"PARTY SHUFFLE"

In the ongoing celebration of hand painted signage around the city, here is a collection of dancing couples that completely covered a bus called "Party Shuffle" that was parked in my neighborhood  A little research on the artist's name led to "Franco the Great", known as "Harlem's Picasso". His career started with his artwork on store gates on 125th Street in Harlem in 1978 and has expanded throughout NYC. It can be found in schools, nurseries, nightclubs, and bars and he has travelled extensively painting murals in Europe, the Caribbean and in several African countries.

Time to put on those "high heel sneakers"....

                               all photos ©Ken Brown

"DEVICES-R-US"

As we all know, it's a device driven world, and as a photographer the distraction has made 

a great contribution to the harvest of a certain blend of candid street surrealism.

all photos ©Ken Brown

SNOWMEN WINDOW ART NYC

Until this weekend there hadn't been any snow in NYC for two years and in honor of the somewhat modest blast we did receive, here is a small celebration of a favorite seasonal byproduct: snowmen and snow women.They have been part of the winter landscape in northern latitudes forever and it makes sense that  they would find their way onto some windows in downtown NYC.

                                 Two Boots Pizza, East Village

                                          The Bean, East Village

                                          Two Boots

                                                    all photos ©Ken Brown

"OLDIES" FROM THE ARCHIVE

Recently I had occasion to shuffle through some pre-digital photo files ('87-2002) and found a few that passed the quirk ball test...

                               1998, on the Bowery

                   2000, "drill baby drill", side by side posters on my block, (intentional or not?)

                                                 2002, "phone sex"

                     all photos ©Ken Brown

ANTHROPOMORPHIC SIGNS

Anthropomorphic figures in advertising go way back. We are biologically programmed to respond to human representation in all things and advertisers know that people are more likely to purchase something that they can emotionally connect to. 

                               Auto repair shop R.I.

                                Drive-in, Conn.

                                Laundromat, Brooklyn

                                                   Rastaman Taco, Chelsea

                                Barber Shop, Bushwick

                                Papi is in Queens

                                 Kleen Machine Laundromat, Brooklyn

                                  all photos ©Ken Brown

"GHOST SIGNS" NYC.

"Ghost signs" are found in cities and towns around the country and are the last vestiges of the hand painted billboards that were a major form of advertising in an era that predated TV and vinyl.  Time and weather, but mostly real estate shifts have made them increasingly rare. Here are a few found around the city.

                                Send a bouquet from Greenpoint

                              OK, this one was found in Beloit Wi. at my nieces graduation.

                                Syrup and figs in Greenpoint

                                Brooklyn

                      Norge sign in Williamsburg where the clock stopped at 5:50 in (1950)?

                                Rooms to let with hot and cold water, near Times Square

                               This last wonderfully intact sign is in my neighborhood in

                                downtown Manhattan.  My guess, 1930's

                                 all photos ©Ken Brown

HAIR SIGNS OF NYC

            It's a new year and time for a new "do"....  Hair signs from around New York City.

                                   all photos ©Ken Brown

"ODD-ABILIA"

a few odd items to start off the New Year

all photos ©Ken Brown

SNAPPY SEASON!

"CITY WALLS, NEW VOICES"

As a student of city walls, I will sometimes notice a singular attempt to rise up and be heard (seen) in the general visual cacophony. I started seeing these almost folk arty figures several months ago and it was like witnessing a reclamation of urban space by beasts and mountains.  ... well, all right!

all photos ©Ken Brown