It was known as the mecca of street art. A place where artists from around the globe gather to get whatever space alotted to put their wokr. But it’s all gone and the artist are not happy.
5POINTZ, QUEENS, NY
Th e In st itu te of Hi gh er Bu rn in
PPPPP O O O O O IIIII N N N N N TTTTT ZZZZZ BANKSY
April 2018 The smooth street crimimal who has pieces arounf the world — yet no oneknows his face
Issue No. 1 A masterpiece from each borough of NY.It’s something to see
5 BOROUGHS
Fuji ad courtesy of vimeo.com
CONTENTS
TABLE
queens — pg.16 — 17
Issue 01 April 2018
brooklyn — pg.16 —17
banksy — pg.10 — 15
bronx — pg. 18
staten isalnd — pg.20
manahttan — pg.19
in the family — pg.21
5pointz — pg. 22 — 27
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fo r ed w n g Ne si de s in rs y h l l ade ug cia e o r r e a r p bo ou gh is s ve ro u n d a nt Up ll f i h w t a w e n in g le s s a h ro i ti i t. W alk p ! T graf f se wi w ce U o pri th e nd kn f a e ro w i c a l l y r o n h a ll s n eve u s e um e c e s o f T p e cif wa ow ’s i n ’t e on s i p m o , t h r i t t d er y a e r at d f t v e , a g s e o r a w rs u et st ti n t , th ut e d o i m d r r e i o s r d f f n a i t m o a v s p te a ea he us an s te et s ram e d n . I n s s eu a te s i h e u s a r R e to t t ’ r c d t e t f m ur s o rt e re D un m un s si oo he o a th e s e ut l t t t e d ap p l l aro h r lc o B n n i e n . e p o r a , t d w a a tc W wh ou ng mo f ex aw do n te s cr t is o o e s o R r r , i e k s l l t ! g i A t m e a a t ew tho Cit y. wa fo r ly t ! Ar her aw r ti s ol ( e t m r e tr u e re k ke at t is a es e a o r g , a h h c t t t o t t r a Y s d n’ w fa ally f i ve t , th ! It ’ te d no Do t an so A ll ou a i n th i s r e m . y r to k i t i o n . t p li gh fo r ar o o h e f as p nd ib hi g o s t n s o m . I f in d els h h a ny ng ro u i s g t m a e x h r ti s t s s l k e o m ce m e b o ro u a t ve oo , lik w in g ost are spa is a th e va g a n h s . L r a f f i ti e k o r c y d r n t dm e a i o a h a l n e h t G C o r a t b T rh ex t es f it . ork an d d i s a to , ye gi o n . bo r t o nva s w Y du al s u a g re e t s gh e e a i e r g d e p n N t i a e h t n s a v c c e s l e i a , s e n ut a d be op to e m u s i c t to t h c au i ve i n i n g th at i s h e th e e b b i ! d, ll , iqu rab d all le w es s ke LE We x p r t i s u n h e fo o h at t a of g n eop AB e ? r ks a p y K h t t t d ma rl ed Ci th a AR le h: r d w it i p g k n g M r wo d o u E o ie e la a dm pe i te th i n b o r o t) R w Y c c up qu t th me m e l w ay s h th a u Ne e o a c o r o s s y a a ; e ab se ea e se W h h s a re e re nt e to i s t h e i n g h th o t ar u . I ’v f g u k f e l i l u q a i t a th a d t g o I n c ro t s . u g s u o g o le r in b at y t s no are op . rg e a lth u i l d i n l l s th e th ’m t e ( I a d a l p l . m s r s b a ar t a ve n th e o re so ar k hu cts a ny t th e w e s e e s tr e e t – th e s o n th e w m c e y m o d l p r u as he l an e th he a nt m s e l v re fo r ”b hin ab o ut t i th or t in t NY t se e e ’ o g p w it w n e h h n b n t t v i m g o d o a i t k o s n e l i g w l u s g a in f il re to en “ I L alk in so mt You ot go t e x p s e l v e C i t y i s n th e a p p p i r e d u to . I a e ets . l h t m i r s a e a a m r k n I d yo s tr i th s) , the w Yor tione re i at a re i es fo r e a w s h e r t g e h u u h t n en Ne gs yo rc t in c h th r b u t a i ti th i n i s s u e re m g s tu q u re ug tw e l a o s l r d t a u n i s i th sj hi s th a ro v p l o re e r i s eve r y wa l k o f t c a nva sp x sm d t w e e u a n l e r l o i e m n y d yo u ew en c al th e e re d is l c ov by w h o ur l o s u e w lly by r is wo lk yy efu wa re d b th e th i s op t h n a I e th y. nd nit c ov ya see d mu nit n u m m lf a co c o m o ur s e i e c e ! s i y h t s erp re s ast ! ng ex p e a m adi t e a R e y cr pp Ha
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April 2018
AD
APRIL 2018 ISSUE NO. 1
LET’S TAKE IT BACK!
