Photos by Daniel Morteh & T.M.X. Media

Like boxing king Manny Pacquiao, Jersey City is punching above its weight class — the list includes cultural centers New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. So how did Jersey City, population 250,000 — a city without a museum, music venue or dedicated bookstore — manage to edge out the likes of Boston and Philadelphia?

Richard Florida, the senior editor of The Atlantic, used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to rank cities based on the number of artists who live there compared to the overall population.

“We wanted to examine which metros have the largest concentration of artists relative to their population,” Florida notes. “We use a measure called a ‘location quotient,’ or LQ, which is basically a ratio that compares a region’s share of artists to the national share of artists.”

Jersey City’s LQ is 2.256, which means the city has roughly twice as many artists as the national average.

“It’s time to get over the notion that only large urban cities like New York or LA can make it as artistic centers,” says Florida. “While it’s true that large cities and metros dominate in terms of sheer numbers of artists, smaller communities are home to vibrant artistic communities as well — many with national and international reputations and reach.”

Despite bleak economic realities and a lack of financial infrastructure in place to nurture, support and sustain arts venues, Jersey City residents frequently get together to run galleries, organize shows and display artwork. They transform ground-floor apartments, glass factories and garages into exhibition venues. Notable institutions include New Jersey City University’s Visual Arts and Lemmerman Galleries, 58 Gallery, _gaia, Jersey City Art School, Curious Matter, WOOLPUNKstudios and STUDIO III VII I, to name just a few. And they are why Jersey City came out a winner.

But while many artists took pride in the news, others were skeptical.

“We don’t even have a museum anymore,” says Hiroshi Kumagai, who has a solo exhibition on now at 58 Gallery. The Jersey City Museum went into foreclosure in July of this year and remains closed pending a possible sale to the Jersey City Medical Center, whose CEO has said he would reopen the museum in some form if the sale goes through.

“Local government is neither friendly nor supportive of the scene,” says Kumagai. “I don’t expect Jersey City to be artistic anymore.”

Christine Goodman, the founder and head of Art House Productions, disagrees. “We have our own Division of Cultural Affairs which a lot of cities don’t have,” she says, “and the Special Improvement Districts are providing programs like Groove on Grove and the Central Avenue Mural Project. Local businesses exhibit art. There’s a new wave of dance, music and theater programs for youth and adults.”

Although Goodman did rattle off a list of reasons why Jersey City deserves to be on the list, she is still not satisfied. The city, she says, needs to grow. “The question becomes: where do we go from here?” she asks. “How do we ensure its survival? Where are our theaters, our museums, our art centers, our cinemas? How do we take this to the next level?”

Michelle Mumoli of Pop-UP Art is also looking to the future. “I can only speak for myself when I say that I would like my art organization to be a bridge to the Manhattan market and the New York art buyers,” Mumoli says. “The time has come for the buyers and collectors across the Hudson, to start taking that 10- to 20-minute train ride into Jersey City, and even Newark, to start buying up-and-coming work from talented, dedicated artists who are busting their rumps to make a living doing what they love.”

Performance artist and Jersey City native Nyugen E. Smith feels that artists are living here because of cheap rents, not because of a supportive environment. “[Artists] are staying probably because of the space they have to work for less money, close to NYC,” he wrote in an email.”DEFINITELY NOT because we have financial or exhibition opportunities for artists.”

Proximity to New York seemed to be a common factor in Jersey City’s success among many artists we interviewed. Eugene Lemay, the CEO of Mana Contemporary Art Center, says he has noticed many artists moving their studios from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island City.

“They are drawn to the sense of community we are able to provide,” he says. “By having all of the services artists and art collectors need under one roof — studios, framing, shipping and storage, for example — we’ve created an ideal working environment for artists. And there’s no big warehouse space like this left in New York City, so we have an advantage by being off the beaten path.”

Dancer Megha Kalia, who founded the Indian performing arts company Sitarrey, jumped the fence from Queens to Jersey City this past year because of the commercial spaces the city offered to the creative community.

“Residents can find anything from Indian arts to photography clubs and guitar classes in Jersey City,” Kalia comments. “There are studios for bands that provide space to rent that is a very important resource for aspiring artists.”

Painter Jon Rappleye, who currently has a solo exhibition at NJCU, appreciates the “cheap rent” in Jersey City, as well as the “peace of mind” the city provides its artists.

