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The NY Times has written an article reporting on ESPO and his recently concluded trip to Ireland on a Fulbright Scholarship. These articles always make me laugh. I understand when the arrest of graffiti writers are reported on, but all of the sudden writers are main stream news? One day writers are punk, derelicts causing a blight on society, and the next they are artists working towards a greater good. Just the other day CNN did a (very) small piece on KRINK and now this Times write up on Mr. Powers. Well whatever, props to ESPO, KR and all they have been doing and even more props to those who are doing what they do where it really counts. Read the Times article after the jump.

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I let you know homie ESPO is running wild overseas and to no shock while he’s over the pond ESPO continues to keep busy painting. Above is the latest pic from Belfast in the UK.

Viewing this pic reminded me of the old ESPO and AMAZE throwies down by the Atlantic Yards in BK that has been a site of a graff war, much like the MARTY and OBEY story I reported on earlier.

(ESPO and AMAZE original throwies)

(SI taking out ESPO and AMAZE)

(ESPO slapping SI back)

(SI not having it)

(NOXER getting the last laugh…for now)

Early this week, I posted the pigeons in paradise (or at least that’s what I am calling it) piece put up by my man Steve “ESPO” Powers over in Dublin. Stevie P is over in Dublin on a Fullbright Scholarship and has been damn busy since he has been there. Check out the style…

Steve “Espo” Powers went big in Dublin painting this pigeons in paradise piece. Won’t you fly away with me?

Following the below post on 11 Spring Street, I felt it was necessary to put up this photograph of the building located just down the street. Right on the corner of Spring and Bowery sits another canvas of street artist and graffiti writers. While this building never reached the notoriety of 11 Spring Street, it’s walls have still been graced with the works of REVS, Judith Supine, WK, Shepard Fairey, the IRAK crew and many, many more. Now the majority of the building is covered in memorial graffiti for Joey Semz. Props.

It has been over a year now since NYC, nay the World lost one of the most valuable street art canvases ever to exist. For years 11 Spring Street was the equivalent of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with the works of modern day Michaelangelo’s gracing every inch of it. 11 Spring Street amplified the difference between graffiti and street art (because yes, there is a HUGE difference) and the battle and embracing between these two cultures. The walls were constantly changing and telling the stories of those putting their mark on them and tales of the city. The reason I am writing about 11 Spring so long after it has been covered in construction tarps and scaffolding, in the interim of being whitewashed and becoming multi-million dollar condo’s, is simple, I walked passed the decomposed shell of a building that was once a gorgeous piece of art, life and NYC and just missed it. This is yet another example of old and true NYC being phased out into anywhere U.S.A.

R.I.P. 11 Spring.

For more information and images check out these links:
Wooster Collective, Wooster On Spring, NY Times, Streetsy