Denver dawns some seriously stunning street-art and graffiti worth celebrating. From talented artists who proudly call the Mile High City home, to national and even international acclaimed visual artists, Denver has it all. One of the busiest seasons in the cities history, 303 Magazine has created another roundup to celebrate all of the unbelievable murals of 2014. Sit back and enjoy the best Denver Street-Art of the season, part two.
The New Belgium Mural by Hari and Deepti
Hari Panicker and Deepti Nair are a force to be reckoned with. Natives to India, calling Colorado home for almost 3 years, they have taken inspiration from the Rocky Mountains that they love to create the newest, bike-centric New Belgium mural on 21st and Market Street. The former New Belgium commission stood for 3 years. In Hari and Deepti’s own words, “Let’s go out with a bang.”
With help from local Boulder artist Jason Garcia, influential artist Jonathan Lamb of Like Minded, and artist and curator of BirdSeed Collective Anthony Garcia Sr., the massive piece is now complete. Their murals have been growing in size. From 14 feet to 40 feet in Globeville this season for the Urban Arts Fund, to now over 120 feet with this latest New Belgium commission. The talented duo is best known for their intricate, perfectionist, and stunning paper cut out light boxes receiving national acclaim, formerly featured at Black Book Gallery. In their time living in Denver, Hari & Deepti couldn’t believe the kindness and overwhelming support from the local artist community. It’s a rare and beautiful place. We wish them great travels, and hope to welcome the artists back to their home in Denver again soon.
Rodrigo Londono Mural in RiNo
This piece aptly reading “G. LRMR” sits tall at 20ft by 90ft. Sharp edges, post modern feel, and stunning ribbon like effect– these are what make RODWAS’s latest mural in Denver is truly a sight to behold in person. Another personal friend of artist Jonathan Lamb, he helped Rodrigo Londono, a gifted and modern artist out of Miami, procure this killer wall in River North. Rodrigo found time as well to help with the previously mentioned Hari and Deepti New Belgium mural above. They were obviously busy during the artists stay, and it paid off.
Graffiti Legends Ghost, Duel, Giant, East, King Bee, Reps, Emit, Taste and Royal Stain at Colorado Crush
The talent at Colorado Crush was so monumental, it was impossible fit into one article. Let’s take a moment to praise the graffiti artists who came out in a big way for the event. From New York, Duel and Mike Giant. These are true graffiti legends. After all, Colorado Crush is a graffiti celebration at heart.
From the X-Men crew, Emit DF created a stunning graf piece on the Colorado Crush alleyway. Local graffiti artist Royal Stain also created one of the best graffiti pieces of the block. Royal Stain was just married, congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Minton. He is a true powerhouse of talent in the graffiti world, and Denver is lucky to have him.
King Bee Uw, a New York based artist, was one of my personal favorites. Founder of UWLAW, he grew up in the Bronx in the 1970’s-80’s. King Bee’s work can help to express how important the meaning of graffiti is to the city. It is rooted in a hip-hop culture that has as significant meaning to those artists as any street-art or contemporary art would. The most under-rated, stunningly visceral art form in my opinion. I appreciate graffiti artist such as King Bee, as his and the work of graffiti artists has laid the foundation for any artform that pushes conventional boundaries.
Def3 & Pat Milbery’s Robin Williams Tribute
Def3, real name Danny Fernandez, came to town and painted some brilliant pieces for Denver to revel in. Located on 13th and Grant. Near the already decked-out artistic walls of Buffalo Exchange, is the Robin Williams Tribute. This mural has made national headlines after it’s creation late August. USA Today, the Today Show, and 9 News, to name a few. Colorado Mural by Def3 and Pat Milbery off of 16th and Sherman, another must see in person!
Michael Ortiz and Jonathan Lamb of Like Minded Productions
Marley Coffee recently moved headquarters to Colorado, and to celebrate, they commissioned the best in the biz. Ortiz and Lamb go back with the Marley family, as they recently painted Bob Marley’s legendary studio in Jamaica called Tuff Gong Studios. I love the complex and graff-meets-portraiture of the TuffGong piece. Truly a legendary and historic commission, the picture featured above was taken by Jonathan Lamb in Jamaica mon. Look for the Elevated State of Design mural by Michael Ortiz and Jonathan Lamb of Like Minded Productions, as well as a stunner from Colorado Crush. I am thrilled for this team, as more and more, they become among the most highly respected artists in the Mile High City.
Gamma Acosta & SWEK’s new mural on 20th and Sherman
Gamma Acosta is a rebel among Denver artists. He has repainted this spot on 20th and Sherman, on the East facing wall of Bella Vista Mexican restaurant three times this year. Insomnia was featured in part 1 of the best Denver street-art, a piece that was replaced by the above. I would suggest seeing this perspective bending mural while you can. Freehand, without stencils nor projector, Gamma created this horizontal standing smoker. I love EMIT’s tight and disruptive lines in the graffiti piece on which Gamma’s character stands. The color is a welcomed addition to the wall, especially after the vibrancy of Insomnia. See the piece for yourself in person, may EMIT’s epic graffiti talent and Gamma’s beautiful and fleeting nature of this wall be your motivator.
Sognar Official mural on Larimer Lounge
Sognar is one of our favorite local artists initiative, shining a light on music, night life, street-art, skateboarding, snowboarding, and basically intertwined in everything cool. Pat Milbery is the creator of Sognar, this mural being a collaborative effort and work in progress to cover an older sign. Larimer Lounge just upped it’s game.
Max Kauffman at Colorado Crush
Max Kauffman is talented, unconventional, and I am in love with the work he did for Colorado Crush. Kauffman’s space in the fresh alleyway beckons, just behind the Matchbox. Nestled in between some of the talent from all over the state and country for Colorado Crush this year, Max Kauffman has done the spot justice. Follow the local artist on Instagram and fall in love for yourself.
Mike Roane’s Octopussy
Mike Graves is one of my personal favorite local artists. This Octo-Pussy may look cute and cuddly, but is in fact a large, 14-foot tall wall, one unfortunately close proximity to the tight and crowded alleyway off of 461 Broadway in downtown Denver. The colors and size are truly worth experiencing in person. See Mike Graves killer mural from Colorado Crush here.
Mars-1, Damon Soule and Oliver Vernon
The acclaimed artists initiative Furtherrr created a stunning, visceral, psychedelic mural on the East facing wall of Cultivate in Denver. The talented trio works harmoniously to create an almost alien experience, disassociating people with their expectations of art and instead taking them on a journey of the minds-eye. It will make you question your perception of reality like an acid trip. A good one, depending on the lighting.
On the other side of the enormous Cultivate grow supply building is a stunner by Furtherrr colleagues Justin Lovato, Joe Hengst and NoMe Edonna. It will absorb the passer by in it’s complexities and surrealist scene, truly stunning in person. The entire building is now boasting, in my opinion, the best dispensary or canna-business murals in the city. And that is saying something. The street-art bar just got higher– pun intended.
Great Photos, here's our take on the scene, with some Gamma speaks…