“Also the fact that it is more isolated,” says Rappelye, “I personally find it helpful to be away from the distraction of the city.”

Poet Jackie Clark, author of the chapbooks Office Work and Red Fortress, agrees. “Being so close to New York is great, but it is also great to leave the city and get some perspective on things, and as a writer, perspective is important,” says Clark. “There is still a sense that you are leaving ‘the city’ when you head home to Jersey City, even though my commute is quicker than certain friends of mine who live in Brooklyn.”

Plus, says Clark, “There isn’t the same kind of competitiveness that haunts indie/arts events in Brooklyn.”

Photographer Karina Aguilera Skvirsky, who recently organized the community-based art project Ask Me: Tell Me at Lucky Laundromat says she was “in shock” that Jersey City made the list.

“When I ride the PATH I always feel like the majority of Jersey City residents work in business contexts. Clearly what I seem to see tells me nothing,” observes Skvirsky. “It actually makes sense that artists would make Jersey City their home. While Jersey City is not NYC, it has a decidedly urban sensibility and I believe that appeals to artists.”

Artist Tom McGlynn, who began showing his work at Jersey City Museum prior to its move from the main branch of the Jersey City Public Library in 2001, noted that even with the absence of the museum, the arts in Jersey City are thriving.

“The Jersey City Museum closing was a real loss to the community,” says McGlynn, “but it’s interesting how resilient the community remains nevertheless.”

Jersey City Rallies Against School Vouchers: Some 50 people rallied yesterday at a Jersey City school against proposed state legislation that would use public money to pay for the private school education of some low-income students. Look for more education coverage from JCI today.

Old Dye Factory to be Demolished: Demolition of the “Purple People” building on Ege Avenue across from the Hudson Mall on Route 440 started yesterday. For nearly 40 years, residents living near the Dye Specialties Inc. plant at 407 Ege Avenue had to contend with strange odors, colored dust and other factory issues that they said affected their quality of life.

Library’s Civil War Document Returning to Virginia: A 220-year-old court ledger found in the Jersey City Public Library is being returned to the Stafford Courthouse in Stafford, Virgina.

Downtown Councilman Collecting Toy Donations: An organization founded by Downtown Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop will be collecting toys and coats that will be given away during the holiday season.

Today’s Best Bets:

Meet two breweries tonight at local beer bars: Victory Brewing Company will be at Barcade with more than a dozen varieties beginning at 5 pm. At 6 pm, Uinta Brewing Company comes to the Iron Monkey with six of their craft beers.

Hiroshi Kumagai‘s new solo exhibition kicks off tonight at 58 Gallery with a free opening reception (6 pm). Read our Q&A with Kumagai to learn more about his work.

In Statewide News:

New Jersey Labor Deptartment Launches ‘On Ramp’ Job Search Engine: The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development Wednesday launched a job-search engine on the website — Jobs4Jersey.com — to help New Jersey’s unemployed find work.

New Jersey Aid Holdup May Force Towns to Borrow to Pay Workers: New Jersey lawmakers’ inaction on $139 million in state funding for cities in financial distress is forcing some local officials to delay payments to school districts and vendors and consider borrowing to make payroll.

World AIDS Day Report: Many New Jerseyans are living with AIDS rather than dying from it.

Kumagai has done everything from painting anime-inspired pictures to fabricating vinyl lunch boxes to video-chat portraiture. His project, Publicly Private, was a series of vinyl portraits based on random images that he found while trolling the Internet and video chat rooms. The subjects range from grandmothers to lonely, mustachioed bears to teenage beach bunnies. In his current project, 11 Letters, Kumagai sourced digital photographs via Facebook users.

Brendan Carroll caught up with Kumagai to discuss his digital-inspired portrait series, working as an artist in Jersey City and his new solo exhibition.

When did you begin to paint and draw?

I have been drawing all my life. I was physically very weak when I was a child and didn’t get to do all the activities normal kids enjoy, so my mother got me unlimited supply of sketch books and crayons to keep me busy. I didn’t get into painting till I was in my 20s. I didn’t like “messy” mediums.

When did you first consider yourself an artist?

I always wanted to be a cartoonist and still do sometimes. I always knew I was good at anything creative, especially in a 2D medium. But I never considered myself as an artist. I don’t like the term “artist” much for the obvious stigma. I still don’t think I am an artist sometimes. But some people consider me one. That’s good enough.