A glimpse into the history of street art.
Graffiti is a term that refers to any writing or drawings that have been scratched, scribbled or sprayed in a public space, and is very intentional. Graffiti became popular around the late 60s into the 70s. During this time artist mostly “tagged” or wrote their name in very decorated typography on the side of buildings or subway cars. Subway cars and buildings were and are still popular spaces to place art but artists who
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had creations on spaces that are not so easy to access; are seen as the daring ones. So they gain more respect or street cred. From the moment graffiti became a thing, it was meant to get people talking. It was meant to get people to look at places that they never thought would be a place to showcase art. Although graffiti and street art is viewed as something negative by politicians, artists still go out and use these blank walls and subway cars to express their dissatification with whatever is going on. Sometimes it’s not dissastification, sometimes it’s just to put something out there for everyone to look at.
Sharpie ad courtesy of Andy Valde via rockvibeproductions.com
AD/IMAGE
APRIL 2018 ISSUE 01
STREET TALK Graffiti has a language all in itself, here’s what you need to know
Throwup — large, quickly rendered letters, usually in a ‘bubble-style’, spray-painted in two colours, one for fill and one for outline. They often consist of only two letters, either the first and last, or first and second letters of a graffitist’s name. Backjump — a quickly executed throw up or panel piece. Backjumps are usually painted on a temporarily parked train or a running bus. Full Monty — a graffiti form that takes up the entire canvas, wall or area that can be vulgar yet has a very effective message. Hip-hop-style graffiti (graff) — so known because of its connection with Hip-Hop culture (associated with rap music) – also known as subway-style graffiti.
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Lock on — sculpture art in a public space, typically chained to public furniture with an old bike lock. The Lock On style is a “non destructive” form of underground art. Pieces (short for masterpieces) — large, colourful, elaborate, and carefully executed tags or crew names where stylistic qualities are paramount. Stickers — are prepared in private and quickly applied in public spaces. They are drawn, applied or printed onto material that has an adhesive backing. Tags — a quickly rendered stylised signature of a graffiti artist’s pseudonym (street name), using a felt-tip pen or spray paint – often intended as a marker of the writer’s presence. Wildstyle — an intricate, interlocking type of calligraphy that is difficult and almost impossible to read using computer, gothic lettering or 3-D lettering, blended colours, and cartoon characters. terms from goodbyegraffiti.wa.gov.au
Sharpie ad courtesy of Andy Valde via rockvibeproductions.com
AD/IMAGE
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A True Street Cr He’s been in the game since 1990. It’s safe to say he knows what he’s doing. His art is so iconic and controversial, he is considered a pop culture icon in the UK. Banksy goes after the issues. The issues that society has faced in the past and issues that are current. Through his stencil like style, he takes to the streets and brings us something new and wonderful to look at and talk about everytime. The best part is
about him, it’s about the work. Let’s take a look at the early works and recent works of Banksy. I’m sure they’re all conversation starters.
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that he remains completely anonymous. It’s never
All images from banksy.co.uk unless stated otherwise
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banksy.co.uk
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FEATURE 1
Issue No. 01 April 2018 ThrowUp Magazine
www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture
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Time magazine selected the British artist Banksy—graffiti master, painter, activist, filmmaker and all-purpose provocateur—for its list of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2010, he found himself in the company of Barack Obama, Steve Jobs and Lady Gaga.
FEATURE 1
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Your mind is working at its best when you’re being paranoid. You explore every avenue and possibility of your situation at high speed with total clarity.
