‘Loisaida Walls’ ready to paint the Con Ed substation

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

As we've documented through the years, the brick walls of the Con Edison substation along Avenue A have long served as a canvas for various tags and squiggles. 

A more organized artistic treatment will have to wait another week. Today's planned community painting day has been postponed because of the nor'easter and is now scheduled for next Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 5 p.m.

ArtBridge is bringing 10 street artists to the substation along Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street for "Loisaida Walls," a project paying homage to the East Village and Lower East Side's role in street art history and development. 

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

Each artist will work on a section of the Con Ed walls measuring roughly 25 feet by 10 feet. Several are already in progress...

ArtBridge, a nonprofit that produces public art projects across the five boroughs, is organizing the project, which is sponsored by Con Edison.

Coming attractions

An EVG reader tells us that the NE corner of Avenue A and Fifth Street — on the Con Ed substation — will soon be home to a series of murals... The space got prepped today... no word yet on the artists involved. And perhaps positive news for people who are tired of the endless tags along here...

Sunday's opening shot

A new arrival on Third Street at Second Avenue outside the Bean... mural by Claudio Picasso...

Jalen Brunson mural gets a championship update

Zimer has given his Jalen Brunson mural outside the Ridge Hotel on Houston and Eldridge a championship upgrade, replacing the basketball with the NBA championship trophy.

The mural arrived on June 1 ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs ...

Saturday's opening shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A Knicks/Superman mural by Fumero arrived earlier in the week in Freeman Alley (off Rivington near the Bowery). 

Your Game 5 forecast — here anyway... mostly sunny and warm (high 89). BUT, a lot less humid. A fine day for free outdoor activities.

Tuesday's parting shots

EVG's Stacie Joy spotted NYC artist Zimer finishing his "Let's Go Knicks" and Jalen Brunson mural on Houston and Eldridge outside the Ridge Hotel... ahead of the finals tomorrow night.

A look at 'Loisaida Thrives' on Avenue C and 6th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The new mural on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Sixth Street was officially unveiled last Sunday during the 39th edition of the Loisaida Festival.

The project, led by Thrive Collective's Murals Art Director Marissa Molina, is described as a "celebration of the neighborhood" in the piece titled "Loisaida Thrives." 

Here's Molina and Thrive Collective Executive Director Jeremy R. Del Rio from last Sunday...

We went back a few days later for a better look at the mural...

The wall previously featured the long-running "Alphabet City" mural, which lasted nearly 11 years before falling into disrepair and being repeatedly tagged. It was painted over last summer. The building wall has been a frequent target of vandalism in recent years. 

The new mural is part of a 2026 Public Realm grant awarded by the city's Department of Small Business Services to Thrive Collective. Last November, organizers hosted a community gathering at the Lower East Side/Chinatown Family Enrichment Center to help inform the mural's design.

Thrive originated in 1996 on the Lower East Side as a youth center in NYC Public Housing serving primarily Hispanic youth. Today, Thrive Collective partners with schools and communities across the city on mural and arts education projects, connecting artists with students and local residents. 

Read more about their work here. 

Also helping with the mural — NYC-based artist OuterSource. 

Below are the various credits for making this happen...

Art returns to a familiar wall on Avenue C

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Work continues on a new mural on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Sixth Street, where art is returning to this single-level structure. 

The project, led by Thrive Collective's Murals Art Director, Marissa Molina, is described as a "celebration of the neighborhood."

Also contributing is NYC-based artist OuterSource (below left)... with Molina and Thrive Collective Executive Director Jeremy R. Del Rio.

The mural is part of a 2026 Public Realm grant awarded by the city's Department of Small Business Services to Thrive Collective. Last November, organizers hosted a community gathering at the Lower East Side/Chinatown Family Enrichment Center to help inform the mural's design.

The wall previously featured the long-running "Alphabet City" mural, which lasted nearly 11 years before falling into disrepair and being repeatedly tagged. It was painted over last summer. The building wall has been a frequent target of vandalism in recent years.

