Thursday's parting shot

A new wheatpaste by @SacSix as seen on Fourth Street and Avenue A... photo by Stacie Joy!

Monday's parting shot

The Gov. Cuomo wheatpaste as seen on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street...

On the Bowery: Stop Asian Hate

As seen at 246 Bowery at Stanton — #StopAsianHate, a mural by @plannedalism in collaboration with @lisaprojectnyc.

This CNBC article from Wednesday has more on the rise in anti-Asian violence and its impact on the restaurant industry. 

A group of restaurateurs, including many in the East Village (886, Málà Project and Nowon), have joined forces to raise awareness via a #EnoughIsEnough campaign. Read more about it at Eater. 

Welcome to Chinatown is also a good resource for how to support businesses in that neighborhood.

MF BERN

From this past week... the Bernie meme mashed up with the late MF DOOM on the Bowery between Great Jones and Bond... art by @bastardbot ...

Bernie meme goes offline in the East Village

The ubiquitous bemittened Bernie meme is now a wheatpaste... as seen above on 13th Street at Avenue A... and here on Bleecker and the Bowery...

... and outside Overthrow, the boxing gym on Bleecker near the Bowery... Bernie is wearing boxing gloves instead of hand-knitted mittens...

Art by @zui_nyc

The iconic motorcycle mural on 6th Street and Avenue A apparently rode off into the sunset

The two-part motorcycle mural on the Sixth Street side of 94-96 Avenue A is no more.

On Wednesday, workers removed the sidewalk bridge from the under-renovation (one new floor!) building... and that's when people started noticing what was missing... this photo is from several years ago...

The mural, which the local artist WK created in the mid-1990s when the Sidewalk Cafe was here, survived the restaurant transition in the fall of 2019 to August Laura.

Laura Saniuk-Heinig, one of the proprietors at August Laura, told me at the time that she loved the work and wanted it to remain in place, appreciating its history in the neighborhood.

When asked about the mural yesterday, she replied: "Unfortunately, I do not know anything about the mural. I was shocked once the scaffolding came down [and saw] that the beloved mural was gone too." 

Among others, the mural featured Hugh Mackie, the owner of Sixth Street Specials on Sixth Street just east of Avenue C. 

WK shot the photos to use for the mural in the abandoned lot next to Sixth Street Specials at different times and pieced them together into the finished product. Mackie created the "floor" of the piece with plywood and used whitewash on the wall of the building as a backdrop.

The mural was also used as branding for Sidewalk, which closed in February 2019 after 34 years in business. 

Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019, per public records. Pini Milstein, who retired, was the principal owner of the building as well as the operator of the Sidewalk. 

In April 2019, when some renovations were starting at 94-96 Avenue A, rumors circulated that the panels were going to come down. This is what WK said at the time to EVG contributor Stacie Joy: "I think this old mural project had a good life and probably the wood behind it it is completely dead — not much can be saved."

And from Mackie, who has lived here since 1981: "The mural became a gateway to the heart of the East Village — much like the Gringo mural of Spacely on St Mark's Place. Sidewalk Cafe was a successful restaurant and a perfect meeting place. Nothing is permanent, not even me!"

Holiday greetings for NYC

ICYMI ... this message arrived on East Houston at the Bowery a few weeks back... courtesy of @PureGenius ...

Restoring the Blondie mural on Bleecker and the Bowery

Over the weekend, the artist @praxis_vgz (h/t the LISA Project NYC) restored Shepard Fairy's Blondie mural on Bleecker at the Bowery. (Thanks to Robert Miner for the above photo!)

The mural had been tagged multiple times in recent months, as our friend Alex noted back in August ...

The mural has been here since August 2017.

The Grinch at the 2nd Avenue F stop

Among the details: Cindy-Lou Who as a three-eyed cat-raccoon. 

Mural by @turrtlecaps and @citykittystreet.

