The Private Property Collection Of Graffiti Artist Designed Furniture From Alife X Uhuru.

New York Art Department's PRIVATE PROPERTY is a collaborative project between downtown New York lifestyle brand ALIFE and Brooklyn-based contemporary furniture manufacturer Uhuru (perhaps you recall the post I did on Uhuru's Coney Island furniture line).



The exhibition, which was at The Hole in New York's Bowery, featured sustainable furniture by Graffiti artists Earsnot (Ear) Irak, Semen (Semen Irak aka SeMeN SPeRmS), Jim Joe, KR (Craig Costello aka Krink), Max Fish (Bar and Art Gallery) & ALIFE.



The PRIVATE PROPERTY furniture collection consists of the following pieces:


EARSNOT AND SEMEN IRAK:


EARSNOT IRAK Antique MOD Mirror:
Antique Mod Mirror, steel-framed, floor-length mirror. Etched by EARSNOT, President of NYC's IRAK Crew. Dimensions: 30"x80"Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 2. $7500



SEMEN IRAK Antique MOD Mirror:
Antique Mod Mirror, steel-framed, floor-length mirror. Scratched and cracked by SEMEN of NYCʼs IRAK Crew. Dimensions: 30"x80" Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 2. $7500

Artists Earsnot and Semen at work on the mirrors:





MAX FISH


MAX FISH Slab table and chairs:
One-of-a-kind hardwood slab set on trapezoid steel legs with 4 1X1 metal and wood chairs. Marked by Max Fish patrons overthe month of April 2011.Table dimension: 84"x42"x29.5", Chair dimension: 17"x18"W x35"Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. One-of-a-kind. $25,000







JIM JOE:


JIM JOE on LAP Coffee Table:
1/4" Aluminum plate and solid wood 3"x3" base. Drawn on by Jim Joe.
Dimensions: 46"x46"x16" Signed by the artist and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 4. $7500


underside of the coffee table:


Artist Jim Joe at work on the coffee table:



additional images of Jim Joe coffee table courtesy of Seth Lassman's (Setlasmon) fabulous sets on Flickr

KR aka Krink aka Craig Costello:


KR on SUMMER SNOW Benches:
Solid Ash tops over 1"x1/2" steel tubing powder coated white. Painted by Craig Costello. Dimensions: 60"x16"x18"Signed by the artist and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 5. $7500




ALIFE NYC:


ALIFE NY CRACK Table:
1/4" steel plate with 1/2" glass top. Dimensions: Base: 26.5"x41"x15.5" Top: 48"x34" Signed and numbered. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 15. $3600



ALIFE Metal STOOLEN:
A metal version of Uhuruʼs signature stool, created in 4 custom colors for ALIFE.Dimensions: 16"x18"Signed and numbered. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Edition of 15. $1800



About the Metal Stoolen: The Metal Stoolen was created using scraps of steel from Brooklyn area metal shops. Bundled together haphazardly and encased in a ring of longer pieces, the hollow ends of metal form the objectʼs top. This produces a dynamic pattern filled with highly charged empty space. The effect is like a photonegative of the original Stoolen. The eye-catching powder coating adds to the pieceʼs sculptural quality and highlights the tension between positive and negative space.



(NY Mag) PRIVATE PROPERTY brings together high-end sustainable furniture design and downtown New York graffiti culture: The project counts on the participation of infamous graffiti writers EARSNOT, SEMEN, JIM JOE and KR; legendary Lower East Side hang out Max Fish and its unruly clientele; and lifestyle brand ALIFE—all of whom have produced self-titled pieces.


To be displayed for sale during New York Design Week, the idea behind the project began as a friendly conversation between Alife and New York Art Department founders Robert Cristofaro and Arnaud Delecolle, and Uhuru founders Jason Horvath and Bill Hilgendorf. The four agreed to collaborate and create a New York-centric project that would represent all partiesʼ respective areas of expertise.

