all that different. On the most basic level, the goal is the same: trying to get your name out there. Of course the difference is advertisers have billions of dollars behind them and graffiti writers are mostly individuals working on their own with minimal cost.
When I spotted this at 23rd Street the other day, I had a suspicion that it...
June 2011
7 posts
1 tag
Reflections on Jim Joe
Jim Joe is still quite active, but hasn’t done all that much work in the subway lately. Hence I was surprised when I spotted this new tag at Carroll Street on the F/G line. I can tell it is recent because of the style. He has been developing this new line-heavy style over the past several months. I hope this is the beginning of his underground comeback!
Have you spotted any Jim Joe tags...
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Those Glee Project People Are at it Again!
I wholeheartedly agree. Don’t you wish people came w/such warning labels?
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Nina Boesch's MetroCard Exhibition
Nina Boesch creates some of the most detailed, boldest MetroCard art I have seen. She is showing her work today through August 5th at Minibar in Brooklyn. Join us for the opening reception tonight!
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What Do You Write?
This ad was asking for it, wasn’t it? Thanks for stepping up, Moustache Man!
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Tom Otterness Gets Googled
Caught this at 14th and 8th.
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Subway Art Blog—Refreshed!
There’s something different around here! I pushed out a site design update today with a bunch of new graphics and icons.
The first thing you may notice is the new header. From now on we will be using this space to feature the work of subway artists. I asked one of my favorites, Amitai Plasse, to design the first of these new headers. Above is the original drawing straight from his...
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Hanksy on the JMZ
A new graffiti trickster has appeared! Seen on the JMZ at Myrtle Avenue.
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May 2011
8 posts
1 tag
Pokemon on the Subway
I thought this was funny considering I play Pokémon on my commute and imagine what people are thinking also. Chances are that you do not. I apologize for wasting your time.
via loldwell.com
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So the Rapture Will Be a Total Sausage Fest
Hope you men don’t get too lonely in Heaven.
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Beauty in Decay
Does anyone else stare at the layers of rust and decay on subway walls and think, “Wow. That is art!”? I’m happy to say there is at least one other.
Maureen Cooter’s subway-inspired paintings have graced the pages of Subway Art Blog before, and in her last few years studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology, her work has only gotten bolder and stronger.
The work...
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The McHangover
The best part of waking up…
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One Down...
Roberta Thorn’s latest sticker, which can be found on a subway advertisement near you.
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The Man Behind the Moustache
If you have ridden the subway over the past year and paid even an iota of attention to your surroundings, chances are you have seen the word “moustache” on an ad, as it appears in the above photo. Moustaches (or mustaches if you fancy), along with blacked-out teeth and phalluses are some of the most common markings found on subway ads, but there is something that stands out about...