Finding the friction point between beauty and decay is a thread that runs through much of Rone ’s work. These days, the artist’s work is found as often in galleries as it is on the streets. His work has been acquisitioned by the National Gallery of Australia , commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria to work with Jean Paul Gaultier and shown by galleries including Stolen Space and in London, White Walls in San Francisco, Urban Nation in Berlin, and Opera Gallery in New York. His latest solo exhibition titled EMPTY was created in the incredible, soon to be demolished, 1920’s Art Nouveau Lyric Theatre . When first entering the cavernous space you are overwhelmed by a striking ten metre portrait on the back wall. On the right side hand twelve painted portraits, on the left eight photos of Rone ’s works shown in striking context in abandoned houses. [h/t streetartnews.net] #exhibition #MELBOURNE #RONE

Small stories and architectonic practices that existed in each character filled village and provinces in Buenos Aires are rescued by JUAN VIEL   when he captures their atmospheres and particularities through his camera. The variety of images and their subjects invite us to reflect on the substance and architectural heritage in these small Argentinian towns, and to think about the places where we live. [h/t archdaily.com] [all images courtesy of Juan Viel] #architecture #JuanViel #photography

Russian artist RUSTAM QBIC  was recently invited for the  Subsidence Street Art Festival which took place on the streets of Ravenna ,  Italy . The muralist painted a beautiful illustrative image showing a faceless man riding a giant bird. Titled “ Emmigration ”, there is no doubt that this mural speaks about the current refugee situation in Europe. The mural depicts blindfolded birds travelling through the sky. Sitting on the back of one of the birds we see the image of a person holding a mirror. Two hands emmerge from the mirror holding a strap and riding the bird. #mural #RustamQBic #streetart

Nicolas Rivals is a French photographer based in Paris. He is a member of the “ Prisme Noir “ collective. His work is a combination of visual art reflecting his aesthetic universe and staged photography reflecting on Man’s relationship with the World. As part of his project La Línea Roja , Rivals constructed bright red light configurations installed outdoors while on a trip through Spain. Each temporary piece was captured in a series of long-exposure shots that reveal an unusual juxtaposition between fabricated objects and the natural world. You can see more from the series on his website and Instagram. #NicolasRivals #photography

IVANA BASEVIC creates digital portraits that don’t adorn or acclaim. She doesn’t turn away from sadness or pain. These are real people with real feelings—many of them directly engaging the viewer with an open, vulnerable gaze. Ivana aims to go beyond beauty, into “ something psychological, fearful, dramatic, dangerous, ” she said in an interview. On her website, she says she’s inspired by “ everyday stories and ordinary people. I like the complexity that we have and I love to go beyond prejudice. ” She draws inspiration from cinema, documentaries, illustration and video games, everyday stories and ordinary people. She appreciates the complexity that we have and she loves to go beyond prejudice. Check out Ivana Basevic website for more impressive works of art. [h/t illusion.scene360.com] #Digital #Digitalportraits #IvanaBasevic

We kind of enjoy LONAC ‘s works if we constantly have something to write about him, aren’t we? 🙂 Invited by the Canvas festival in West Palm beach , Croatian artist created another striking piece showing that scale is definitely not an issue for him. The piece titled “I lost my shoe when I saw you” is showing two youngsters, a boy and a girl, sitting on a bench and looking at each other. Using simple symbol of butterflies flying out of boy’s hat, the artist is telling a simple story about children falling in love. By adding the book belt on boy’s back, with artist’s signature cleverly placed on one of the books, as well as backpack with spraycans on the girl, the piece is also his tribute to creative expression and childhood. Although it is his largest piece, Lonac quickly took about a week to finish this impressive mural. #Lonac #streetart

Fin DAC | The VandalList (null) #mural #streetart #GRAFFITI #FinDAC #ResurrectionofAngels #la

