“Graffiti VS. Street Art” Exhibition

Van Der Plas Gallery

poster for “Graffiti VS. Street Art” Exhibition

This event has ended.

Graffiti and Street Art are distinct art forms that can be found on city streets and walls worldwide. The two styles have shared a tense coexistence, continually appearing together and overlapping, competing for space across urban environments. The originators of these styles were put off by the excessive commercial glamour of the 1970s, and were driven to express themselves outside of the mainstream. Easily dismissed as vandalism by the untrained eye, both Graffiti and Street Art, in fact, possess rich histories, rising out of vibrant local culture and environmental pressures. These styles began developing into codified, although still controversial, urban art forms in the 1970s; both involving reappropriation of public space with bold visuals, at the risk of legal repercussions.

Van Der Plas Gallery’s new exhibition “Graffiti VS. Street-Art” aims to highlight the differences between graffiti and street art as formal styles, as well as the blurred lines where the two overlap and intermingle. It will explore the similarities and divergences between styles and artists. Graffiti and Street-Art span generations, and this exhibit features works from the early days of Street-Art on the Lower East Side, to contemporary works inspired by these origins.

Van Der Plas Gallery will be featuring works from artists Sinclair The Vandal, David Diaz, Con$umr, FA-Q, Christopher Hart Chambers, Frank Wore Croce, Alejandro Caiazza, Will Power, and Franc Palaia.

Kevin Wendall (FA – Q), a legend notorious for his rough, rebellious nature and his hard, street attitude. On the street or behind bars as he was constantly trying his luck with authorities and living dangerously in his addiction driven lifestyle. The pronunciation of his chosen moniker expresses the aggressive attitude his work embodies. His energy came through in his paintings and it is here that we still see his raw and expressive motif. He created hundreds of works featuring faces, all of them different and distinct. Many of these works were made using his fingers, sticks or brushes on paper, panels or canvases.

Con$umr “Most of what I’ve learned about making art has come from trial and error and asking for help. My critical voice is quite low, so I am not afraid of making mistakes. My inspiration comes from street art, pop art, and the teachings of the Buddha. I am also inspired by my friends, many of whom are also artists.”

Frank Wore Croce “If graffiti is a sin, may God forgive me.”

Sinclair the Vandal “I approach every piece to vandalize as if I were to spot an empty wall or alleyway to personally make my mark on… Graffiti had an impact on me as a child and on the community, that in a way, became a lifestyle. It is up to keep this type of form from decaying.”

Will Power “There are many levels to finding one’s voice and coming to grips with the harsh realities of life… my journey as an artist starts from the culture I was born into and as it has grown, so have I. My art reflects not only my love and connections to the culture of Hip Hop Music but the spiritual and inspirational aspects that I owe my art and life to.”

Christopher Hart Chambers was born in NYC, Hart is one of the originators of the “street as gallery” style, and has been exhibiting since leaving school at 19. “It was simplistic at first. I’ve gotten better. When graffiti first hit, I guess I was still holding back. But then I started to feel like a fool. So, I said, “Just go for what you want now. Just do it!” That was about ’77. And since, I’ve explored several different mediums.”

Franc Palaia has worked professionally in several media as a painter, photographer, sculptor, muralist, book artist, curator, graphic & scenic painter, public artist and sign-maker. Some of his photos were included in the film,”Shadowman” which was screened at the Tribeca Film festival in 2017 and “Boom for Real,” a film on Jean Michel Basquiat in 2018.

David Diaz was born and raised on the Lower East Side on Avenue D. “Growing up in that era (70s and 80s) I must say was the best time of my life. In my younger years, I grew up admiring graffiti writers like Mark Bode, Keith Haring and Lee. This was the era when graffiti was splattered on every train. Those trains ended up at the bottom of the ocean and turned into reefs. I developed a love for the art of graffiti early on, and in my later years, went back to doing what I love and am extremely motivated to bring this era back to the mainstream.”

Alejandro Caiazza currently works and resides in New York City. He continues creating extraordinary pieces that reflect the artist’s emotions. In his most recent work he demonstrates a strong passion for American pop culture, embracing traditional forms expressed in primary colors, and sometimes adopting a ‘naive’ technique. Alejandro creates whimsical and delightful paintings at first glance, but often there is a deeper, darker side to his work. He creates elementary and childish figures, often cruel, inspired by the drawings of children, which often include criminals, skulls, clowns, and madmen.

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Schedule

from February 06, 2021 to March 21, 2021

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