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Banksy
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Queen! The most diverse borough of them all. So don’t be surprised if you find pieces of all different styles and colors. 5Pointz is no more but all is not lost! Almost every neighborhood of Queens has something to offer. Try the streets in Astoria or even Flushing. Two very different neighborhods of course, so be ready for some good stuff.
Spend the day in downtown Brooklyn, specifically around Dumbo. There aren’t miles of murals here but if you look close enough you’ll run into some of the most interesting pieces. Whether it’s along side an underpass or the walls of some Dumbo’s restaurants. There’s so much too see if you’re on the way to Brooklyn Bridge Park.
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In the South Bronx is where you’ll find some of the most extraordinary street art and graffiti. If you’re ever curious take the 6 train to Whitlock Avenue. A walk down Whitlock Av will give you amazing pieces alongside garages and warehouses.
Image courtesy of Alphonso Gregory via Flickr
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Image courtesy of Jules Antonio via Flickr
Manhattan is no stranger to the graffiti and street art game. Some of the most exsquisite pieces exist in downtown and uptown. The best ones are hidden in alleys. We’re sure you won’t miss out since that some really good ones are alongside the top of some buildings
Image courtesy of Bob K via Flickr
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STATEN ISLAND
Head into Staten Island to see some beautiful pieces of art. Just don’t forget your map, your “Staten Art District Map.” The Staten Art District Map was created by artist, Kwue Molly with the Projectivity Movement. It highlights 27 murals around the North Shore. Most of these murals are commission pieces is which more that 50 artist are represented.
STATEN ISLAND BRONX
Image courtesy of Alphonso Gregory via Flickr
Image courtesy of Dan Deluca via Flickr
MANHATTAN
T H E
F A M I LY
Image courtesy of Bob K via Flickr
IN THE FAMI-
QUEENS
Image courtesy of John Britton via Flickr
BROOKLYN
A L L
I N
Image courtesy of Pelle Stan via Flickr
The Institute of Higher Burnin
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45-46 Davis Street, Long Island City, Queens, was the place of choice sought out by countless graffiti artist and urban artist alike. What’t so special about this very specific destination? Well, it is home a 200,000 square foot canvas. As for the name “5 Point,” it is meant to represent all the five boroughs coming together to create one masterpiece. However, it went beyond that and attracted artists globally. It has been called “the world’s premier graffiti mecca.” New Yorkers were lucky enough to get a glimpse of these marvelous creations as they commute back and forth on the MTA 7 subway line. Unfortunately the this marvel of a creation is no more. 5 Pointz is officially permanently closed. The work that lived there has been covered up with paint and the building has been demolished. Condos now stand on Davis Street. The urban definitely was not happy about this and the owner now has a lawsuit on his hands.
Graffiti Gets Paid at 5Pointz.
By: Greg Howard Previously featured in The New York Times
Graffiti has been governed by one rule ever since it exploded in the Bronx in the 1970s: If you paint over another artist’s work, what comes next must be better than what stood before. In the ephemeral world of graffiti, it was about as close to a law as there was. Last week, a federal judge, Frederic Block, may have established legal precedent to the unwritten code. Jerry Wolkoff, the developer who owns the building known as 5Pointz in Long Island City, Queens, was fined $6.7 million for painting over the works of 21 graffiti artists. Even though Mr. Wolkoff owned the building that was painted, a jury found that under the Visual Arts Rights Act, the art was protected. It was an odd and belated sense of validation for the graffiti artists, even though they sensed that Mr. Wolkoff’s legal team underestimated the art form.
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“I think going into this, he didn’t realize how organized we were,” said Carlos Game, 47, one of the artists seeking damages. “They forget that these aren’t little kids. These ‘kids’ are 47 years old. They run businesses, they have businesses.” Still, the artists were stunned by the size of the award issued by Judge Block. The $6.7 million was the maximum penalty, based on $150,000 for each of the 45 works the judge deemed worthy of protection. The derelict warehouse had been a legal graffiti haven for years, but was christened 5Pointz in 2002. A graffiti artist named Jonathan Cohen (his tag was Meres One) came to an agreement with Mr. Wolkoff to allow artists to paint there. The site was described during the trial by the artists’ lawyer Eric Baum as “the world’s largest open-air aerosol museum,” and artists flocked from around the world to paint its walls. Each piece, done for free, was a labor of love.