My So-Called tag

As seen on Fifth Street near Avenue B... Rayanne Graff — aka best friends with Angela and Rickie in the long-gone (but often lamented!) TV series "My So-Called Life" and forever waiting for a ride with Tino.

RBG mural work resumes

After a few days of rain, @ellestreetart is back at work on the RBG mural on the southwest corner of First Avenue and 11th Street (first reported here) ... she started on Monday...

Earlier this month, workers removed Shepard Fairey's "Rise Above" mural that had been on this space for the past four years.

Eyes on 5th Street

ICYMI: This mural, depicting the eyes of Eric Garner, was created by the French artist JR, debuting on Election Day here outside the Standard East Village on Fifth Street at Cooper Square.

Per the hotel's Instagram account, the piece was originally presented at the Millions March in December 2014, and again for the Wide Awakes day global march on Oct. 3. 

"The piece is a reminder to keep our eyes open, and continue to fight for racial justice and against police brutality. "

Garner died after being put in a chokehold by now-former NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo during an arrest on suspicion of selling untaxed cigarettes. The investigation continues into how the NYPD handled the aftermath of Garner's death in July 2014 on Staten Island.

RBG for 1st and 11th

Here's an in-progress look at the new RBG mural going up on the southwest corner of First Avenue and 11th Street... the mural is by @ellestreetart.

Earlier this month, workers removed Shepard Fairey's "Rise Above" mural that had been on this space for the past four years.

And as several people have already noted, this will be quite the contrast to the Michael Jackson mural on the southeast corner of First Avenue and 11th Street...

Thanks to William Klayer for the photo... and to Lola Sáenz for the initial tip!

4 years on, the Shepard Fairey mural is being chipped away on 1st Avenue and 11th Street

Thanks to the reader photos/tips about the southwest corner of First Avenue at 11th Street... where workers started removing the Shepard Fairey mural this past weekend  ... these photos are from yesterday...

This work arrived here in October 2016. Titled "Rise Above," the mural featured an image of Fairey's daughter when she was 3 years old. (She is now in her mid-teens.) 

In an Instagram post, the L.I.S.A. Project, the public art charity responsible for this wall, said that "an aged building with a NW exposure and a bad pipe burst has taken its toll" on the mural these past four years.

The mural's goal was "to supply some brightness and positivity for the locals wandering below — especially the children coming and going from neighboring P.S. 19."

The L.I.S.A. Project is promising a new mural on this space.

Meanwhile, at least one reader figured the Michael Jackson mural on the other side of the Avenue might be removed first...

U got the look

A Prince wheatpaste on First Street at Second Avenue courtesy of SacSix...

Fly by night

EVG contributor Stacie Joy caught up with East Village-based artist Scooter LaForge last night... he was creating a new work on the Fourth Street side of the former B Bar & Grill on the Bowery...

... a now-famous political fly...

And a daytime view...

Fear factor

There's a new mural on the Bowery at East Houston... Pure Genius quoting a recent tweet by President Trump that undermined messages by public health officials and outraged relatives who lost loved ones to COVID-19...

A belated happy birthday to Pedro A. Campos

ICYMI: There's a new mural (as of mid-September) on the southwest corner of Avenue C at 12th Street ... Marthalicia Matarrita created this work of Pedro Albizu Campos (1891-1965),  father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement. 

The mural helped mark the birthday (Sept. 12) of Campos, after whom Campos Plaza across the street is named. 

Thanks to the reader for the above photo... and here's another angle that includes the Puerto Rican flag...

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Galinsky (@galinskyplace) on Sep 13, 2020 at 4:27pm PDT

A visit with Urban Russian Doll NYC

 
Text and photos by Stacie Joy

Over the past few months I’d been watching with interest as artist Urban Russian Doll NYC created her large murals around the neighborhood. 

I first noticed her dog portraiture (with one pastel calico kitty in the corner) piece outside Dream Come True K9 on Houston and Attorney, which features a cameo of her own pup. Then I spotted her and Lecrue Eyebrows doing a shared piece on the wall outside of Parkside Lounge, and more recently, a composition as part of East Village Walls on Second Street near First Avenue.