The result is a unique collection of handcrafted sustainable furniture that plays with the concept of vandalism, private property and each's appropriation of the other. PRIVATE PROPERTY is produced by creative consultancy and design company New York Art Department with support of lifestyle brand-consultancy company WhY-Q.

"The collaboration between ALIFE and Uhuru creates a dialogue between designers and artists, Urban landscapes and interiors. Ultimately, it will aim at producing a merging of viewpoints to challenge conceptions between fine art and furniture," says Jason Horvath.

“This project allows ALIFE to play and execute with yet another medium. This is the first time ALIFE applies its vision to furniture, but it's something we've wanted to do for a long time. It's more quality content from the ʻalifevisionʼ,” says Arnaud Delecolle.

“The artists selected for this project represent Alifeʼs vision of the New York graff scene. Each individual chosen in this lineup is recognized within the New York downtown lifestyle as a trailblazer in his respective niche. Whether it be manufacturer of art supplies, DJ to the “Downtown”, wordsmith or just an infamous personality within the graffiti scene, all have all paid dues and contributed to this art form,” says Rob Cristofaro.

"Getting involved with NYAD to produce Private Property was a no brainer for WhY-Q. For the past 10+ years WhY-Q has produced avant-garde events such as Ryan McGinley's first solo exhibition & the NY Minute Exhibition in Rome, we felt this was one of those events: Real New York street art collaborating with real New York high end furniture design. It hasn't been done before," says Why-Q Partner Teddy Liouliakis.

Alife opened in 1999. One of its main goals then was to showcase people around it whose work enriched our lives with original ideas and the honest commitment to the qualitative execution of those ideas, independently of the medium. From fashion to graffiti, this was the criteria we lived by. Also, we had to like the end product.

the press release:
New York Art Department, 201 —The artists and contributors that are part of this project meet these same requirements and were asked to participate because of their contribution to the downtown graffiti scene:

Earsnot and Semen Sperms of the infamous IRAK crew. Over the years, both—each in their own way--have destroyed vast amounts of private property with undisputed flair and attitude, represented here with two of the most destructive marking techniques.

Craig KR Costello, a downtown ambassador of good taste and purveyor of fine inks and markers to street vandals and studio artists alike, brings controlled chaos with his well-known and often imitated KRINK drips.

A witty newcomer with art school charm, JIM JOE showcases the melding of art education, graffiti culture and his personal obligation to illegally write his name and phrases everywhere, as evidenced by the threatening note attached to The Hole gallery door by a neighbor.

Legendary Lower East Side watering hole and artist safe haven, Max Fish and its patrons provide us with the colorful impromptu composition of layered drunken vandalism characteristic of its bathrooms on Ludlow street.

Finally, Alife comes in as the curator and long-time supporter of the scene with its stamp of approval: NY CRACK



ALIFE X UHURU DESIGN: PRIVATE PROPERTY ran from MAY 14 – MAY 17, 2011, some of the items are now up for auction at Blacklots.

images courtesy of Alife, Uhuru, High Snobiety, Metro Velvet and Alife on Flickr.

Watch 3 Urban Artists As They Design The Lucha Libre Bottles for 1800 Tequila.

For the past few years 1800 Tequila has been releasing limited edition artist series bottles.

The most recent, the fabulous new Lucha Libre Series of 6 artist designed bottles for 1800 Tequila have recently been introduced and are now accompanied by three mini documentaries of their creation by A76.


above: Gary Baseman working on his bottle art and the finished product

Highlighted are three award winning artists (Gary Baseman, Tristan Eaton, Yuko Shimizu) designing and speaking about their Luchador themed artwork for the limited edition 1800 Tequila Bottles.


above: Yuko Shimizo talks about her design and the finished product

Through the combination of stylized editing and Mexican influenced original music, the videos immerse viewers into the artists' creative process, as well as their different personality and locations.


above: Tristan Eaton's bottle art in progress and the finished product

Watch as Yuko Shimizu, Tristan Eaton and Gary Baseman create their original art work for the new limited edition Luchador bottle series for 1800 Tequila.

