After years in the works, 'Loisaida Walls' takes shape on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The oft-tagged walls of the Con Ed substation on Avenue A continued to receive a colorful makeover. 

On Saturday, local artists took part in the Loisaida Walls community painting day between Fifth and Sixth streets. The project, a collaboration between Con Edison and ArtBridge, brought artists and neighbors together for an afternoon of live painting along the substation walls.

The participating artists are TOOFLY, Andre Trenier, Indie184, Chino BYI, Cekis, Hiphopismyreligion, Jappy Agoncillo, Minha Fofa, Optimo NYC and Ski Mystress Therapy. 

Among the artists stopping by on Saturday was Al Diaz, who grew up in the Jacob Riis Houses on Avenue D and, as a teenager, created SAMO© with his friend Jean-Michel Basquiat.

City Councilmember Harvey Epstein said the project was eight years in the making, following years of discussions with Con Ed about the graffiti and the company's repeated efforts to clean the wall. 

"We've been working with Con Ed for years around the graffiti issues and getting this mural up," Epstein told EVG. "I'm very excited that it's really come to fruition after all these years." 

Epstein said the Avenue A facility had become Con Ed's most expensive site in the city to power wash because of the recurring graffiti. 

"We partnered with ArtBridge and Con Ed to make this a beautiful wall," he said. "This is really going to change things for this block and really help our neighborhood. I love the project." 

For their part, Con Ed had reps out along Avenue A on Saturday...

Meanwhile, work will continue on the murals along Avenue A... as well as on the Fifth Street and Sixth Street side...

ArtBridge is a nonprofit that produces public art projects across the five boroughs.