Renown Japanese artist and muralist, Usugrow, completes a new wall in the heart of the Medina at Rahba Kedima spice square of Marrakech, Morocco. Curated by Valerie Liais du Rocher of Studio IWA with support from Upper Playground, the mural covers the facade of the well known Cafe Des Epices featuring Usugrow’s signature hand style.  Combining his knowledge of Kanji (Japanese), Arabic and English Calligraphy, Usugrow once again reinvents his free hand. Check out the photos by contributing photographer, Raphael Liais  for Upper Playground:

This wall was made possible by Valerie Liais du Rocher of Studio IWA x Upper Playground.

For more information about the artist visit usugrow.com and follow his instagram @usugrow.

A new mural by El Mac, Kofie and Nuke went up in LA yesterday, along side SKILL UTI who also worked on a second wall preserving DASH 2000's work with AISE.  The UTI Crew's wall which has a portrait of an older  woman of Navajo descent (marked by her turquoise necklace) now looms over the Arts District in Los Angeles between Traction and E. 4th Street on S. Hewitt.

     

Photo credit: Jy-Ah Min for Upper Playground

 

Renown chef and entrepreneur, David Chang, often mistaken as David Choe and vice versa invited Choe to give the walls of his famed restaurant, Momofuku a make over. Here’s a peek at the results via Choe’s IG this week:

David Choe‘s highly anticipated book, Snowman Monkey BBQ is now available here online at www.upperplayground.com:

“I spent the last decade making a book that compiles all of my most luscious, magnificent watercolors. If you are looking for street art or graffiti bullshit, you came to the wrong place. Not content with just detailed, masterful watercolors, I included — in true sociopath fashion — career and love life suicide text messages, the most direct emails you will ever read, as well as photos of the most beautiful women I’ve ever photographed. In doing so, I am presenting the complete package of a schizophrenic, perverted artistic genius mixed with [c]ravings of a lunatic.

You will laugh. You will cry. You will get hard. You will get wet. You will be conflicted. You will be inspired.” – D.Choe

266 page 10.5″ x 14.5″ hardcover book

As Upper Playground celebrates its 15th anniversary, our radical neighbors DLX Skate Shop celebrates 20 years here in San Francisco. These two stores deserve a pat on the back for continuing to serve radness to its loyal customers, fans, and neighbors all these years. To help celebrate our anniversaries, both brands combined forces to create the Upper Playground x DLX “Walrus Cruiser” skateboard. Designed with love by a long time friend of both shops, artist Jeremy Fish. What could be more fun than shredding a little walrus around town while celebrating two legendary local retail establishments?

MADE IN AMERICA, limited edition of 75
Custom Jeremy Fish 7.75″ cruiser deck
DLX custom Jeremy Fish 56mm wheels
Thunder Trucks
Spitfire Cheapshot bearings

 

For more info about our friends at DLX Skateboard Shop check out www.dlxsf.com and visit Jeremy Fish’s sillypinkbunnies.com for his latest news and updates.