You’re a great role model for a lot of artists, having built a life – and profession — around your artwork. You’ve been awarded several artists residencies, shown in several solo exhibitions, and won quite a bit of grant and fellowship money. In addition, collectors have really taken to your work and hired you for commissions.

I have hard time believing that I am a role model. My day-to-day realities are pretty mundane. I consider being an artist is more like a trade skill and its work. You have to be able to find your niche and market yourself.

If you had to name one factor that helps you to sustain your career as an artist, what is it, and why?

There are so many qualities one needs to make a good artist, but the one most important thing, at least to me, is to be familiar with your work. It sounds almost stupid, but a lot of artists don’t know well about his/her works. If you are a painter, why do you paint? What kind of paint do you use? Acrylic or oil? Is it on canvas or board? There are so many aspects to your work but many of us don’t make conscious decisions. Once you know about your work like the back of your hands, you will eventually know what to do with it. As Sun Tzu says: Know yourself.

How did you make the leap into new work, from anime-inspired paintings to webcam-inspired portraits?

Switching to new subject matters was nerve-wracking to say the least. It was like denying what you have done and starting all over. For me, it was like resetting 10 years of my work. But there was nothing else for me to do. It’s not in me to be willingly part of something that has already happened (this is exactly the same reason why I didn’t choose Brooklyn 10 years ago. It was already happening.)

When I decided to make the leap, I had to keep reminding myself to choose a subject that excites me. Anime and cartoons were something dear to my heart and it was natural for me to work in that style. But one day I came across this new (to me at least) technology called Skype. As a Japanese, I have a soft spot for technology. And this web chat symbolized my sentiment towards mediated society. Frankly speaking, the voyeuristic nature of the medium was exciting, too.

Moving from my anime-inspired work to my current style was very much conscious decision and painful one. I was happy with the anime style and getting to be known for it. But put simply, I was too late for the game.

There were way too many artists working in a similar style after seeing the success of Murakami. It didn’t matter how long I have worked on the style. I became just “one of them”. Same goes with recent boom on graffiti street art-inspired works, too; there is a danger in labeling yourself. You can never be comfortable when you belong to (or are considered to be part of) a style or “ism.” I had to take a good look at what I have done and what’s unique about my works without the label. Then I realized that there wasn’t much, except for my medium, vinyl.

From there, it was simply a process of elimination. What can I do with it, why should I do it, and why is it important?

I created the Plastic Lunch series to see if I could make pieces with nothing but vinyl. I also wanted create something like a sculpture and wanted to move away from storytelling and illustrative property of my previous works. With the skills I learned from Plastic Lunch, I began creating Publicly Private, which is more thematic and larger than anything I have done to the point.

There are lots of pictures on the Internet. What made you choose one image over another image for your project Publicly Private?

It’s funny you mention it. I always have to be extra careful when I choose my images. I was once pointed out as “sexist” because most of my subjects were female. I collect images according to their uniqueness. They are later categorized and often omitted. Sometimes I pick images just by gut feeling.

I avoid using nudity or sexually explicit images. I want to keep a healthy balance between medium and theme. I don’t want to draw too much attention to either. If I have a picture of a couple having a sex in front of webcam, sure it draws attention, but it’s just a shock value and will be a one-trick-pony.

Sexual nature always gets attention but only a few pieces of the series have remotely sexual images. Only one with direct sexual content, two girls kissing. I wanted to point out how people live his private life in public in digital ages, and how it is being transmitted and communicated.

My most recent series Digital Embrace is actually solely based on images found on online pornography, but they are not explicit. It’s more for the idea of what people are seeing/downloading on the Internet. And what’s more downloaded than porn?

Using social media as source material for art is apropos to the current time. Despite your choice of medium, color, and subject matter, I could not stop thinking of Edward Hopper or Alfred Hitchcock as I looked at your work. (Hopper made several paintings of unsuspecting individuals who were partly dressed, naked or engaged in sexual acts. In Alfred Hitchcock’s film Rear Window, Jimmy Stewart plays a wheelchair bound photographer that peeps on his neighbors from his apartment window. He creates elaborate stories of each resident.) Does my association resonate with you and your current work?

I think you captured my sentiment very well. Hopper’s point of view towards lonely urbanites and pathos of sexual acts are very similar to my work (although I tend to make it humorous somehow). He and I both create distance from subject matter. I am physically far from my subject and see them out of context always. This ambiguous distance we create from each other in the cyber world underpins my works through out.

