Public art addresses important issues in society head on. These works are passionately created by international and local artists, and selected by the street art experts of Sold Magazine. Sold Magazine is your resource for everything on NYC graffiti.
Less‘Good Trouble,’ Damien Mitchell’s portrait of the late Representative John Lewis, was supported by Projectivity. This mural was painted not only in response to the death of the civil rights leader, but to add to the voice of protest over the BLM movement during the Summer of 2020.
In addition to this mural, the artist Tito Ferraro created many around NYC supporting awareness of the Amazon Rainforest, and the global impact on the destruction of it, and its people. This Astoria, Queens mural is not a far walk from The Welling Court Mural Project.
Danielle Mastrion brought Shirley Chisolm's legacy to life through art. This new park honors Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, an educator, former representative of the 12th Congressional district in New York and the first African American woman to run for President. The park is a signature project which calls for 34 new or improved parks, community gardens, playgrounds and recreation centers. Danielle had 5 days to finish this tribute mural to Brooklyn’s own Shirley Chisholm.
Sonny Sundancer painted this mural, ‘Beast,’ for his "To the Bone" Project, aimed at wildlife conservation. This is the first mural that Sonny painted in the United States, on the rooftop of a yoga studio on Allen Street.
Turn towards Ellery St. Atena Farghadani is an Iranian artist and political activist, who was imprisoned for 18 months. Amnesty International considers her a prisoner of conscience. She was released on 3 May 2016. This piece by Icy & Sot also includes images of other political and social activists throughout.
"There can never really be justice on stolen land," is a lyric from the song "Sound of da Police" by KRS-One. This Cramcept mural in Staten Island lives next door to another great wall with a message by Will Power in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Curated by @projectivity and across from Hub 17 NYC, which features a video studio, gallery and event space for all types of creatives. On this street, you can also see a handful of other great public art pieces.
Ecuadorian-American graffiti artist Lady Pink says, "It's not just a boy's club." She sees graffiti and murals as acts of rebellion, self-expression, a way to empower women, and she’s been in the game for 40+ years. There's no coincidence that this Black Lives Matter tribute was completed on June 19th, 2020. This is part of The Welling Court Mural project in Astoria, Queens. It is a must see destination where you will experience an XXL collection of public art from a diverse group of artists.
Last Supper & Almighty Dollar were completed by Icy & Sot in 2016 for Jeffrey Deitch’s Coney Art Walls. The commentary on capitalism, religion and politics using historical figures sparks much conversation on the state of the world today. While visiting this wall, be sure to check out all of the other colors that are there, and also many other murals and street art around Coney Island USA.
This special Breast Cancer Awareness mural by "The Mural Kings" and legends, The Tats Cru, can be found a few feet away from Wallworks Two on Alexander Ave. Graffiti pioneer Crash One, who often paints with the Tats Cru, co-owns Wallworks and Wallworks Two, a retail boutique, and seeks to remind people of the rich culture of The Bronx and encourage everyone to take a trip Uptown!
Alexandre Keto, a Brazilian artist and creator, is heavily influenced by the Bronx and hip hop culture. He was so humbled to be able to give back to a community that has inspired him and his work. The Bronx showed him real love and he gave them a beautiful massive wall of art that they can enjoy for years to come, titled Education is The Most Powerful Weapon after the Nelson Mandela quote "Education is the most powerful weapon, which can change the world.”