After a day spent painting, I toured the completed works with the artist as she answered some questions about her name, her tag, and why she loves the neighborhood.

You go by the name Urban Russian Doll NYC — why did you choose that as your non de plume?

Though my parents are originally from Ukraine and have multiple ethnicities within them, they moved to Moscow before I was born. At the time, Ukraine and Russia were still considered USSR.

My parents are former musicians, and my sister and I grew up listening to every kind of music, except for rock and metal. When I was about 15, I enjoyed Russian rap and hip hop. Usually their music videos were filmed in an urban setting with old buildings full of graffiti in the background. 

Even the word, “urban,” which sounds very similar in Russian, was used frequently by Russian hip hop artists. When I decided to become a street artist, I had to choose a name for myself. I was talking to my friend about it and she said, “Why don’t you name yourself Russian Doll?”

I immediately added “Urban” to Russian Doll and it just felt right and organic. The Russian doll is the most popular souvenir that represents the authentic tradition, femininity and beauty of a Russian woman. It is a kind of nesting doll and can have many different dolls inside. To me, they represent layers of a person. Depth is good. Layers are good. Everything about that souvenir is wonderful, so why not?
 
How did you get involved in the East Village Walls project? Why choose the East Village and Lower East Side as the site of your street art murals?

Right before COVID-19 hit the city, I went to an art show curated by fl00d at 198 Allen St. That day, I met Kristy Calabro, who introduced me to Manny, owner of the Doggy-Sitters Club, Lecrue Eyebrows, Token, who curated the event, and other amazing artists. I became friends with many of them. 

Manny and I had a lot of conversations throughout quarantine, and I shared with him that my dream was to paint a wall by myself. When the BLM protests began, I was painting on plywood in Soho. Manny hit me up and asked if @art_by_eyebrows and I wanted to paint for East Village Walls. 

He said they were seeking artists immediately and, of course, we said yes. Then, I met Ben, an art lover who curates East Village Walls and started my work on the wall on First Avenue and Second Street, which was also my first solo wall work. After that, I just could not leave the East Village. Because to me it’s like the soul of NYC. And I’m in love with NYC.

What has the experience of working in the neighborhood been like? How do the locals react to your work?

After painting a couple of murals around the neighborhood, I want to say that streets are streets. They teach you where to be careful and where to relax. I had different, but mostly great experiences painting in the neighborhood. I learned not only about the wall painting flow, but also that once the neighbors get to know you, they become your family. 

Once, when my mural was defaced, I felt like someone just did me a favor — because I’ve never felt as much support as I felt the day when I was fixing it. The mural is about unity. And it proved my point. Because people care and unite and they were uniting for me. 
 
Your tagline is “Why wait? Love now.” How did that come about and how is it reflected in your work?

Through the message “Why Wait? Love Now,” my art represents the transition from vulnerability to strength — a quality that all brave souls possess. As we emotionally evolve, we expose ourselves to diverse levels of emotional transcendence and open up to engagements with others, which is a courageous and an extremely vital thing to do. 

This allows us to take risks that lead us to meaningful experiences of love, joy, and happiness through others and ourselves. Having gone through emotionally abusive relationships, I was able to preserve my formula of happiness, and my art is a visual expression of that formula. 

“Why Wait? Love Now” is a whole movement I created to support people on their journey towards joy that’s immune to all externalities, in a whole-hearted way. I invite people to rid themselves of fear and let themselves love

It is also about healing invisible pain and soothing hurtful scars through accepting love, strength of soul, and building self-resilience. It’s about every kind of love, just like my art.

You can keep up with the artist here.

Shoegazing: The life aquatic on 13th Street

Artist Billy Barnacles has been hanging these creative aquatic-themed pieces of art around the city... there are several hanging in the East Village, including here on 13th Street just east of Avenue A...

This map will show you will you can discover other barnacles.