Beyond the Streets

DAVID ALLEN

In my last post I wrote about some of the ways street artists are getting involved in socially responsible projects. Through these projects, street artists are beautifying communities, and in turn, improving morale, facilitating dialog between neighbors, and consequently lowering crime within the neighborhood.
 
In keeping with the theme of seeing street artists as more than just "wall painters," but rather as legitimate artists worthy of recognition and appreciation for their artistry, and as contributors of social good, I would like to spotlight David Allen.

David Allen is not simply a street artist, his talent goes beyond a spray can to other media like oil, but the medium I was most impressed with was his work on the human body, primarily the female body. David's work consists of concealing scars after mastectomies and reconstruction with intricately beautiful tattoos. I can't think of a more beautiful and worth while cause. He is giving breast cancer survivors a creative disruption in order to move past the scars and start the healing process.

David is also part of the P.ink Project whose goal is to connect breast cancer survivors with tattoo artists who can provide a form of healing that no one else can.

Community Improvement Through Street Art

Street art, without a doubt, is having its moment of acceptance in mainstream culture. Some artists are enjoying worldwide fame and some even fortune like Obey, who went from street artist to clothing designer. Another example of this jump from the street into commercial limelight is Bruno Big, who is the designing force behind the "Ousadia Alegria" cleats worn by FC Barcelona winger, Neymar Jr.

But even with these levels of commercial success, some question if street art is a bona fide art style or just visual disruption in the streets of urban areas. But whatever your position is on the topic of street art, there is one aspect of street art I consider very important and perhaps unknown by some: the power of street art as a way to build and improve communities. 

Santa Marta Favela, Brazil 2015 || Photo by Katherine Gomez
Initiative by the Let's Colour Project to improve, inspire and preserve
the Santa Marta favela in Rio, once considered the most dangerous in Rio.

There are various groups who are working to inject color in impoverished communities as a means to improve the community and build a sense of pride for the neighborhood and, by extent, diminish crime. The hope is that by including residents in the creation of the murals, residents will feel a sense of ownership for the work. This will empower and inspire the residents to continue and maintain the esthetic improvements done to the community. These are a few projects making a positive and significant impact in the lives of many.

• Terron Coloreado 
• Let's Colour Project 
• Favela Painting and Other Projects 
• Not a Crime 
•  BoaMistura

These projects not only serve to improve the exterior appearance of the communities, they are also involved in teaching the residents different employable trade skills like screen printing, typography, sewing, and fashion design; "Projecto Queto," in Brazil, or "Not a Crime" in Harlem, NY, intent to inspire youngsters through their murals to read and pursuit higher education. 

The heart and source of inspiration of the street art movement will always be the streets. It is in those impoverished areas where the reflection and sentiments of the community can be found on the walls. And in a way, this is how street artists are trying to give back in appreciation to those communities. 

Five Names You Need To Know

Last year my family and I spent Christmas and New Year's in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This was my second visit to Rio after having gone for the first time during the 2014 Soccer World Cup. With each trip, I have found a new reason to return. There is so much more to Rio besides the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue and the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Rio is a vibrant city with a deep heritage, where culture, music and art, primarily street art, can be found at every turn.

JMZ Walls, Brooklyn 2016 || Picture by Katherine Gomez
Brazilian artist Marcelo Ment. Currently on display at 10-37 Broadway

 LIC, Queeens 2016 || Picture by Katherine Gomez
Work by Bruno Big and Marcelo Ment.
Currently on display at 43-01 21st

During my last trip to Rio, I was fortunate enough to get in contact with a local street artist by the name of Nina, who also happens to run a very successful street art tour business. Nina is a wonderful gal, who is very knowledgeable about each of the artists she features during her tours. She is passionate about her work and that of the artists. She is also fervently in love with Rio, and it shows. During the tour I was introduced to some street artists who I think are worthy of mention, and who coincidentally have done work in NYC in the last few months. In no particular order here are some artists whose work I think you will enjoy:

1. Marcelo Ment
2. Bruno Big
3. Wark
4. Tomaz Viana
5. Tito Na Rua

It's important to note that street art in the city of Rio is legal. In March 2009, an amendment to a federal law was made. The amendment allowed street artists to  display their work legally on urban buildings as long as the property owner granted consent. The street art scene in Rio, thanks in part to this change in law, has flourished, making Rio a prime destination for street art viewing. Artists from around the world are interested in the style and content of Rio street art. This has created an opportunity for Brazilian artists to be recognized internationally.