Do writers or filmmakers who explore the lonely urbanite inspire you? I am thinking of the movies by Tsai Ming-liang, Wong Kar-wai. I am thinking of books by Sherwood Anderson and Haruki Murakami.

Anderson, Wong Kar-wai and Murakami, all of them were my favorites during my formative years. They might have subconsciously influenced me. I believe ethos of our time resonates to my work naturally. Maybe we are all lonely urbanites in digital age.

Tell us about your new project 11 Letters.

11 Letters is antithesis to my previous project Publicly Private. In Publicly Private, I collected images of complete strangers with no context. For 11, I ask the public to submit images and a little bit of background information. It’s an ongoing, highly personal project. I guess I felt a need to connect to my subject, and having this dialogue makes me feel grounded when I get tired of peeping into thousands of virtual lives. Many of participants are still complete strangers and often send me sexually explicit images with no explanations. But it gives me strange sense of satisfaction to provide a kind of resting place or sanctuary for those fleeing images.

Are you communicating with these “sitters” via SKYPE, AIM or twitter? Have you thought about incorporating these online communications into the physical work?

I have communicated some but not all. I am still in search of way to incorporate actual technology into my work. But I haven’t found anything suitable so far. I might move on to more technology-driven art in future.

How does your new work in Near Sighted compare to themes in your earlier shows?

It will be a new body of works created in 2011. The pieces on view will be considered studies. It will be interesting to see my struggle through the year. The subject matters for the new series were seemingly erratic, even to myself. After I finished with Publicly Private, I was getting more interested in telecommunications and mass communications in general. Many new pieces have images of billboard. I see the billboard as an archetype of mass-communication and a symbol of Americana. They’re the eyesores of highway culture.

Can you describe a typical day in the studio?

I usually start working by 9 AM and spend 10 to 12 hours working every day. I spend most of day going through collected images and alter them with my computer. Cutting out and pasting vinyl are done according to whatever I created on computer. So this prepping stage is most crucial and two-thirds of production hours will be go to this process. I do this day in day out until I have a satisfactory image. Them I cut and paste vinyl on aluminum. My work routine is streamlined but not on a daily basis. It’s more like a weekly to monthly basis routine.

Surprisingly, I do not listen to music, nor do I think it affects my work. Actually I do not want others’ creative output to linger around me when I work. I cannot bear the idea of my playlist affecting my work (I am notorious for having the worst taste in music.) I do stream documentary movies just for the noise but I don’t think it has the same effect as music does.

Do you contemplate your work outside of the studio?

I always think about my works whether I am in studio or not. But good ideas often happen when I am outside of studio. When I am at museums and galleries, I always have one of those “a-ha” moments. They are usually about new way of using vinyl and not about themes though.

Why did you leave Jersey City for Brooklyn, and why did you come back?

I moved to Brooklyn, Sunset Park, to be near my studio residency. After being there for one year, I decided to move back to JC. JC was overall a good home-base. I believe I got to be a part of 58 when JC was “happening” and when I was getting more established. 58 is near and dear to my heart. I want to keep the root no matter where and what point of my career I’m in. As a Japanese proverb says “revisit old and discover new.” It’s always humbling to go back where you started. I also support [curator Orlando Reyes's] view. I will cross an ocean to do a show for him.

Any last words?

The exhibition at 58 shows my struggle after the successful series of Publicly Private. They are very private and I wouldn’t show them as a whole anywhere else. It will be interesting if you are familiar with my previous works, but even if you do not know anything about my work, I believe you will find something that resonates to current state of our lives.

Details:
58 Gallery is hosting a preliminary viewing Thursday, December 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. The show officially opens to the public Friday, December 2, from 6 to 9 pm, as part of JC Fridays.

Photos of artwork courtesy of the artist.

Reyes and artist John Besante, who owns the building, have struggled for years against accusations of violating what Reyes calls antiquated laws. The gallery is considered commercial and not a “legal” use in the area, which is zoned industrial and located within the Harsimus Cove Historic District. A use variance and sign-off from the Historic Preservation Commission are required before the art space, at 58 Coles Street, can be considered legit.

Besante plans to appear in court on Wednesday to respond to the latest notice of violation from the city. He says he’s been to court for this on a half-dozen other occasions and the case has been dismissed; if it moves forward this time, he intends to continue to fight.