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The site was described during the trial by the artists’ lawyer Eric Baum as
the world’s largest open-air aerosol museum
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April 2018 ThrowUp Magazine
The way the art was destroyed, however, was most upsetting. Mr. Wolkoff, intending to raze the building to build condominiums, hired a team to whitewash the building at night. But the warehouse remained standing for nearly a year after the graffiti had been destroyed. It seemed to the artists to be a deliberate insult to the thousands of hours of work put into the murals. Judge Block thought so as well.
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“I wouldn’t mind seeing my artwork go down with the building,” William Tramontozzi, 42, said. He got into graffiti in the 1980s, and he painted at 5Pointz well before it was called 5Pointz. There was something romantic, he said, about the thing he loved going down with the place he loved.
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and artists flocked from around the world to paint its walls. Each piece, done for free, was a labor of love.
“If not for Wolkoff’s insolence, these damages would not have been assessed,” the judge said at the ruling. “If he did not destroy 5Pointz until he received his permits and demolished it 10 months later, the court would not have found that he had acted willfully.” Cliff Huxtable Was Bill Cosby’s Sickest Joke It was the fact that galvanized the artists as well. “It gave the vibe to everyone that our art was worthless,” Mr. Tramontozzi said. “Still to this day, I don’t know why he did that,” Mr. Cohen said. “If you find out, let me know.” Mr. Wolkoff, who did not respond to multiple requests for comment, has yet to file an appeal. Dean Nicyper, a New York-based lawyer specializing in art law, considers last week’s ruling to be a landmark decision. “But I do think the breadth of the decision might be somewhat limited,” he said. “It’s limited to cases where people have created their art on a structure with permission.” Mr. Nicyper said he believes the decision may have been different if Mr. Wolkoff had not granted the artists permission. It could also hinder graffiti artists in the future. “Does this create a chilling effect?” Mr. Nicyper asked. “Building owners are going to be reluctant to give permission.”
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Mr. Cohen nonetheless felt vindicated. “A federal judge said that the act of lettering is a valid art,” he said. “Even though he couldn’t understand the lettering, he respected it as art. That’s amazing, that’s groundbreaking.” The location was crucial to the artwork, Mr. Game said. “It was a place where you were being taught, and in a weird way, being challenged,” Mr. Game said. “People made masterpieces out there.” And yet the fact remains that 5Pointz is gone, and few of the artists expected anything to replace it. “Graffiti is one of the only art forms that was created in New York City,” Mr. Tramontozzi said. “It’s a crime against the culture of the city.”
APRIL 2018 ISSUE 01
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FROM OUT GRAFFITI FORUM. OUR ISSUE WILL BE FILLED ENTRIES FROM OUR READERS
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WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE HERE?
APRIL 2018 ISSUE 01
Look at the back cover and you’ll see what were talking about. So we wanted our first issue to be something that would really catch your attention. So of course it made sense to choose a cover that was something really interesting too look at. The cover of this magazine is obviously the winner but what about the runner up? Well, we wanted to show that as well because we thought that these two covers are so interesting but for such different reasons that we
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decided to show it as our alternative cover. So our back cover is our alternative cover. Every issue of ThrowUp will feature an alternative cover as the back cover. We think that it’s important for our readers to see exactly how we think and see how our taste in design vary drastically. Take a look for yourself (we’ll wait)... See! It’s something right?! The simplistic typography paired with such an intriguing photo
April 2018
street. Cannot wait to hear from you all!
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know if we made the right choice. Heck create your own cover if you would and send it in! The more we
ThrowUp Magazine
(thanks to Thomas Hawk). We thought that this cover was very well put together. Write to us and let us get from our readers the better! Thank you all for contributing to our first issue from and to many more to come. Don’t forget to send us all your picture of some of New York’s wonderful pieces of graffiti and
Alternative Cover
5POINTZ: THE MASTERPIECE THAT TURNED
STREET CRIMINAL: BANKSY
5 POINTZ: THE INSTITUE OF HIGHER BURNIN
BACK COVER
Image courtesy of Thomas Hawk via Flickr
5 BOROUGHS: 5 MASTERPIECES
