Photographer Bryan Derballa shares some photos of Jay, “a former drug-dealer and ex-convict that began hustling at the age of 13.”
“Now 34, Jay has spent almost half his life in prison. Two years ago, he married Gladys, a well-educated school teacher. They live together in the projects where she grew up. Jay claims that her love has saved his life and for the first time in his 15 year-long addiction to heroin, he began seeking methadone treatment. Everyday is a struggle but not without hope.”
In addition to the photos, there is also an audio slideshow.
The agent for artist Tony Rosenthal, creator of “The Alamo” (aka the Astor Place cube), offers some advice for artist Arnie Charnick, who wants to temporarily turn the sculpture into a pair of dice for a casino themed public artwork complete with craps table and manhole-size gambling chips:
Why not be an Artist, and create your own Art? If you want to be famous, rape Britney Spears and you’ll get in the newspaper.”
Tomorrow night, Captured, the film focused on Clayton Patterson and his documentation of the Lower East Side over 30 years, will screen at Webster Hall. The screening commemorates the 20th Anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park Police Riot, which Patterson recorded and exposed Tomorrow’s screening includes a performance by A.R.E Weapons and special guests Joe Coleman, Jerry the Peddler, John Joseph and Lorraine Leckie. Tickets are $10 online and $15 at the door. [Captured Website via NY Glob]
Graffiti: is it vandalism or is it art? There will never be a simple answer to such a broad question but one gallery is asking anyway. For one night only, Anonymous Gallery Project hosts an exhibition to explore different perspectives on graffiti as well as benefit the five members of England’s DPM graffiti crew who have been convicted and sentenced for conspiracy to cause criminal damage. Photographs of the writer’s work on display with their rap sheets will be for sale in editions of 50 to support DPM. The exhibition will go on from 6 to 9 PM at An Anonymous Gallery Project Space (27 N. Moore Street, Manhattan).
Perhaps hoping to draw the moneyed clientele that $4000 per hour hookers attract, Serge Becker’s 205 Club is using Ashley Dupré’s image for their promotions. The prostitute to disgraced ex-Governor Spitzer was given a cheap Warhol-style treatment and plastered on posters which you can see outside the club.
Smart Crew is putting out a graffiti video and released footage of MARTY in action. While most writers are trying to fly under the radar, MARTY, who we last saw taking back his spot on Houston and Bowery from Shepard Fairey, hits some spots during the day and while shooting off fireworks.
“Although the Joker is truly frightening and a total psychopath terrorist in the new Dark Knight movie, the real life villain of Gotham is Peter Vallone Jr., the anti-constitutional legislation penning NYC councilman. He’s become a menace to all freedom loving New Yorkers: artists, dog lovers, and whoever else he decides to target next. So we decided to highlight his villainy with a giveaway. Download the image (JPG or PDF) of the snarling fundamentalist politician, Jokerize him, scan, and send back. The first 10 entries will receive two tickets to see the The Dark Knight in IMAX.”
The Virgins recently released the music video for “Rich Girls” which they filmed at Lit lair. The video features model Behati Prinsloo losig her dress for the band and other characters such as A-Ron and Dan Colen. It’s a moot point, but the EP version of the song still sounds better than the LP.
Tomorrow afternoon, Vice Magazine adds a gallery to its empire, with the east coast opening of their 2008 Annual Photo Show. In addition to the work of contributing photographers, the show also offers prints for sale (some very cheap) and a shop full of Vice schwag, including free copies of the latest photo issue. Take a look tomorrow, from 3 to 7 PM at the gallery below the Vice NY office (99 North 10th St, between Berry and Wythe, Brooklyn). The show will be on view through August 31, after which the gallery becomes office space for more Vice minions. The full list of featured photographers is below.