He runs a business in the space making props, special effects and scenery, and says the gallery is not a commercial or “retail” space open to the public with regular hours.

“We don’t have a commercial operation here,” Besante says. “This is just a service for the community. There’s no money in this, we’re not making money on this.”

58 has long been a staple of the annual Studio Tour, an event space with occasional live music and hub for emerging talent from the local community and beyond. It has outlasted a long list of influential art spaces in the city, including 111 First Street, Cooke Contemporary, Residue, Nobis Gallery and the recently shuttered Jersey City Museum.

Besante says he closed two other galleries he used to operate, Es Oro and The Annex, both on Brunswick Street, because of similar problems with the city.

“I was tired of the harassment and I sold them,” he says.

In Reyes’ view, the process he and Besante are being asked to take on, which is daunting and could cost in the thousands, is too much to ask after 10 years of exhibitions.

“It’s these ridiculous demands they make of you,” Reyes says. “I could open a soap factory here tomorrow and the city would be okay with it because it’s industrial. They’d say no problem, because we’re zoned for that. I’m sure my neighbors wouldn’t appreciate smokestacks.”

“I’m tired of being used to sell condos,” he adds, “under the pretense of this rich artist community that they are systematically stamping out.”

City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill says the city certainly does not want 58 Gallery to close and would like the issues to be resolved as quickly as possible. But in order for that to happen, she says the necessary applications must come in.

“City officials working on this have been working with Reyes,” Morrill says. “Everyone’s aware of the great work they do there. We want to help them and move along quickly so they can be a conforming use.”

The Distillery gallery went through a nearly identical process this year to get a variance that would allow it to operate in a residential area. The process was lengthy and complicated and involved the gallery hiring a surveyor, an architect who drew up plans, a planner who signed off on the plans, and a lawyer. The building department was consulted to determine the gallery’s true address on Hutton Street. A professional was enlisted to give a presentation at a public hearing — a hearing that was put off several times because the planning board did not have a quorum.

“The process is intensive,” says Irene Borngraeber, the gallery’s founder. And expensive — while some of the work done on the gallery’s behalf was pro bono, she says the cost, including permitting fees, was in the thousands.

But she takes issue with the notion that the artist community is being treated unfairly.

“We’re not being persecuted as artists,” she says. “This would have happened to anyone else. That might be why other businesses aren’t cropping up in residential areas, because it is so difficult.”

Reyes says he will decide what to do with the gallery after Besante’s court date next week. If he does choose to leave, Besante says he would continue to show art in the space but stop participating altogether in city-sponsored events.

Beyond the cost and the annoyance, Reyes is bothered by the larger issue of what the city will be moving forward. He cites the lack of progress on revamping entertainment ordinance, which has been a thorn in the side of DIY music spaces, galleries and other small venues for years.

“If you put out a survey, I think you’d hear a lot of people want a gallery, or a little music venue where you can see live bands,” he says. “It’s not a lot to ask for in a thriving city, or it shouldn’t be. That’s where I’m at right now — are we working so hard for all of this to just have it taken away?”

The opening reception for 58 Gallery’s annual group show — which includes work by Beau Stanton, Dylan Egon, Fefe Talavera, Isaac Fortoul, Joe Russo, John Besante, Kai Margarida-Ramirez de Arellano, Lenny “lny” Correa, Melissa Cody, Nyugen Smith, Scott Albrecht and Sean “9″ Lugo — is Friday, October 7 from 7 to 10 pm, at 58 Coles Street.

The installation of the show at 58 Gallery

Graffiti is a crime in the eyes of the law. Police departments across the United States equate aerosol spray paint, paint markers, and show polish daubers — tools often utilized in graffiti and street art — with vandalism. Convicted graffiti vandals can face jail time, thousands of dollars in fines, hundreds of hours in community service, and restitution.

For enthusiasts, graffiti is kinetic lettering, brazen colors, and intricate design. You can find examples emblazoned on subway cars and freight trains, walls, doors, street signs, and billboards. The materials include aerosol and latex paint, markers, LED lights, wheat pastes, and stickers. Its practitioners demonstrate invention, bravado, wit, and resourcefulness. But for graffiti detractors, the painted calligraphy is a public nuisance, a health concern, and an issue of social welfare and public safety.