The Bushwick Collective

Off the beaten path, through what appears to be a mixed use area of residential and industrial buildings, you will find the mural walls that comprise "The Bushwick Collective." This outdoor gallery starts on Jefferson Street and continues on Troutman Street towards Saint Nicholas Avenue, in the neighborhood of Bushwick in Brooklyn. Take the J train to the Jefferson street station or simply type "The Bushwick Collective" into Google maps for the best directions depending on your location. 

The Bushwick Collective, Brooklyn 2016 || Picture by Katherine Gomez

The Bushwick Collective may remind some of the old, now defunct 5 Pointz in Long Island City. However, I would dare say that The Bushwick Collective is not necessarily better, but it has a more stylized, gallery-like feeling. Each mural has a dedicated space that allows the eyes to wander freely to really appreciate the colors and the technique of the piece as a whole. Continuing with the gallery-like experience, the colors and themes of the pieces appear to have been taken into consideration. Each mural stands on its own and does not compete for attention; on the contrary, they have been grouped in a manner that compliments the artistry of the neighboring piece. 

The Bushwick Collective, Brooklyn 2016  || Picture by Katherine Gomez

The Bushwick Collective, Brooklyn 2016
Picture by Katherine Gomez

This 4 to 5 block radius is a rotating exhibit with enough content to keep you entertained for an entire day. Comfortable shoes are a must for exploring these streets. The murals are changed periodically so it's best to visit frequently and preferably during daylight hours; who knows, you may be lucky enough to see a work in progress. The walls are not only grazed by the art work of local talented artists, but also by artists from around the world. Artists like Sipros from Brazil and Alice Pasquini from Italy have traveled to NYC to display their work here. Be on the look out for other types of street art as murals will not be the only type of art you will encounter. During my visit to The Bushwick Collective, I was lucky to spot a great crochet piece.  

After a long day of exploring every nook and cranny at The Bushwick Collective, you are sure to be ready to feed your stomach. Your day in Bushwick doesn't have to end just yet as this neighborhood has plenty of options for food and drinks. Most of the restaurants are very reasonably priced. One of my favorite go-to spots while visiting The Bushwick Collective is Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos; Tacos are just $2.50 and absolutely delicious and authentic. The atmosphere is without a doubt young, cool, and hip without being pretentious, and very inviting. So that you don't come across as a newbie, here is a tip: Take a menu, an index card and a pen to write down your order, which you will then hand to one of the young ladies behind the counter. You can thank me later! 

I hope you find this area as inspiring and fascinating as I do, and these recommendations useful as you explore the walls of The Bushwick Collective. 

Let's Get In-formation

 Whether or not we agree that Wikipedia is a reliable source for information is irrelevant because it appears that all searches start there. In doing a recent search for 5 Pointz, Google sent me to the Wikipedia page for 5 Pointz. While reading, I noticed that the entry failed to give credit where credit was due. That credit was due to Pat DiLillo. 

As the original curator of 5 Pointz, DiLillo set, not only the standards for the quality of the work displayed, but also the image associated with the iconic landmark. Perhaps, directly or indirectly, DiLillo is responsible for the mainstream acceptance of street art by changing its image from vandalism to a legitimate art form. Below is the original Wikipedia entry. 
 

The building was originally constructed in 1892 for Neptune Meter as a factory for the construction of water meters.^[2][9][10]The property was bought in the 1970s by Jerry Wolkoff, who did not have immediate plans for redevelopment.^[2][10] Wolkoff was approached in the 1990s for permission for the factory to be used for legal graffiti work, which he granted.^[2] The site was first established as the Phun Phactory in 1993 by Pat DiLillo under a program called Graffiti Terminators to discourage graffiti vandalism by encouraging artists to display their work in a formal showcase.^[11]

In 2002, Jonathan Cohen, a graffiti artist going under the moniker of Meres, began curating work.^[6] If unfamiliar with an artist, Cohen will ask for a sample of their work, and if it is a mural, he will ask for a layout as well.^[6] Around this time, Cohen gave the building the name "5 Pointz", which became popular.^[10] He had plans to convert the 5 Pointz building into a graffiti museum.^[3]

In April 2009, the New York City Department of Buildings ordered the largest building closed after citing it for numerous building deficiencies including the studio partitions which were built without permits. The inspections followed an incident on April 10, 2009, in which an artist was injured when part of a concrete fire escape collapsed.^[4

Below is my contribution to the 5 Pointz Wikipedia entry. I felt the need to shed light on the contributions of Mr. DiLillo to street art and to those young "aerosol artists" who he helped to mentor, encourage, and keep out of trouble. This is the legacy Jonathan Cohen wanted to continue until the lights were abruptly turned off at 5 Pointz.

