Category Archives: FEATURE

An Old Spanish Church Transformed by Street Artist Okuda

A truly amazing project: a historic church in the Spanish city of llanera was transformed into a skate-park earlier this year by La Iglesia Skate.

The venue called Kaos Temple underwent a radical and colourful transformation at the hands of street-artist Okuda San Miguel.

We previously reported on this artist and pointed out his recognizable style of bright and isometric paintings. The result is astonishing and gives another dimension to the church. We included a few shots of the finished work below.

La Iglesia skate | Art-PieImage credit: Red Bull Media

La Iglesia skate | Art-Pie

Image credits: La Iglesia Skate

Okuda | Art-Pie

Image credits: okudart

llnara church | Art-Pie

Tribute to David Bowie

Sadly, musical legend David Bowie has passed away.  For 5 decades Bowie defined himself as a singer, songwriter, record producer, painter, and actor.  A fashion and style icon with his unapologetic style and experimental flamboyance, Bowie is a true British legend.

As a tribute we have collected a few street artworks from around the globe and presented them below.

This illustration by Helen Green ombined her illustrations of Bowie’s different looks into an animated gif and have been widely shared on social medias

David Bowie's many looks | Art-Pie
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James Cochran, aka Jimmy C, did this mural back in 2013 in Bowie’s hometown in Brixton(South London). The wall has quickly become a memorial.

David Bowie wall in Brixton | Art-Pie

Street Artist Sonni created this animation merging Ziggy Stardust into one of his own unique characters.

Sonni Stardust from Sonni on Vimeo.

DAVID BOWIE FOREVER

That’s the message painted in huge letters along Queen Street West by street artist Victor Fraser, one of many Torontonians mourning the British musical icon’s death on Monday.

A Toronto street artists painted this tribute to the late David Bowie on Queen Street West, near Spadina Avenue.

David Bowie by David Flore Art in Wynwood Miami, United States

David Bowie | Art-Pie

David Bowie by Eduardo Kobra, Barcelona

David Bowie | Art-Pie

Jota Leal’s Star Wars themed artworks

Jota Leal was born in a humble little town in eastern Venezuela, in the mid-eighties. He began drawing and painting at a very young age, and never studied fine art. He attempted to sit in class as a child of six, but ran away after being forced to paint plastic fruit and empty bottles.

Jota’s style results in a synergy of remarkable painting skill and a probing sense of the subject’s soul, and often tweaked with a remarkable sense of humor. Leal works with pencil on paper, acrylic on board, and acrylic on canvas to achieve his amazing images.

Jota Leal from Venezuela probes the subconscious, showing that depth can be shown with humor and whimsy. — Juxtapoz Magazine

Jota Leal | Art-Pie
BOBA FETT
Jota captures Star Wars villian, Boba Fett in a classic pose, with exceptional coloring.
This dramatic acrylic on canvas painting measures 20″ x 28″.
Jota Leal | Art-Pie
MARRIED WITH CHILDREN
Imagine Mathew Brady, the famous Civil War photographer having taking a familiy portrait from Star Wars. Jota creates a wonderfully bizarre and funny grouping of iconic Star Wars characters, all posed in some classic 19th Century scene. Expertly painted. 24′ x 30″ Acrylic on stretched canvas. Ready to hang.
Jota Leal
CHEWIE
Chewbacca with some robotic enhancement. What could be the story here? Maybe in the next, next episode in a galaxy far, far away. Beautiful landscape coloration by Jota. 36″ x 24″ Acrylic on canvas.
Jota Leal | Art-Pie
THE VANISHING OF OBI-WAN
Wonderfully surreal painting from the Star Wars universe by Jota, in a beautifully illuminated, Dali-esque style. Fine art comes to a galaxy far, far away. 36″ x 24″ acrylic painting on canvas.

New Banksy in Calais depicts Steve Jobs

Banksy in Calais | Art-PieYou’ve probably heard of Banksy‘s Dismaland, a dystopian amusement park which closed its doors in October of this year.  However you may not have known the installations used for this art project have since been transferred to the port-side town of Calais France by volition Banksy himself.  Labeled “Dismal Aid”, the timber and building materials have been repurposed into housing, children’s play areas, and community centers for the 7000+ Syrian refugees.

At the same time, Banksy has taken this opportunity to spread a few messages about the situation of “The Jungle”, the largest refugee camp in Western Europe. Three new pieces with very strong messages can be seen around Calais – read on below to see the images and brief descriptions.

The Steve Jobs Piece

With weathered clothing and an exhausted body language we see a depiction of Steve Jobs, sporting the now notorious expression from this iconic photograph.  Steve carries an old Macintosh computer and a bin bag or rucksack on his shoulders. The message? Jobs is himself a son of Syrian migrants, he is of the same lineage as the refugees escaping ISIS today.

In a rare public statement to accompany the piece, Banksy expressed his drive and the message:

“We’re often led to believe migration is a drain on the country’s resources but Steve Jobs was the son of a Syrian migrant. Apple is the world’s most profitable company, it pays over $7billion a year in taxes – and it only exists because they allowed in a young man from Homs.”

Banksy in Calais | Art-Pie
Banksy in Calais | Art-Pie

The Medusa Piece in the Center of Calais

Based on French artist Théodore Géricault’s Raft of The Medusa, Banksy updates the dark and striking piece with a small background image of a modern cruise ship or luxury yacht. The boat, like the original piece, is embroiled in an intense struggle with the sea.  The message of “We are not all in the same boat” speaks for itself.

Banksy in Calais | Art-Pie Banksy in Calais | Art-Pie

The Young Boy Piece on the Beach

A silhouette of a young boy can be seen looking through a telescope while a vulture watches over him. The message of hope, future and dreams is cast harshly against a looming potential reality of darkness and death.

Banksy in Calais | Art-Pie

These artworks have been well-received by the city of Calais with an official statement in the local newspaper by mayor Natacha Bouchart, describing their value for the city.  The city has expressed their commitment to protect the pieces behind transparent plastic shields, so the message and artworks remain intact for the foreseeable future.

Sam cannon at SCOPE international art fair in Miami

SCOPE, an international art fair, is under way now until this Sunday 6/12 and along with scores of people, it brings out fresh new talent such as Sam Cannon.

Sam Cannon, 23, is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology and a digital media artist living in New York City. Cannon’s work exploring the innovative space between video and still photography has been bolstered by her significant presence on Tumblr. Through this influence, Cannon has been asked to lend her vision to brands like Gap, Veuve Cliquot, and Nike, as well as an anti-bullying campaign, musician Vic Mensa, and New York Fashion Week.

Sam Cannon at SCOPE | Art-Pie

Sam Cannon at SCOPE | Art-Pie

Sam Cannon at SCOPE | Art-Pie

Sam Cannon at SCOPE | Art-Pie

Sam Cannon at SCOPE | Art-Pie
More on Sam Cannon’s website