Is it possible for graffiti to crossover from the illicit underground to mainstream acceptance and respectability? You will have a chance to decide for yourself on Friday night at 58 Gallery in Downtown Jersey City.

Orlando Reyes, the director of 58 Gallery, has invited graffiti writers Then One and NTEL to create a site-specific installation inside the gallery, to be accompanied by paintings, sculptures, and drawings. The two-person show is called UNZIPPED. The centerpiece of the exhibition will be a collaborative mural in homage to their graffiti roots.

Reyes has been a supporter of graffiti and street art long before its mainstream acceptance, and 58 Gallery has featured several graffiti writers and street artists over the years, such as AIDS crew, Trust Your Struggle Collective, and GAIA.

“I showed [NTEL and Then One] three years ago in a group show I called America Is Dying Slowly, and have been watching them since,” Reyes says of the artists. “They have shown their potential to transition from street to gallery.”

What brought Then One and NTEL to Jersey City?

“We became familiar with Jersey City because of the art scene,” Then One says. “It has always been a place of interest for us to show our art because of its proximity to New York City and it’s creative community.”

Then One uses caricatures, bold colors, dynamic lettering and rhythmic designs in his work that is reminiscent of the art of illumination found in the Koran. He says he strives to make sense of the world around him in his art.

“My work explores my heritage as well as my background as an artist of the street and how it fits as well as clashes within today’s society,” he explains. “Though cultures may clash, my goal is to create pieces of art that can broaden the visual horizons of gallery owners and curators as well as art collectors to see that street-art and graffiti is a legitimate art form.”

NTEL is a self-taught artist who has been in the graffiti game for nearly 15 years. He incorporates lithe female dancers, men throwing Molotov cocktails, block letters and handwritten calligraphy in his pictorial vocabulary. His work channels Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns as much as graffiti writers from New York City in the 1970s. He says he is “constantly striving to bridge the gap between ‘fine’ art and ‘street’ art.”

Why do graffiti writers strive for legitimacy?

Aerosol paint is the key medium many graffiti writers use. It is also the major element many law enforcement officials target in their prosecution of graffiti. In many instances, graffiti writers who are legally commissioned to paint a mural get shut down for using aerosol paint. Getting shut down robs graffiti writers of their opportunity to make money and earn a living.

“Even with the correct permits and permissions from property owners that the police or people who live in close proximity to the mural have stopped murals from being finished mainly because of the medium at hand,” Then One says. “Aerosol paint’s association with vandalism definitely puts a hold on the total acceptance of graffiti as an art form that has definitely been felt by us as well as others.”

What does the art world think of it?

Right now, many highbrow institutions have begun to recognize the massive contributions these artists have provided to contemporary art and culture. Last year, Musée d’Art Moderne organized a major retrospective of Jean-Michel Basquiat in Paris, France. This April, Museum of Contemporary Art/Los Angeles, will present Art in the Street, a major retrospective of graffiti and street art, featuring heavy hitters such as Fab 5 Freddy, Lee Quiñones, Futura, Keith Haring, Banksy, Barry McGee, and SWOON, among others.

The art world may recognize graffiti writers, but the law doesn’t. Many graffiti writers carry the weight of past misdeeds around their neck like an albatross. In 2009, Shepard Fairey, the artist behind the iconic poster of President Barack Obama, was arrested during the opening reception of his museum retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. Police arrested Fairey on two outstanding warrants for property defacement. Last week, Cristian Gheorghiu, the Los Angeles-based graffiti writer known as Smear, was arrested for possessing “vandalism tools” in his private studio. Los Angeles city attorney Carmen Trutanich is seeking a one-of-a-kind court injunction to bar Gheorghiu from profiting from art bearing his nom de plume.

Needless to say, graffiti writers have to practice a certain amount of discretion other artists do not have to consider. When asked for a picture to support this story, Then One and NTEL respectfully declined.

“Because of our background in graffiti, pictures of us painting could lead to an arrest in the future and we cannot afford that risk so we would rather not include those,” Then One explains.

You get the feeling from talking with Then One that the police do what they do, and graffiti writers do what they. Graffiti writers will continue to cover walls in colorful and kinetic murals using aerosol paint. Police enforcement will try to deter these artists from doing so. It is what it is. No animosity, no conflict; its just business.