The building was originally constructed in 1892 for Neptune Meter as a factory for the construction of water meters.^[2][9][10]The property was bought in the 1970s by Jerry Wolkoff, who did not have immediate plans for redevelopment.^[2][10] Wolkoff was approached in the 1990s for permission for the factory to be used for legal graffiti work, which he granted.^[2] The site was first established as the Phun Phactory in 1993 by Pat DiLillo under a program called Graffiti Terminators.^[11] As the new curator for the Phun Factory, Pat DiLillo was adamant to not use the word “graffiti” to refer to the work displayed at the Phun Factory, as “graffiti” had long been associated with crime and gang activity. In an effort to legitimize the art movement and set a distance from the negative connotation, he imposed strict rules for future projects. His rules included that none of the artwork submitted or showcased, would depict gang related symbols. Additionally, if any of the artists' tags were found in the neighborhood or neighboring communities, their work would be immediately removed. DiLillo has been credited by some young artists as the motivation for getting their G.E.D.'s and discouraging them from breaking the law.

In 2002, Jonathan Cohen, a graffiti artist going under the moniker of Meres, began curating work.^[6] If unfamiliar with an artist, Cohen will ask for a sample of their work, and if it is a mural, he will ask for a layout as well.^[6] Cohen renamed the building to "5 Pointz," making the building a focal point to the art scene of the five boroughs. The name may also be a reference to the Martin Scorsese film "Gangs of New York," which debuted in theaters that same year. ^[10] He had plans to convert the 5 Pointz building into a graffiti museum.^[3]

In April 2009, the New York City Department of Buildings ordered the largest building closed after citing it for numerous building deficiencies including the studio partitions which were built without permits. The inspections followed an incident on April 10, 2009, in which an artist was injured when part of a concrete fire escape collapsed.^[4]

Next Stop...Gentrification Station.

In my earlier post, I wrote about the marginalized early days of street art. The street art of the 80's was synonymous with gritty, less desirable neighborhoods, poverty, gangs and crime. This is significantly different from the social and cultural acceptance street art is currently enjoying.  Street art then was considered vandalism. Ironically, the street art of today is highly recognized and coveted, making the neighborhoods more attractive to the hip, young and affluent.

The street art of today has unfortunately become monetized and inextricably linked to gentrification. 
In the ruthless real estate market of NYC, developers have found a way to capitalize on art. I recently read that a building in Chelsea adorned by a colorful mural by the Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra was estimated to have risen in property value by 15% after the mural was completed. Who would have thought that real estate could be manipulated by a spray can.

Chelsea, NYC 2013 - Photo by Katherine Gomez
Mural by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra.
Estimated to have risen property value of building by as much as 15%

Developers commission known and unknown street artist to create murals on their properties in an effort to attract those with a higher income base as renters or buyers. Remember Mr. Wolkoff?  Guess what will be gracing the concrete walls of his new "community"? You got it! His plans for the 5Pointz Community will include 50,000 sq ft of retail space. So, not only is he thinking of the affluent renter, he is also looking to create a tourist destination.

You may wonder: What exactly is the problem with this? The problem is that we are staging creativity, a faux creative community for the enjoying of the rich, monetizing it and in the process pricing out the long standing residents of these communities including the artists. Artists have the responsibility not to allow developers to use their art as decoration with the sole intent of creating visually stimulating spaces for the affluent. Artists need to be cognizant not to obliterate the history of the community but embrace it, and if possible, use it as inspiration for the art work. We can't continue to promote the "Columbus syndrome," these communities have been there all along, thriving or not, but with people who have stories to tell.

Rest in Paint 5 Pointz

All Queens residents can agree on at least one thing: a collective hate for the 7 Flushing Line train. This line seems to exacerbate every issue New Yorker's have with the MTA. But for me, it had its saving grace. As the 7 train headed towards Manhattan it would turn a bend into Hunters Point Avenue station. It was here that a marvelous explosion of color would reveal itself to give riders a visual treat. You couldn't miss it or not experience some sort of feeling as 5 Pointz revealed itself.

5 Pointz, LIC 2013 || Photo by Katherine Gomez

5 Pointz was considered "The Graffiti Mecca" in NYC. Artists from around the world, as well as local talent, would come to showcase their work.  All this would end over night, without warning on November 19, 2013.

