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By Aidan Graham This show will spray it and say it!
A new exhibit in Williamsburg celebrates graffiti
artists and rule breakers with a massive display of street
art. “Beyond the Streets,” opening on June 21 in a newly built,
soon-to-be office building, showcases more than 150 of the
world’s most important street artists, with a special focus on
the Brooklyn artists who turned spraying paint on the side of a
subway car into a global phenomenon, said the show’s curator.
“We have a lot of New York-focused pieces, and a lot of
work that is historical,” said Roger Gastman. “There’s a section
that is very hip-hop oriented, and there’s a section on activism,
highlighting artists that have used street art to draw attention
to specific causes.”
The gallery, which will be open for about two months,
includes special sections devoted to counter-culture figures,
with a tribute to the 30-year career of Shepard Fairey, whose
work includes the ubiquitous stickers “Andre the Giant has a
posse” and the Barack Obama “Hope” poster. Another installation
is devoted to Brooklyn’s own Beastie Boys, featuring
never-before-seen artifacts, song lyrics, and artwork inspired
by the band.
“There are so many great Beastie Boys surprises that you’ve
never seen before,” said Gastman. “We worked really closely
with Adam Ad-Rock and Mike Mike D on the Beastie Boys
exhibit. They were in the process of putting out a book, so they
went through their archives, and they have saved up a lot of
incredible things.”
The two-story exhibit takes up almost as much space as a
Manhattan city block, and its sprawling array of paintings, pictures,
and immersive installations means that people will likely
visit the massive space multiple times, said Gastman.
“It’s hard to claim definitively that it’s the biggest street art
show ever, but it probably is,” he said. “There’s a lot to see. One
visit alone will not give you a view of the whole show.”
Gastman said that Brooklyn provides the perfect backdrop
for this expansive look at the medium, because the art is deeply
rooted in the city.
“New York is so intertwined with the art form,” he said.
“New York City didn’t start graffiti, but it made graffiti
famous, so it’s amazing to bring it here and show how huge
this culture is.”
Throughout the summer, the gallery will host artist talks
and panel discussions on the past and future of street art,
according to Gastman, who said the vast endeavour proves
the mainstream viability of an art style often dismissed as
vandalism.
“This art form is not just a subculture, or a blip in our culture,”
he said. “It’s a full-blown art form, and it’s gotten bigger,
bolder, and more innovative.”
“Beyond the Streets” at Twenty Five Kent 25 Kent Ave.
between N. 12th and N. 13th streets in Williamsburg, (718) 213–
8554, www.beyondthestreets.com. On display June 21–July 31.
Wed–Sun, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. $25.
COURIER L 24-7 IFE, JUNE 7-13, 2019 53
Street smarts: The graffiti exhibit “Beyond the
Street” features this photo of Lil’ Crazy Legs in
Riverside Park during the 1980s. Martha Cooper
Street
dreams
A giant graffiti
exhibition comes
to Williamsburg
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