Thrive originated in 1996 on the Lower East Side as a youth center in NYC Public Housing serving primarily Hispanic youth. Today, Thrive Collective partners with schools and communities across the city on mural and arts education projects, connecting artists with students and local residents. Read more about their work here. 

Here's an in-progress look... work will continue for the next few weeks, weather permitting...

The work will officially be unveiled during the Loisaida Festival on May 24.

The group is also creating a mural celebrating Earth Day at Bracetti Plaza on the corner of Avenue C and Third Street.

Wall prep on 6th and C

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Work continues on the SW corner of Avenue C and Sixth Street, where the wall is being prepped for a new mural by Thrive Collective's Marissa Molina — described as a "celebration of the neighborhood," per Jonathan Neville (below) of First Street Green Art Park.

He was joined by NYC-based artist OuterSource...

The wall previously featured the long-running "Alphabet City" mural, which lasted nearly 11 years before falling into disrepair and being relentlessly tagged. It was painted over last summer.

This one-story windowless structure — as mysterious as it is nondescript — is said to be used now by Astound Broadband, an American telecommunications holding company.

Saturday's opening shot

A view of the February mural up outside the Second Avenue F stop... swan art by Ben Keller.

Noted

An updated look at the new mural outside the Second Avenue F stop... someone has covered the ICE on the uniforms and added a misspelled "Comunist Democrats" message... (H/T to the commenter for pointing this out...)

Fresh paint at First Street Green Art Park

Photos by Stacie Joy 

A large new mural is in progress at First Street Green Art Park ... where we spotted FSG regular Lexi Bella at work on Monday...

... and joined by FSG curator Jonathan Neville...

No word on a completion date for the mural — weather- and holiday-dependent. 

Enter the park either on First Street near Second Avenue or along Houston Street.

Spider-Man takes a wall on Avenue A

Over the weekend, a new Spider-Man mural arrived outside 50 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street. 

The work is by French artist Cyril Valade, who has a new show at Krause Gallery, 149 Orchard St. between Stanton and Rivington. 

Here is a nighttime view (via Stacie Joy)...

The wall here is curated by the Lisa Project.

Sunday's opening shot

Artist BKFoxx wrapped up the new mural outside the Second Avenue F stop this past week... a homage to John Carpenter's 1988 cult classic "They Live."

Sunday's parting shot

Photo by Jose Garcia

Dirt Cobain and Outersource refreshed their U Get Me So High mural on St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue today... the mural first arrived here in January 2018.

Off the wall: Longtime 'Alphabet City' mural erased

After nearly 11 years as a colorful fixture on the southwest corner of Sixth Street and Avenue C, the "Alphabet City" mural is gone. 

A reader reports that on Monday, an anti-graffiti crew power-washed the artwork from the one-story RCN Cable building — a windowless structure as mysterious as it is nondescript. 

The creative mural of the alphabet letters was created by Brooklyn-based artists The Yok and Sheryo, who were then working for the Jersey City-based arts group Green Villain. 

It arrived in late 2014 (and with some controversy). 

Someone tagged the mural in August 2022 (it took eight years)... and it got worse from then on. 

Here in better days, via Carpe City...

We'll be curious to see what, if anything, shows up next.

Sunday's parting shot

Here's a look at the new Pride Month mural outside the Second Avenue F stop. Once again, the Dusty Rebel curated the work, a collaboration between Jason Haaf and Scooter LaForge.

Friday's parting shot

A just-finished mural of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in First Street Green Art Park by Lexi Bella... ...

Saturday's opening shot

Pigeon Lady up for January outside the Second Avenue F stop... art by Caryn Cast...

Saturday's opening shot

A new mural for October outside the Second Avenue F stop... work by MOTOMICHI. 

P.S. 

There's a QR code on the wall if you want to try an AR-enhanced version.