Nardwuar vs. Joey Badass / Pro Era
Nardwuar was pretty busy down in Austin and had his hands pretty full with one of New York’s finest, Joey Bada$$ and crew. Interviewing the rapper in his inimitable style, the two touched on a range of topics, including Joey Bada$$’s appreciation of Sisqo, the influence of DOOM on him and his crew, and his current home, which just happens to be near a graveyard. Check out the always engrossing Nardwuar’s latest interview now.
Todd James
Painter extraordinaire Todd James is currently across the pond in London showing a range of his amazing art work. For those not familiar with the Todd, he is a contemporary artist from New York City. Self-taught, he started painting graffiti when he was very young opening up his account on the New York subway system under the name REAS. James went then went on to produce work for some of the biggest hip hop artist of our time. Penning the work for Beastie Boys’ Brooklyn Dust Elephant logo (1987), The Source (Magazine) logo as well as Mobb Deep, Red Man, Eminem, Kid Rock. Art from his coloring book/zine Attitude Dancer was used as a cover for Iggy Pop’s Beat em up album. Todd too was the puppet designer for Crank Yankers on Comedy Central produced by Jimmy Kimmel and Jack Hole productions.
So if by chance you happen to be in London, make sure you check out this very special exhibtion over at Lazarides.
NYCTA Graphics Standards Manual
Check out this site here, which is dedicated to serve as an archival record of a first edition 1970 New York City Transit Association Graphics Standards Manual designed by Massimo Vignelli of Unimark International. The manual is said to have been found in
a locker beneath old gym clothes. Enjoy.
Martha Cooper Birthday Tribute
Last week famed graffiti photographer Martha Cooper celebrated her 70th birthday. A tribute Martha Cooper Mural was put together for her at the Bowery Mural by some well known graffiti artist from LADY PINK, HOW, NOSM, FREE5, TERROR161, CRASH, DAZE, BIO, FREEDOM and other graffiti writers.
For those not familiar with the Bowery Mural, it is an outdoor long run temporary mural exhibition space in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The property on which the wall space is located has been owned by Goldman Properties since 1984. Real estate developer and arts visionary Tony Goldman started the Bowery Mural with Jeffery Deitch and Deitch Projects. The mural is located on the corner of Houston Street and Bowery in New York City.
Roy Lichtenstein
New York artist Roy Lichtenstein was born in New York City on October 27, 1923, and grew up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. In the 1960s, Lichtenstein became a leading figure of the new art movement, alongside Andy Warhol. Inspired by advertisements and comic strips, Lichtenstein’s bright, graphic images parodied popular culture. He died in New York City on September 29, 1997.
For much of the 1950s, Lichtenstein, whose interest in Americana remained strong throughout his life, produced a range of work that blended his interest in American scenes (cowboys and Indians) with a touch that showed his reverence for European greats, such as Pablo Picasso. His body of work from this period also includes an interesting rendition of the famous painting “Washington Crossing the Delaware.”
He started experimenting with pop art in the early 1960s, not long after he’d arrived at Rutgers University, where he’d been hired to teach. His work was as much a commentary on pop culture as it was on Abstract Expressionism. His paintings, which drew heavily on familiar characters found in comic books and advertising, seemed to be a direct contrast to the heavy-handed, search-for-meaning pieces coming out of so much of the rest of the art world.
His best-known image from this period is Whaam!, which Lichtenstein produced in 1963, using a comic book panel from a 1962 issue of DC Comics’ All-American Men of War, as his inspiration. Later works included Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
By the late 1960s, Lichtenstein had stopped using comic book sources. His focus instead turned to creating paintings that seemed to either pay homage to or mimic the works of Picasso, Cezanne and others.
His art took other forms as well, such as the paintings of living rooms he made in the 1970s. A decade later he returned to sculpture, even producing a 20-foot-high statute of Columbus for the city of Genoa, Italy. He also produced a five-story-tall mural for the lobby of the Equitable Center in Manhattan.
Roy Lichtenstein currently has an exhibition in London at the Tate Modern. If by chance you’re taking a trip to London be sure to check it out.
A$AP Rocky Doesn’t Agree With MTV
While A$AP Rocky was on Power 106 in L.A. he spoke on securing the eighth seed on MTV’s Hottest MC list. Check out the video below where he explains why he felt he deserved the number one spot.
Azealia Banks
Azealia Banks is back with some new music. Her last effort was a remake of Baauer’s “Harlem Shake.” This time the Harlem emcee remixes The Strokes’ song “Barely Legal.”
Ghostface Re-Releases Ironman
For all the New York music collectors. Similiar to Rae’s “Purple Tape“, Boston’s Get On Down is set to release a special collectable edition re-mastered version of New York rap legend Ghostface’s 1996 debut album, Ironman. The prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan has had many classic albums over the years, but it was only fitting he chose to re issue his debut.
