In my travels across New York City documenting street art and graffiti, I’m always excited when I stumble across full-blown illicit installations. While stenciling and wheatpasting continue to explode in popularity, it takes another level of commitment, chutzpah if you will, to pull off something more involved.
Using salvaged or re-appropriated materials, NYC street artists are both piggybacking their pieces onto existing street furniture and brazenly installing work of their own. There are highly skilled carpenters and iron workers amongst the ranks of artists — the sole unifying factor in an otherwise diverse group is the placement of their work on the street. Some pieces last but a few hours, but you’d be surprised how many fly under the radar and run for years.
The following is a cross-section of some of New York City’s finest three-dimensional street art.
Dan Witz’ photorealistic diver peaks over the edge of a construction fence.
/ Luna Park
Judith Supine playfully adds some wooden feet to two metal pipes jutting out of a sidewalk.
/ Luna Park
Generally known for his use of ceramic tiles, Space Invader builds a classic arcade ghost out of Rubik’s cubes.
/ Luna Park
Moody often attaches his one-of-a-kind wooden characters to storefronts and signs.
/ Luna Park
Using standard DOT street poles as anchors, Gore B installs numerous wooden boards all over the city.
/ Luna Park
Deeker has a way with words — he cuts them out of wood and glues them in unlikely places.
/ Luna Park
Skewville re-purposes found material to spell out the name of his neighborhood in his distinct font.
/ Luna Park
Although it has seen some wear, this installation by Zast still gives passersby a reason to pause and wonder.
/ Luna Park
J-Bird attaches his painted wooden pieces to construction sites.
/ Luna Park
Although Stikman constantly reinvents his iconic figure, its form is still distinguishable under a coat of paint.
/ Luna Park
An iron worker by trade, Revs welds words … and dark, foreboding figures.
/ Luna Park
Under an elevated train, Darius Jones’ metal flower blooms eternally.
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JJ Veronis honors his good friend Andy Kessler, a skateboard legend, who died too soon.
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An unknown artist has installed two figures whimsically contemplating a bird.
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Specter’s gilded shopping cart full of empty bottles is a monument to the city’s unofficial recyclers.
/ Luna Park
This is really interesting! No one ever talks about sculpture as street art, but it is so relevant, I see interesting sculptures everywhere.
Absolutely! If one keeps an open mind and a keen eye, there are sculptures to be found everywhere – both intentionally placed and wholly accidental. The piles of junk people leave on the curb often border on the sculptural…
Good stuff! Makes one think of the city as one large interactive sculpture.