S I A M E Z A is a leather goods brand based in Transylvania. I came across them quite recently and was intrigued by them being as S I A M E Z A is a lady owned workwear brand and you don’t see that very often. I asked them some questions which you can read below: Hello girls! Let’s start with what made you decide to start this brand. What inspired you to get to where you are now? Hey, vandals. We had our studio for almost two years now, but we decided to publicly launch it only in March of this year. It all came naturally, by mistake some might say, one day we were at our studio and on the tailoring table were sitting, one next to another, a textile apron and some leather pants that we just made. Looking at these two it all kind of clicked and after some months of research and preparation we were ready to show the world our work. Please explain a little bit about the brand’s concept. It was a hiatus in the Romanian leather design scene for workwear so we went for it. We started out as an easy duty textile workwear producer on a small production chain so we had that experience already. We just flipped the coin of the design, enhanced it with our art school background and S I A M E Z A x M A R F A M A K E R emerged. Although, by definition, it represents workwear, the aprons are seen as key pieces, with precise focus which concentrates the essence of every piece, a second skin, which is cool and utilitarian, of the modern day maker. A second skin, cool for the streets, too. Why natural leather and not a vegan alternative? By any means, aprons are used firstly for protection, they need to be resistant and durable. Vegan leather is still faux, regardless of the terminology, it’s still plastic based synthetic that imitates mainly visually on an artificial base real leather, but not the characteristics that really matter. It’s worn out easily, it can’t be reconditioned, it’s less breathable, breaks easily, can’t be recycled. It’s not a good fit. A leather good should outlast you, it gets better with age and worn, actually. Do you have plans to implement a vegan alternative? Surely, we are aware of the issues concerning leather production, but Romania is still an ethical source of leather and leather is still a by-product of meat consumption, generally speaking we are not a vegetarian country so the meat demand is an on-going process. We use only eco-friendly leather, from tanneries where the leather is vegetable dyed, in a natural tanning process. But, we are open to alternatives, technology is always advancing towards innovative solutions for sustainable development. What does your brand carry besides leather aprons? For the workwear collection – M A R F A M A K E R – we carry leather aprons and utilitarian goods, we revolve around the concept of the maker, we cover the necessities in more fashionably and design forward items. Our newest release is an all white waist bag, but we have other surprises coming up, so be sure to subscribe to our page. What is the process of making a garment like this? Do you hand make them or do you work with a factory? Each and every S I A M E Z A item is designed and produced inside our studio. We buy our leather and accessory hardware from local suppliers so at the end of the process we deliver a 100% Romanian product. The manufacturing process is very different in making a leather product in comparison with the textile ones, it’s more time consuming and requires a more scrupulous focus, after all it’s an ancient artizanal art placed in modern times. What makes S I A M E Z A stand out from other brands? We are a Transylvania based leather goods brand. Our work is known for our different approach of the workwear and bringing it to the streets, we focus on the personal style of the wearer, the maker, as an individual, combining the needs of a protection garment with fashionable aesthetics. You are a new brand. What was your feedback until now? Our feedback was amazing, beyond our expectations to be completely honest. We debuted Ma r f a M a k e r collection this March at an important bi-annual leather fair, MATERIA, and we received ELLE best leather design AWARD, recommendations from two well-established fashion bloggers here in Romania and got featured in the April issue of Elle Romania. Besides that, our public is organically growing and our demands are increasing, people seem to be excited by our apparel approach. To whom is this brand addressed? S I A M E Z A is dedicated to people who are doers, to individuals who are aware of their personal style, who have a sense for that “je ne sais quoi” feeling when choosing clothing items, for makers in different areas of work. Besides the cool factor, our items are specifically designed to fit the requirements of work environments such as bars, clubs, coffee shops, bistros, studios and others, for the professionals and the home craft enthusiasts. Although, by definition, it represents workwear, our apparel smoothly blends into streetwear. Where can people find S I A M E Z A pieces and stay in touch with more news about the brand? People can find us on Facebook and Instagram , for now www.facebook.com/siamezaofficial https://www.instagram.com/siamezaatelier________/ Thank you girls! Be sure to follow them to stay in touch with their collections!

Snarkitecture is a New York-based company established to investigate the boundaries between art and architecture. In its search for the unknown, Snarkitecture creates architectural-scale projects, installations, and objects. Their work focuses on the reinterpretation of everyday materials, structures and programs to new and imaginative effect. The Beach is an interactive installation designed by Snarkitecture . Inspired by the experience of a summer day at the beach, the installation reimagines both the natural and cultural elements of the beach to create an unexpected contact. The installation utilizes materials like scaffolding, paneling, and mirrors to create an enclosure with a sloped floor that leads to an ocean of over 1,000,000 recyclable, antimicrobial plastic balls. The Beach welcomes visitors of all ages to explore, play and relax in an immersive and extraordinary setting. #installation #Snarkitecture #TheBeach

Japanese artist  Nobuhiro Nakanishi  creates sculptural works that attempt to preserve a singular moment in the natural word, capturing deeply pigmented sunsets and brightly-lit forests in a series he’s titled Layer Drawings . Nakaniski is represented by Kashya Hildebrand in London. You can see more of his layered works on his You can see more of his layered works on his website . (via Tu Recepcja / Colossal )

