Nathan Anderson was chosen to paint a Charles Bukowski themed mural on the side of Co Op 28 in Los Feliz in anticipation of a Bukowski bar opening on Vermont and Kingswell.
Just a few feet down, someone (Nathan?) was painting a Bukowski book mural at the entrance of the bar. Maybe it will be opening soon…
Bukowski lived in Los Feliz and Silver Lake and you can find his influence and tributes to him throughout the neighborhood.
JR, Echo Park
In Paris, I saw some artists I really wanted to see, like Gregos and Fred le Chevalier, and so many artists I didn’t know, like Konny and Mygalo. But there was also some familiar “faces.” The streets of Los Angeles host a number of Parisian artists.
Kashink, Silver Lake
Though there are a growing number of female street artists, Kashink is one of the original and most recognizable. Kashink’s pieces are wonderfully colorful and depict four eyed men, usually with mustaches. She does murals, and some smaller pieces can be spotted in the Arts District in Downtown. In Silver Lake, you can find Kashink at Sunset and Westerly Terrace.
JR, Echo Park
Los Angeles is one of five cities, and the only US city, to be transformed by JR’s Wrinkles of the City project. Wrinkles of the City is a large scale project where JR photographed elderly residents who have seen the city change through the years, the people represent the city and vice versa. The blown up photographs were pasted seamlessly onto walls in Echo Park and Downtown.
Invader, Highland Park
Invader is all over Paris. It felt like every time I looked up or turned a corner, there was an Invader. Invader makes 8-bit Space Invader characters (along with other pop culture characters) with tiles. When Black Cat took over a laundromat in Silver Lake, they protected their red Invader during renovations, only to remove it after. You can still see the ghost of it on the side of the building. There was another Invader in Silver Lake, but it has been taken down in the last year. Sad! Invader is still up in Echo Park near Dodger Stadium and in Highland Park.
Blek le Rat, Silver Lake
Blek le Rat is one of the original street artists, pioneering stencil work and paving the way for Banksy. The stencils are multi-layered and depict classic art, political and popular figures, and original images with social commentary. Blek le Rat is at Living Room in Silver Lake.
Baron Andre, Los Feliz
André Saraiva aka Baron André isn’t French, but he does call Paris home and has been part of the Parisian street art scene since the late 90′s. His character, Mr. A is a fun, often dancing stick figure with long legs. Its simplicity is part of the genius. Baron André also did a series of concert posters with his fantasy line up (the ones I found included the Beach Boys, Phoenix, Beastie Boys, The Faint and Tame Impala playing the Wiltern). The posters are gone, but two Mr. A’s are at Umami Burger in Los Feliz.
This post also appears on Art Cricket LA’s blog. Art Cricket matches collectors to local artists from Los Angeles.
More pictures:
When you think of street art, you probably think of large scale murals and graffiti. But, there’s more to street art, like wheatpastes (poster-like work pasted onto surfaces) and stencils.
And then there is To Be Determined. TBD combines photography and wheatpaste for wholly unique art that brings photography to the streets.
TBD is a Los Angeles based artist with work spanning from Downtown to the East Side all the way to Santa Monica. Most of the photographs are taken in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, but I’ve spotted one from Nevada and another from New York. The power of these installations is palpable, they momentarily transport you somewhere else as you are walking down the street and allow you to experience that specific moment in time, even if you’ve never been to that place.
One of TBD’s oft used images is an American flag hanging limply in front of the Golden Arches of McDonald’s. Modern Americana. I’ve seen that photo in color, black and white and negative color. One day, I was taking a walk, a walk that I had done hundreds of times, stopped at the right place to cross the street, looked up and saw the flag against the arches and knew that is where TBD took the original photo. It was a little magical American moment.
TBD has also partnered with Beautify Earth, an organization that works with artists and businesses in neglected or depressed areas to beautify their community with public art to uplift the neighborhood and bring back a sense of pride. TBD’s task was to create a mural for Wallpaper City and Flooring for Beautify Lincoln in Santa Monica. Photographs of Santa Monica were pasted onto the exterior of the building to create a mural that captured the energy and essence of the city.
But after unusually heavy rains, the mural was in need of significant repair. I volunteered to help TBD restore the mural. We took down the peeling photos, which were printed on thick paper using a large format printer, and replaced them with fresh prints. TBD added some spray paint accents and I tried to paint some lines. People in cars and pedestrians voiced their support and appreciation of the effort to make their city more interesting and beautiful.
There is art all around us. TBD captures a fleeting moment, whether it is a homeless person on Skid Row, a dog out for a walk, or palm trees against a clear sky, and preserves it for everyone.
Look for TBD on walls, electrical boxes and even dumpsters around Los Angeles. Follow TBD on Instagram for more photographic street art.
This post also appears on the Art Cricket LA Blog. Art Cricket LA connects collectors to local artists. Discover a new artist!
Los Feliz, taken December 16, 2013
Los Feliz, taken November 13, 2013
I’m not sure if these were done by the same person, but since they both deal with love, I like them together. The messages are simple. You will love again. It might take time, but you will. And, just tell her (or him) that you love her (or him). Do it.
Cyrcle, Santa Monica and Madison, taken August 26, 2011
Cyrcle, Santa Monica and Las Palmas, taken October 8, 2013
Cyrcle, Blue Rooster Art Supplies, taken October 22, 2013
Cyrcle’s “Cut it Out” floral gun was one of the first pieces of street art I noticed when I moved to Los Angeles. It was striking, beautiful and the message is one that still needs to be heeded. When a church took over the building, they painted over it. And the church only lasted a few months. When I drive by, I still wish it was there. One of my all-time favorites.