For now, graffiti exists somewhere between art and vandalism for the general public. This exhibition provides you with a unique opportunity to see graffiti and street art up close and make a determination for yourself.

THE DETAILS

UNZIPPED: New Works by Then One and NTEL; Opening Reception Friday April 1 at 7 pm (show runs through April 30); 58 Coles St.

Music, bowling, booze, and good vibes: that’s a recipe for a perfect Saturday night, and when it all helps raise money for two important neighborhood initiatives, it’s easy to see why such an eclectic and excited crowd turned out for the Art Strike benefit at Jersey City’s historic Barrow Mansion on Saturday.

A convivial and very mixed crowd of about 300 — Downtown hipsters, members of the art community, neighborhood activists and random fans — filled two floors of the Barrow Mansion, raising over $3,000 to support both the Creative Grove Artist Market and 58 Gallery, which has been petitioning the city to become a licensed live music venue.

Creative Grove co-founder Uta Brauser says she was impressed by the “loving energy [of] support and participation” at Saturday’s event, which will help her and the Arts in Action team make some improvements to the weekly Creative Grove market.

“We have a list of urgent structure needs that will improve the presentation level for the event, and will give the city a better look,” she says, adding that extra money would go towards operations and marketing expenses for the “totally underfunded” community happening.

Saturday’s fundraiser included a silent auction and art sale, free bowling in the mansion’s antique bowling alley (which dates back to the late 1800s,) low-cost libations supplied by Jersey Wine & Liquors, food from Lucinda’s Creperie, a disco room with a live DJ spinning dance music and a slate of five bands. Tony Susco, the guru of Jersey City’s live-music scene and a ubiquitous presence at these community fundraisers, served as emcee. Many attendees also brought donations of canned and packaged food to benefit the food pantry of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, located next door.

The live entertainment featured a wide range of local talent, heavy on the funk; the crowd responded by dancing in very uphipster-like fashion, adding to the evening’s Mardi Gras-like mojo. When Jersey City turns out for an event like this — a similar Christmas benefit at the Barrow Mansion and a Halloween costume party at the Historic Harsimus & Jersey City Cemetery come to mind — people really come to have a good time (and yet behave). That can be a rare combination, and deserves kudos not just to the organizers, but to the participants.

The live music kicked off with June Star Mr. Blackman with backing band the Charlie “Afro” Sheens, a multi-racial hip-hop funk collective that included a bare-chested guitarist and some lively percussion. The group’s fusion of African rhythms, funk-rock, and disco got the early arrivals dancing from the get-go and helped set the vibe for the rest of the evening.

Jersey City’s Radio Exiles followed with some traditional pop-punk, with several members of the band taking turns on lead vocals. They made at least one new fan: an adorable toddler who stood front and center and did a twitchy little dance to their whole set.

Hoboken musician Roland Ramos followed with a captivating set that fused reggae, funk and improvisational jazz into a mind-expanding set that showcased impressive musicianship and a non-stop groove. Billed as Roland Ramos Presents, the group featured Ramos on guitar and lead vocals and an ensemble of players whose free-flowing excursions transported the crowd. Simple but clever lighting added a psychedelic feel to the otherwise bare-bones concert room.

Ladel McLin and his combo rekindled the spirit of Jimi Hendrix with their set of blues-based rock and funk; McLin even looked the part in a very Jimi-like outfit that included a gold jacket and white go-go boots. McLin’s freaky guitar solos launched the band’s simple blues constructions into the cosmos.

The night ended with the raunchy glam-punk of Jersey City’s Wyldlife, who provided a sweaty set of high-caliber rock ‘n’ roll. The leather jacket-clad, college-aged quartet debuted a few new songs from their forthcoming release and dipped into their impressive bag of covers, with high-octane versions of Loverboy’s “Working For The Weekend,” the garage-rock standard “Gloria,” and a gonzo-punk take on “Born To Run.”

As we noted at the time, the problem ultimately comes down to zoning. 58 is now trying to get its house in order by applying for a zoning variance, and they estimate they need to raise about $1,500 to do so. And what better way to raise that money than by holding a benefit featuring three bands on a JC Fridays night?

Mr. Junestar Blackman (7 pm), Little, Big (8 pm) and Fancy Colors (9 pm) are all slated to perform tomorrow evening at the Coles Street gallery, which is currently showing John Fesken’s Ehullek Tragedies: Terminal Everlasting, Overmaars exhibition. The suggested donation, to be put towards what is being dubbed the “58 Longevity Fund,” is $10.

