Artist BKFoxx debuts new Year of the Ox mural in Chinatown
Photo by @just_a_spectator
Public artist BKFoxx recently debuted her new mural in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Located at Dr. Sun Yat Sen Middle School 131 on Eldridge and Hester Streets, the piece representing the Year of the Ox is titled “Onward.” The artist tells us that she was inspired by what the Ox represents–honesty, hard work, stubbornness. “No better time than now for that theme, moving forward into 2021 and learning to be resilient,” she says.
On her website, BKFoxx’s bio describes her work as “photorealistic murals in only spray paint; no brushes, no projectors, no stencils.” It continues: “She usually starts with an idea or a concept, then sets up a scene and photographs it, and from that makes a reference image for the wall. The images are meant to be high quality, potent, and thought-provoking to the viewer.”
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For her Lunar New Year mural, BKFoxx worked with East Village Walls, a community group that curates artists and street art locations throughout the East Village, Lower East Side, and Chinatown. In December, BKFoxx worked with them to create “Keep the Lights On,” a holiday mural on a small vacant wall on Eldridge Street.
She also worked with them on a Lunar New Year mural last year. For the Year of the Rat, she painted a piece called “One Man’s Trash (is a mouse’s treasure).” BKFoxx explains, “It’s meant to be a rat’s eye view, the idea that something not worth much to you might mean a whole lot to somebody else.” To create the image she assembled all the small pieces she’d collected. “I think after this year, maybe we all have a little more ability to appreciate what we have, and to be respectful and considerate towards each other.”
BKFoxx says she didn’t create this year’s piece differently. “I approach every mural the same way–to make something of quality that feels right for the moment, for the time and place. That being said, definitely a different feel from last year to this year.” She adds, “I heard the rat was blamed for last year’s bad luck.. it is certainly an appropriate animal for a pandemic year.” So for the Year of the Ox, she hopes to give everyone a more positive vibe.
What’s next for the artist? “I never tell before I paint :).” But she says she has some projects lined up for the spring and hopes to make it back to Europe, where she does a lot of work, soon. Keep up to date on her work via her Instagram @bkfoxx.
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