About the Show
StreetsDept.com is a Philly-based photo-blog founded by Conrad Benner in January of 2011 that documents and celebrates street art, graffiti, and urban exploration in and around the City of Philadelphia.

Over the years, StreetsDept.com and its corresponding Instagram handle, @StreetsDept, have received many accolades, including being named one of the ‘Best Blogs for Travellers’ by The Guardian (2013), and being highlighted by Mashable (2015), Instagram (2014 and ‘15), Time Magazine (2011), and the Encyclopedia Britannica (2012), to name a few. Conrad himself received the 2011 Philadelphia Geek Award for ‘Geek Culture Journalism,’ and was named the city’s ‘Best Art Curator’ in 2014 by Philadelphia Magazine.

#StreetsDeptTurns5 is a show aimed at celebrating artists in Philadelphia who put their work up on the streets, as well as the 5th anniversary of StreetsDept.com. To do so, Conrad has asked 10 of his favorite inspiring artists that he’s documented over the last 5 years to show together at Paradigm Gallery on January 22nd, 2016.

The artists range from muralists, to wheatpasters, to sticker artists, to yarnbombers, sign artists, and more...

Nosego

NoseGo is a Philadelphia-based artist with a passion for illustration and media arts. He mixes fine art with a contemporary style to deliver highly energetic work. His designs feature an assemblage of patterns, vibrant colors and characters derived from his imagination and his surrounding environment.​

Kid Hazo

kid hazo (pronounced has•ohh) is a Philadelphia-based street artist out to catch a few smirks and smiles by creating pieces that parody the heart of Philly culture and venues around the city. His lighthearted props and sculptures are interjected into the urban environment in attempts to brighten up someone's day and add a layer of comic relief on the streets.

Old Broads

Old Broads is a street art initiative that utilizes humorous depictions of elderly women to challenge the marginalization and stereotypes about aging women. Old Broads is based in Philadelphia.

Ishknits

Ishknits is a Philadelphia-based yarnbomber whose work concentrates on facilitating a shift in the perception of street art, by using a typically feminine craft to initiate a dialogue on the relationship between gender and non-commissioned public art. Through her use of vibrant colors and an historically emphatic medium, she encourages people to understand and utilize the ability they possess to be assertive as well as positive in their community.

Joe Boruchow

Joe Boruchow is a Philadelphia-based paper cutout artist and muralist. A staple of the Philly street art scene for well over a decade now, Joe’s intricately detailed pieces are integrated it into the environment using architectural spaces to frame and add context to his work.

Bines

Iconic Philly sticker artist, Bines, is an internationally recognized young artist who more frequently presents his work in Philadelphia.  He crosses cultures of traditional painting with street art which created a memorable serendipity.

Harlequinade

Doug Nox is a Philadelphia-based artist and illustrator who took up the street art alias “Harlequin” in the summer of 2011, inspired by a series of strange dreams. An avid student of magick and the occult, he actively engages his environment by tapping into the unseen energy and forces in urban landscapes.

CERA

Cera is a Philadelphia-based muralist and street artist, he has produced work in Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, and South Korea. 

Amberella

Amber Lynn is a Philadelphia based mixed media and street artist who sees the world through candy-coated eyes. Most of her work is conceptual and often comments on popular culture, body image, or lady drama. She draws inspiration from past and present personal life experiences. Her work, raw and vulnerable, seeks to touch on the viewer’s emotions and evoke feeling upon first glance. Her ongoing “Cat Call” series stems from daily life encounters on the street as a woman. The Cat Calls are placed back in their original habitat and are made to be just as public and uncomfortable as actual cat calling.

NDA

NDA is a Philadelphia-based contemporary muralist. His bright, expressive work can be seen around the world. Recent projects have brought him to London, Portugal, Norway, Mexico, Tennessee, New York, and (naturally) Philadelphia.

All images by Conrad Benner, StreetsDept