Urban Betsy: Concrete Canvases

Street art in NYC is a force to be reckoned with, regardless of what you call it - art or vandalism. Perhaps these artists are at work in the dead of night in the swiftest of manners, because it intrigues me how quickly the new replaces the old. One time I walked past Ludlow and Delancey (that wall beside The DL), there and behold was a man spray painting in a stencil that looked very Bansky-eque --that was disappointing. In my mind, I would like to think these works of art are freestyled from the soul. A daily walk to the local coffee shop means stumbling upon dozens of sophisticated canvases of spray paint that elicit that break-free lowbrow movement. If you're lucky enough, you might find one in the making -- an artist sitting on a booster contemplating his next masterpiece (well aware that it will inevitably be replaced by another's), and temporarily pleasing passerby's with its captivating aesthetics and message. That's always kind of baffling to me; if I worked my ass off on something it better stay there like friggin' architecture. I am not ashamed of my shallowness. Well, maybe it's kind of like the mandalas illustrated by the meticulousness of sand art by the hands of Tibetan Buddhist lamas, only to be ceremoniously swept away and poured into a river. To the monks, there is no notion of a means to an end; the time consuming process of constructing the sand into a shape is the actual spiritual awakening.

Check out the City Lore Gallery in the LES if you're in the neighborhood -- urban art and grass root culture is in abundance. Or just walk around.

Top: LF // Pants: Emporio Armani // Leather Cap: Assembly New York // Shoes: MiuMiu

Photos by Michael Ha