A gut renovation at 12th and C, and the loss of the Gil Scott-Heron tribute mural

Photos by Stacie Joy

We've been keeping tabs on 195 Avenue C (aka 656 E. 12th St), a 5-floor residential building on the SW corner of 12th Street that has been undergoing a gut renovation... the scaffolding, construction netting and sidewalk bridge came down in late November...

In 2021, the Restored Homes Housing Development Fund Corporation bought the building from the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development for an undisclosed sum. 

https://www.neighborhoodrestore.org › about

For several years, the walls here housed the 12C Outdoor Art Gallery, which featured a rotating batch of murals curated by resident Robert Galinsky.

One constant through the years: the Gil Scott-Heron tribute that Chico created after the jazz poet, musician and author died in 2011.

Several readers/residents were hoping that this mural — with "the Revolution Will Not Be Televised" line — would remain in place. 

And it looked as if the mural just might make it through the renovations...

Unfortunately, the mural has now all but wiped out ... 

A look at 'Ribbons of Justice'

A new mural will be officially unveiled today at the 12C Outdoor Gallery on Avenue C and 12th Street. (195 Avenue C.)

Daphne Arthur and Robert Galinsky created the work, titled "Ribbons of Justice."

Here's more via the EVG inbox...

With support from a grant from the SOZE Agency, artists Daphne Arthur and Robert Galinsky work in collaboration with various criminal justice reform groups and individuals, to create "Ribbons of Justice", a mural that features writings, commentary, and advice from boys and girls, men and women, who are currently serving time at Rikers Island Jail and/or have served time incarcerated. Through workshops and interviews, Arthur and Galinsky engaged with scores of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people and distilled the writing into short powerful statements that address mass incarceration.

The mural image is the Statue of Liberty wrapped in unraveling and flowing ribbons, each printed with affirmative quotes and conscientious demands for justice and prison reforms. Echoing sentiments and experiences from formerly incarcerated individuals, we are confronted with a sense of hope and responsibility to restructure and create a healthier society.

The ceremony starts at noon.

Live mural painting on 12th and C today

From noon to 6 p.m. ... on the southwest corner of 12th Street and Avenue C...

Previously

Come watch an artist make thousands of PB&J sandwiches on Avenue C

Brooklyn-based artist Jessica Olah is currently on a mission to make several thousand peanut butter and jelly sandwiches — for the sake of art, empathy for her mother and a good cause...



Olah estimated that from September 1990 through May 2004, her mother made 2,340 sandwiches for her to take to school.

Per DNAinfo:

"I was bringing someone their lunch [one day] and just marveling over the fact that my mom made me school lunches everyday," said Olah, 30. "I stopped and thought, 'Wow, my mom made me lunch every day, not only when I was younger but until high school.' That is a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."

Inspired to "exercise empathy" for her mother, Olah began the task of making the same number of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in five days...

Through Sunday, Olah, who raised $3,500 in a crowdfunding campaign, is making the sandwiches (roughly 10 a.m. to at least 6 p.m.) at the 12C Outdoor Gallery on Avenue C and East 12th Street. (195 Avenue C.)

People can come on by and watch this performance installation of sorts — titled "2,340 PB&J Sandwiches" — during the posted hours...



Each day, she is donating the sandwiches to The Bowery Mission.



As she told DNAinfo: "I wanted to do this as a meditation on what my mother has done. The peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a metaphor for a lot of small tasks mothers might do."

Thanks to Robert Galinsky for the photos

Feeling the Breeze on 12th and C

There's a new panel up at the 12C Outdoor Art Gallery … on Avenue C at East 12th Street.

This past weekend, Amsterdam-based Hyland Mather created "Shape Piles" ...







The gallery is curated by East Village resident Robert Galinsky, who shared the above photos...

Previously

New murals at work

The new mural work — featuring Jerkface, Zeso and Daphne Arthur — continues until 6 p.m. over at the 12C Outdoor Art Gallery … on Avenue C at East 12th Street.



Photos by Lola Sáenz

A 'Spray and Play' day tomorrow on Avenue C and East 12th Street

There's an all-day mini block party of sorts tomorrow on East 12th Street at Avenue C. As the above flyer notes, three graffiti artists will be on hand to create new murals at the 12C Outdoor Art Gallery.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There'll be some music too.

Dinosaurs are now extinct on East 12th Street

There's a new mural now on the 12C Outdoor Gallery.

The Terra Fossil Dinosaurs painted by artist Luis "Zimad" Lamboy that have been up on the wall here on East 12th Street at Avenue C for more than five years are now extinct.

The evolution is such that artist Amanda Marie has turned the wall into her latest showcase.











Marie also has an opening tomorrow night at The Quin, Hotel Lobby, 6-9 at 101 W. 57th St. near Sixth Avenue.

Thanks to Robert Galinsky for the photos

Previously

A new mural on 12th and C

The 12C Outdoor Art Gallery on Avenue C at East 12th Street is featuring new work by Peruvian artist Diana Contreras, who created the mural on the roll-down gate yesterday as part of the Fridge Art Fair.

According to her bio, the Miami-based Contreras' "work deals with femininity, set in whimsical portraiture."



The gallery is curated by East Village resident Robert Galinsky and artists show panels every three months.



Photos courtesy of Robert Galinsky

Some Love for 12th and C

The 12C Outdoor Art Gallery on Avenue C at East 12th Street is showcasing a new work by Argentinian street artist Magda Love.

The gallery is curated by East Village resident Robert Galinsky and artists show panels every three months.



Photos courtesy of Robert Galinsky

Previously on EV Grieve:
A new mural on 12th and C that addresses gender-based street harassment