On a separate front, Susco is among the cultural leaders who are working with city officials to revise the outdated entertainment ordinance.

But recently the cafe has been a lot quieter, as Governanti has — for now — canceled all live music after receiving a cease and desist order from Jersey City’s Division of Commerce.

Acting on a complaint, the Commerce director Paul Barna told Made with Love it was violating the city’s entertainment ordinance in a letter sent September 29, and he warned that if the cafe continued doing so, it “may result in summonses being issued.” The letter also informed the cafe it was violating the city’s sidewalk cafe ordinance with the small table and bench it had out on Jersey Avenue.

(The city clerk’s office would not provide JCI with a copy of the initial complaint, citing advice given by the city’s Law Department over concerns about possible retaliation.)

As we’ve reported, the ordinance governing live music in the city has been a bone of contention for DIY music spaces, art galleries and other smaller venues for years. Entertainment licenses are all but impossible to attain, and governed by what critics say is an outdated law that treats most venues the same and doesn’t offer enough flexibility. (For example, the ordinance doesn’t distinguish between types of “entertainment or dance venues,” except to divide them into capacities of 100-plus or fewer than 100.)

A 2009 attempt to revise the law was met with fierce opposition from the city’s restaurant and bar owners, mostly over concerns that the decibel restrictions it set were too strict, and it was tabled before being formally considered by the City Council.

More recently, 58 Gallery was ticketed in September for hosting a live band during a closing reception for an exhibition. Seeing as it was not the first time the gallery was cited for this issue, the gallery’s owner Orlando Reyes and promoter Tony Susco are spearheading an effort to get the city to finally revise the ordinance.

And that is, apparently, just what the city plans to do.

“The city is currently in the process of revising the entertainment ordinance to achieve an appropriate balance to encourage small businesses and the arts and music, while ensuring that residents have quiet enjoyment of their neighborhoods,” city spokesperson Jennifer Morrill says.

Following the Made with Love cease and desist order, at least one meeting of high-level administration officials was held to try to figure out the best way to proceed. The result is an informal committee that will study the best way to update the law. It consists of Barna and Morrill, along with deputy chief of staff Kevin Lyons, Cultural Affairs director Maryanne Kelleher and assistant corporation counsels Joanne Monahan and Carmine Scarpa. Council president Peter Brennan and Ward E councilman Steven Fulop have also been invited to take part.

While he’s not familiar with any of the details yet, Susco says he’s pleased the city is doing something.

“It’s good that the city is looking to put something together … because the current ordinance is killing business,” he says. “The reason why Newark Avenue is basically shuttered down after stores close is because there’s really no inspiration for people to open up establishments; there’s nothing to support some later nightlife activity.”

Susco adds that while Jersey City — “a great city of reactionary procrastinators” — has taken a while to revisit the ordinance, he senses that the administration is getting the picture.

“The city is starting to recognize that businesses are being put into a situation where they can’t legally provide entertainment,” he says. “So instead, they’re just setting up boring old bars.”

The administration echoes that point, with Morrill saying that “many of the establishments who provide music … are not only improving the quality of life in their neighborhoods, but are also struggling in the current economy.” She adds that those working to revise the law “will be taking all of these issues into consideration.”

While the informal committee is comprised solely of representatives from inside government, Susco, one of the city’s leading entertainment figures, says he hopes — and expects — them to seek his and others’ input.

“I’d like to get involved, and I hope they will reach out for my input,” he says. “I have a feeling that they will.”

As we reported at the time, there are ongoing issues to be resolved with the zoning of the property, which Susco says they are working on. But he and Reyes still feel that the gallery, and others who have worked to foster a DIY art and culture scene here, are often unfairly targeted.

So in an effort to organize the arts community around the issue, the gallery is organizing a petition drive that will launch at the opening of 58′s new show tonight, playfully titled Public Nuisance. Susco explained last weekend that he feels the city’s cultural community has a latent political strength that’s yet to be fully realized, and he hopes to bring them together to make the city a more vibrant place for the arts.

In addition to trying to counter the idea that 58 is a “public nuisance,” the petition — which is still being finalized — will likely address broader issues like the city’s entertainment ordinance, which arts advocates say has a number of flaws, as Joe Pompeo reported for NEW nearly two years ago.