From New York's Street Art Mecca to Italy
Marnie Kunz at the Bushwick Collective. New York, 2019
After several years of exponential growth, Runstreet street art tours were garnering a global audience after a series of high profile features in European media outlets. The photos in this feature appeared in DOVE Italia’s 2019 New York Travel Guidebook.
July 2019 was a great time for Runstreet. The crew was coming off a series of successful events across the U.S. and several team members were heading to London and Paris to scout street art in preparation for a possible retreat in 2020.
I photographed Runstreet founder, Marnie Kunz, on a gorgeous mid-summer day in Bushwick, Brooklyn, where we shot vibrant photos at the Bushwick Collective and JMZ Walls. The shoot commenced at the Bushwick Collective, an art lover’s paradise filled with dozens of murals by the world’s leading street artists. Known for their arresting displays and festive annual block party, the Bushwick Collective is also a favorite haunt of European tourists.
Runstreet’s Marnie Kunz in Bushwick. New York, 2019
The colorful shots of Marnie were a hit on social media. They also found their way to a magazine editor in Italy. DOVE, Italy’s premier travel and lifestyle publication, featured a full-page version of the photo above in their 2020 New York Travel Guide.
Leaping lens flare. New York, 2019
Our next stop was the JMZ Walls. Though not as popular as the Bushwick Collective, the JMZ Walls offer some of the most compelling street art in New York. The group derives its name from the J/M/Z subway lines that rumble above Broadway. Their eye-catching murals line Broadway, featuring the works of artists based in Bushwick.
Marnie Kunz jumps on Broadway. New York, 2019
My favorite photographs from this series are the shots of Marnie jumping between the Pink Panther and Roger Rabbit, and the photo of her running past the Nipsey Hussle tribute mural by BKFoxx. The photos capture the grit and beauty of a neighborhood that is quintessentially New York.
Marnie Kunz and BK Foxx’s tribute to Nipsey Hussle.
Life is unpredictably rewarding at times. Our seemingly routine photoshoot on a sun-kissed day in Bushwick made its way around the globe.
