Street Art

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I have always been fascinated by what I see on walls and since the mid-1970s whenever I saw something of interest and I had a camera with me I took a picture. Many photographs from a variety of locations were the result. In some instances these photographs turned into projects; the first was called Cancer Eyes, featuring photographs I took in the New York City subway system for six months beginning in October 1978 and ending in March/April 1979.

34 East 12th Street as Smart Object 1In May 1981 I undertook a second project, one I called Shadowman. I didn’t know it at the time, but the photographs I took in 1981 and 1982 of the lurking, malevolent shadow figures I saw on walls throughout New York City’s lower east side and Soho, were paintings by the noted artist, Richard Hambleton. Thirty-five years later these photographs remain extremely popular and have been widely published in books,magazines and gallery catalogs and exhibited throughout the world. In late 2014 one of these photographs was used as a 40’x50’ mural, incorporated into the façade of a newly constructed building in the Downtown Markham complex near Toronto in Canada. In mid-2015, Global Arts Holdings will release a limited edition of tenselected oversized Shadowmen prints.

In March 1986 I undertook a comprehensive project to document what I felt were the most important artistic and sociological aspects of New York City’s rapidly changing lower east side. This project lasted until 2010 and contains approximately 7700 photographs, many of which depict the most exciting street art at any given time. It was a wise decision to document this 24-year evolution of burnt out buildings as they were converted to multi-million dollar condominiums. The photographs in this massive project and other taken at the same time in New York and at other locations in New York and around the world led to the publication of XCIA – The Street Art Project in 2012. This book was highly praised in print, the Internet and all social media. It sold out but used copies are available. The limited edition of the book which is signed by various street artists as well as myself and contains unique original art, can be found at: http://woodwardstore.mycafecommerce.com/categories/books/?page=1

 

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I am currently engaged in multiple projects involving street art, including a massive installation of photographs in Markham, Ontario, Canada, the limited edition portfolio of Shadowmen photographs and completing the final photography for XCIA – The New York Photographs 2012-3-4-5. I still feel that street art remains the most vibrant art form being put before the public in 2015 and that the public and private walls of New York City and other locations throughout the world are an ever changing people’s museum that at its best rivals the most celebrated museums anywhere in the world. The photographs posted on my web site are some of my favorites.

 

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