Kevin Cyr – “In Praise of Rust” – Oil Paintings

Vandalism never looked so proper, New York based artist Kevin Cyr recreated identical bombed out NYC street vans through his oil paintings. The paintings feature graffiti artists like Neck Face, Ski (URNEWYORK), Dinker, and Chew, the paintings are apart of his first solo show entitled “In Praise of Rust” at the  Jonathan Levine Gallery.  The paintings are on display until June 16th check out some of them after  the jump.

“Painting them is my way of documenting a grit that is slowly disappearing from New York. In a culture where people are lured by the appeal of status-enhancing symbols, I find so much character in derelict vans. I have always been interested in painting vehicles that have defined the evolution of the American landscape. Rust serves as a good metaphor for this series, a symbol for deterioration and decay. The meaning also changes slightly when used as an adjective, as in: to become ‘rusty’ or impaired through inaction or disuse.” -Cyr