If you’re a longtime San Francisco resident, than you probably have stepped over a swarm of koi fish on the sidewalk. No, the city is not one big Japanese seafood market, these koi fish are alive. Or at least Jeremy Novy depicted them that way.
The artist who has been hailed as a pioneer of queer street art has made San Francisco his artistic playground with stencils not only of koi fish, but drag queens, care bears, and even hunky shirtless men on billboards.
Just don’t call his work “graffiti.” Last year when we spoke with Jeremy, he told us that he preferred stencils because of their “pop culture references and for the most part stencils are political in nature.”
Today we also draws inspiration from his benefactor Ron, and his “amazing collection of male image photography that dates back to 1880’s. It’s over 100 pieces by well-known artists with an emphasis on the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s,” Jeremy said.
Not surprisingly, the streets also give this arts renegade much to think about and explore, especially the Polk Street alley ways.
Click on to the next page to find out exactly where in San Francisco you can skip over his koi fish – if you haven’t done so already. Plus more images of Jeremy’s colorfully blissful work throughout the city.
Photos courtesy Jeremy Novy and larrybob.