Remember way back when we interviewed Sickboy? Well, when I showed up for the interview I was informed that it was part of a little promotional documentary. Not really being dressed for the occasion I’m glad I didn’t end up on video much, but it turned out really good and captures the whole mood of the Sickboy Stay Free show. You may notice that Sickboy’s face is blurred out to hide his identity. It looks like a witness protection video or something, but I know his true identity… muhahahaha.
Our favorite large scale street artist, JR, has just left his mark all over Kibera, Kenya. In his most ambitious move yet he created a series of shifting images that sit on a hill. The eyes of the faces (pictured) are on a moving train, giving each a different pair of eyes as the train passes by. Just the thought of sitting on a roof top in Kenya to watch the train go by to complete the photographs makes us smile. JR has enlisted the help of the locals to create the images, as well as a massive series of photographs that spanning several roofs of the village. The water-resistant fabric helps with the structural condition of the poor village. Supposedly these rooftop photographs are visible from space. We haven’t heard any vertification from NASA. Check out his full gallery for the latest project and a few additional pictures over at the Wooster Collective.
We talk a lot about artist on joshspear.com, but when we get to talk with artist its like peaking inside their head full of amazing visions. Sickboy’s Stay Free is full of scary, amazing, funny and just wacky visions. The show is best described as an art playground. He took over a building (not a gallery) and put up paintings but also a sweet factory, weird girls in mask walking around, paintings planted in pots, a house to walk through (check out our exclusive pictures of the opening night for a better idea) and of course his iconic temples. Sickboy’s Stay Free is an entire world and in this interview we walk hand in hand through that world.
I had a chance to go to the private viewing of Sickboy’s Stay Free show. When an announcement was made that we were going to have to wait out in the cold because one of the oompa loompas was acting up I knew this art show wasn’t “normal.” Recently opened to the public, the venue takes over an old storage building and transforms it into a street art playground or factory or alley or whatever it is Sickboy wanted to call it that day. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. After the jump, Sickboy’s world of street art.
Remember Adam Neate? The rising superstar artist who started out leaving his cardboard paintings on random street corners around London? Yeah, that’s the one. Well after all his success he still remembers his roots. This Friday (November 14th) “as dusk falls” (I’m quoting the press release here) Adam and his team will be working their way from outside London to the center randomly passing out 1000 of Adam’s works. All paintings are numbered and hand screened prints of Adams work. This is all we know. The night of Street Art Action is to serve as the ‘private viewing’ for his upcoming show at our favorite gallery in London, Elm’s Lesters Paintings Room. We think this is such a fitting idea for Adam Neate, but now I know I’m going to freeze my ass off wondering downtown London on a Friday night hoping someone gives me a painting. A little JoshSpear.com suggestion to all you street artists out there–outdoor exhibitions can take place in the summertime too.
Sometimes the world isn’t 3-D enough. You could look like a fool and wear 3-D glasses around, or hire out Aakash Nihalani to decorate your windows, streets and office. Specializing in the third dimension, Aakash has created loads of works around NYC’s streets. You might have seen an elementry cube shape accenting a door or a sign, that was the work of Aakash challenging the way we see things. Like a lot of street artist these days Aakash also produces fine art that is shown in galleries. Give him a look and imagine your world a little less flat.
We've talked about Alexandre Orion when he released his first book about his concept of Metabiotics — interaction between his street paintings and the photographs taken of them. A year and a half later the Wooster Special Edition project is releasing a new book, giving Alexandre the attention and space to define his artistic vision, and also display his work on both the street and in galleries. Aside from being a beautifully designed book, it comes with a hand cut stencil, so you can spend your summer outside tagging buildings in promotion of Orion. Copies of the book and stencil are limited to 200 … that means hurry.
At the end of their careers, Musicians usually get a best-of record; artists get some wall space in a museum. Well Blaize Simon isn't going out like that– he has organized an entire section of street in London to display his works, which span the last ten years. Calvert Avenue, near Old Street station is where it’s all going on– Blaize will be displaying his artwork in the storefronts of shops along the road. Any and all passersby will be treated to an open-air gallery of his work. The exhibit is kicking off with a private viewing (i.e. party) this Wednesday, June 18th (from 5-10 p.m.) that’s expected to transform into a proper street party. Head over to haiti73 for an RSVP, but like any good street party, surely they won't turn people away on the day-of, will they? For those who can’t make the opening party, you can have a ‘walk by’ between June 19th and July 18th.
Remember 
At the end of their careers, Musicians usually get a best-of record; artists get some wall space in a museum. Well 