Octavian Mihai Graure aka GRAURE – Custom Sneaker Artist The number of sneakerheads is continuously increasing, classic silhouettes become statement pieces in everyone’s sneaker rotation and the culture created around this phenomenon is solid and sacred . Every major sportswear brand became a hybrid these last 10-15 years, driven by the evolution of streetwear and fashion trends. Nike, Puma, Adidas, Reebok, Asics and New Balance are some of the pioneers, brands that are older than their biggest fans and creators of everyone’s favorite shoes. From only a few colorways available to more than 20, collaborations with streetwear brands and premium makeovers, silhouettes old and new like the Air Force One, Puma Blaze of Glory,  Air Jordan V  and  Adidas UltraBOOST  are part of every sneaker enthusiast or amateur’s collection. The classic pairs are already daily encounters and some of us can tell you all you want/need/don’t need to know about the said sneakers just by looking at them. The abundance of these staple pieces is one of the reasons behind the growing demand for sneaker customization . Sneaker artists are still rare birds to come across but those who made it have a busy and fruitful future ahead. Sneaker customization is an art in itself that goes hand in hand with good craftsmanship. Octavian Mihai Graure aka GRAURE  is able to master the two and the results speak more than any praise. Based in Bucharest, Romania the young artist is on the rise, with projects ranging from basic colorway changing to work-of-art pairs for the East European Comic-Con . You’ve seen GRAURE ‘s name pop up on our site and Instagam a couple of times so now it’s time for a little bit more insight. We’ve had the chance to sit down and talk to him about his craft and drive, his plans for the future and general perspective on what’s going on in the sneaker game and just how crazy some customization requests are. He defies his age with a mature understanding of the game and a solid plan for the future, his years in this craft too few for the knowledge he possesses on the process, chemicals and dyes used when making a sneaker. A young Shoe Surgeon  (one of his favorite artists) in the making, here is what we’ve gathered from our meeting. Being a business minded artist is pretty tough but Octavian has a clear view of both the point at where he’s at and how to make it to the next by pursuing and perfecting his craft, efficient social media management and future plans to start a brand (being a marketing student pays off when you’re also an artist). Right now, he’s under everyone’s radar in Bucharest when it comes to sneaker customization, taking part in Romania’s sneaker event Sole and Shape , countless collaborations with local icons and already touching down on foreign territory through Instagram  , with recognition from famous fiber artist suppliers like Jacquard . GRAURE  is proof that hard work pays off best and his swift evolution is a promise of great things to come. He told us about how he began painting on shoes, how he taught himself everything he knows, the passion and time being put into what he does. After burning through a lot of “common” hobbies for a teenager, he began painting shoes for friends. One of the first works he was acclaimed for was a pair of galaxy print sneakers that started it all. Fast forward to 2017, GRAURE  now spends somewhere between a few to 40 hours on a pair of sneakers. From simply painting on the shoe, he now goes through the whole process of removing any polish or chemicals covering the base of the “canvas” be it leather, the famous Primeknit , foam midsoles or anything in-between. After that he puts it all back on so you can wear your unique sneakers to hell and back without a scuff or chipped paint. GRAURE  speaks honestly about his work, from receiving crazy slot-machine themed sneakers requests to meeting all kinds of people that don’t respect his work and the time and money spent on it. Premium supplies and a lot of time go into everything he does and despite all the close-minded customers and naysayers, Octavian keeps on doing what he knows best and he’s getting better and better at it. With all this upcoming fame and recognition, he’s a down to earth and humble guy, but he definitely knows his worth and kindly shares his experiences with whoever has a sincere wish to listen. His prices are probably not what you’d expect, yet another proof of his honest desire to pursue his craft for hours and hours on end. Recently, the young artist started doing his own projects and sneaker packs. From speckled and splattered shoes to the  Flying Tigers inspired Warhawks – Puma Trinomic Sock NM x Stampd Pack  and using the  turkish ebru  technique for the Marbled –  Nike Air Force 1 Mid Pack. The  Marbled sneakers definitely set the bar for other sneaker artists, the ebru technique used dressing the AF1 Mid silhouette beautifully. Always working, we’ll never know what to expect from him in the future other than what he let us in on. Nike Air Force 1 Mid “Marbled” Custom Pack Nike Air Force 1 Mid “Marbled” Custom Pack Nike Air Force 1 Mid “Marbled” Custom Pack Nike Air Force 1 Mid “Marbled” Custom Pack The transition from simply painting on shoes to actually being a sneaker  artist revolves around GRAURE ‘s urge to modify, experiment and turn ideas into reality, making a lot of sneakerheads happy and eager to show off their custom shoes. Being asked if he had ever considered delving even deeper into customizing sneaker, the artist confessed that one of his biggest aspirations is to create a shoe from scratch, either by himself or in collaboration with a big brand – yet again, art and craft combine. When talking about future plans,  GRAURE   mentions a lot of projects both personal and requested followed by planing to go all business in 2017 – his own brand – and we can definitely see that happening. The young artist is bound to keep on perfecting his skill, on creating his personal packs and turning other sneakerheads’ shoes into actual works of art. Make sure to keep Octavian under your radar ’cause soon custom sneakers will be cooler than limited-edition-quadruple-collaboration-signed-numbered pairs and you’ll want the best service for your shoes. Instagram: instagram.com/graureoctavian/ Facebook:  facebook.com/graureoctavian/

Jim Denevan is based in Santa Cruz , California , U.S.A. Denevan creates temporary drawings on sand, earth, and ice that are end up erased by waves or weather. The artist’s work is performed primarily outside California but also many other locations around the world. Live performances of drawings for the public were included in exhibitions at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in 2005 and also at the Vancouver Sculpture Biennale in Vancouver, Canada in 2010. Check out some photos on his extraordinary projects below. Enjoy them! 🙂 #art #JimDenevan #sand #snow