5 Pointz, LIC 2013 || Photo by Katherine Gomez

On a sunny March 9th in 2013, I had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan Cohen, who since early 2000 would become the self-proclaimed curator of 5 Pointz. Jonathan is also a graffiti artist who goes by the name of Meres. I met him as he was overseeing a mural that was going up. He supervised it with the same care, respect and dedication a curator at The Met would implement with a Van Gogh. This same level of dedication was used on every single piece that went up on his walls. When lesser known artists would reach out to him to do a piece, he would request detailed layouts of the art work to make sure they would meet his standards.

He was kind enough to give me a tour of 5 Pointz and, as we walked, he spoke of his plans for  the dilapidated factory building. He imagined a graffiti museum with communal and, most importantly, fairly priced artist studio space. He spoke about his desire to have after school programs for kids to learn the art of graffiti. All these novel ideas would never materialize, which brings me to the villain of the story.

5 Pointz, LIC 2013 || Photo by Katherine Gomez 
Second from left:  Jonathan Cohen (Meres)

The dilapidated factory building had been purchased in the '70's by Jerry Wolkoff, who back then had no intentions of developing the site. Of course not, not back then. In the 70's Long Island City was not rebranding itself to be known as LIC, and thus with a cool new name attract all the hip, affluent cool kids and pray and hope to be the next Williamsburg. By this time LIC was catering to a different demographic. It was no longer profitable for Mr. Wolkoff to lease the space to Meres and the other aerosol artists who had divided the factory to be used as studio space.

Wolkoff's vision for the space was more of the steel and glass now prominent in the LIC area, void of any character or life, but I digress. This space would now be home to 2 high-rise towers and 800 luxury rentals. According to Mr. Wolkoff, there would also be 200 affordable rent apartments, but as we know, in NYC "affordable" is a relative term. It was reported that his plans for the space were to build 5 times what was allowed on the lot and 60% of the apartments would be 1 bedrooms; no room for families in Mr. Wolkoff's plans.

Soon after Mr. Wolkoff and his son David Wolkoff announced their plans for the lot, a firestorm of public outrage launched via social media with the hashtag #save5pointz. At this time, Meres was hard at work with the other artists who also used the space as their studios. They were attempting to file a law suit to prevent the demolition by way of landmarking the property. That unfortunately was a futile effort; after all, Mr. Wilkoff was the owner of the property. On November 19, 2013, a federal judge and the Landmark Preservation Commission dismissed the lawsuit and permitted the Wolkoff's to do as they pleased with the property. And that is exactly what they did. Like most reprehensible acts, they waited for nightfall, brought in a painting crew and white washed the entire facade of the building.

Since the building has been demolished, few, if any, signs of art are left. The vibrancy of the area erased in one night by many buckets of white paint. I remember Meres posting a sad picture of his beloved temple whitewashed and under it the caption"An art crime has taken place," and I wholeheartedly believe he was right. It must have been a crime, because I certainly felt that morning, when I learned what happened, like I had lost something very dear to me.

Then and Now

Houston Bowery Wall, NYC 2008 || Photo by Katherine Gomez

Welcome to the first posting for my street art blog. I am so excited to get this project underway. The idea for this blog has been on my mind for a long time. As an 80's kid growing up in Queens, NY, street art has always been part of my life. Those first heavily graffiti walls I encountered on my way to or from school served as my early exposure to this art form. I immediately fell in love with graffiti, not realizing the cultural and social-economic stigma that would later become synonymous with those innocuous bubble letters and bright colors.   

Unfortunately, during the early 90's this art form was not only associated with crime, gangs, drugs and poverty but was targeted for eradication by local government agencies. For a more detailed and historically accurate account on the early beginnings and how local government eventually criminalized graffiti you can check other sources, starting here. 
In the mid 90's life moved me out of Queens and into rural Lancaster, PA where I spent 15 years. 
Fast forward to 2011 where I find myself back in Queens, NY. 
The city I found was significantly different than the one I remembered nostalgically. 
I find myself in a city where Bansky chooses all five boroughs as a gallery exhibit for his work. The neighborhoods I once knew as "the hood" are now home to hip, young, upper middle class professionals whose walls are decorated by intricate murals. The artists are internationally recognized and are now household names. And sadly, I notice that more and more, glass and steel structures are being erected. These homogeneous structures leave little concrete for art.

Brooklyn, NY, 2014 || Photo by Katherine Gomez

 
Which brings me to the reason why I finally decided to start this blog. I want to catalog the beautiful murals that come up over night and with the same ease are brought down. For those who are lucky to live in NYC, I will be posting the exact location of these murals. Hopefully you can take a trip and get to experience these murals for yourself and feel. Hopefully, they will make you feel something or at least make you appreciate the artistry.