Yuko Shimizu:

Tristan Eaton:

Gary Baseman:


In addition to the bottles featured in the documentaries, the other 3 Lucha Libre bottles were designed by Tes One:

Ray Smith:

and Alex Hank:


The video series was created and produced by Duffy Higgins in partnership with Proximo Spirits & 1800 Tequila. An A76 Production.


PRODUCED & DIRECTED BY: DUFFY HIGGINS
EDITED BY: JOHN REIS
SOUND MIXER & SOUND DESIGN BY: ROB DALY
MUSIC BY: MAD PAN PRODUCTIONS
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: GUILIA ARMENTANO

The full line of the 3rd Artist Series of bottles for 1800 Tequila:

Over at NOTCOT, you can see the unboxing of the promotional mailer and all the cool Lucha Libre related design goodies by Dead As We Know It that came with it.

Yarn Bombing: Guerilla Knitters & Granny Graffiti Cover Cities With Crochet

above: Yarn Bomber Magda Sayeg gives a Paris statue a legwarmer

above: A Yarn Bombed homage to Banksy by Agata Olek, image courtesy of Olek

If you're not aware of the latest art movement, Yarn Bombing, just start looking around. Yarn Bombing is a cozier version of street graffiti. Sometimes referred to as Grandma Graffiti, it is the guerilla crocheting of buildings, bike racks, stairs, statues, trees, lampposts and more are covered with crochet or knitting by various artists.



A relatively new global phenomenon, this softer form of urban vandalism is appearing in every country around the globe and was recently celebrated on June 11th as International Yarn Bombing day.


above: Magda Sayeg of Knitta Please at work

above: Agato Olek yarn bombs places, things and created human figures with her knits, image courtesy of Olek

above: Jesse Hemmon of Ishknits yarnbombs the Rocky Stautue in Philadelphia

Just like urban street art has its heros (Bansky, Crash, Retna and more) so does Yarn Bombing. Artists/knitters like Jessie Hemmons of ishknits, Magda Sayeg of Knitta Please and artist Agata Olek, to name just a few.

Jessie Hemmon's yard bombed statue of Rocky outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art asks you to "go see the art":




The talented work of artist Magda Sayeg is more like public art installations than graffiti and can be found in Paris, New York and Indonesia, amongst other places.

Some work from Magda Sayek of Knitta Please (more later in the post):







From People to Public Pools to Statues, some of Agata Olek's work:

image courtesy of Olek

image courtesy of Olek

image courtesy of Olek

image courtesy of Olek

image courtesy of Olek

image courtesy of Olek

image courtesy of Olek

Yarn Bombed Transportation:

above: Jessie Hemmon's awesome Tank Blankie (courtesy of flickr)

above: knit car cozie (artist unknown)

above: Knit covered motorcycle by Kate Corbin




above: Magda Sayeg's amazing crochet-covered atv, bus, MINI, and Cosmico camper

above: Agata Olek's knit covered car

above: the El train yarnbombed by ishknits

above: Schwinn by Greeneyez2

above: knit covered bike in new York by Agata olek, image courtesy of Olek

Yarn bombed utility and lamp posts, bike racks, and other public elements:

above: yarn bombed bike racks by Graffiti Grannies

above: Yarn bombed bike racks by Maluca Yarnbombing

Some Yarn Bombed statues spotted on June 11th:

above: Yarn Bombed statue by Julie Burton Beckham

above photo courtesy of Dace Balode

above photo courtesy of Laurie Sims

above: a yarnbombed lion by Bournemouth & Poole Stitch n' Bitch, image courtesy of flickr

Yarn Bombed trees:



and a truly beautiful one spotted in Fitzroy VIC Australia (artist unknown)


The images in this post are courtesy from the various artists, the New York Times, ArtInfo Time magazine and Flickr

Yarn bombing links:

• Yarnbombing has a list and links to many yarnbombers.
•All About Yarn blog
• Knitta Please blog
• Yarnbombing Facebook group
• Graffiti Grannies on facebook
• Images from International Yarn Bombing day on flickr