mural – Downtown Magazine

The streets of New York City are art galleries in and of themselves. There are murals and graffiti on every corner of the city these days. Perhaps the best thing about the street artwork, is that it’s always temporary. A huge mural can be drawn up in a matter of hours and be on display for a few weeks before it is painted over and replaced with the next work of art. The ever-changing scheme of art in New York City definitely captures the nature of life in the city. Here are a few of the hot spots for street art in downtown Manhattan worth visiting right now:

Bowery Mural Wall

Situated on the border of SoHo, this wall which takes up nearly half of the block regularly features different, brightly-colored large-scale artwork. The Bowery Mural was made famous in the 1980’s when famous artist Keith Haring displayed his artwork here. Since then, the wall has been acquired by Goldman Global Arts, who also curates the Wynwood Walls in Miami, Florida. Currently, the mural is featuring a collaboration by artist Lakwena and Instagram promoting their #KindComments campaign. The wall is even visible at night since they’ve installed lights above the mural.

First Street Green Art Park

*Photo: Courtesy of @ziggi.smalls, Mural by @jasonnaylor*

What was once an abandoned building lot in downtown Manhattan is now a walk-through art gallery and garden. The Lower East Side open-air community space hosts murals, art installations, and performances. The park spans almost all the way down the block with lots of murals on display along the pathway, right along Houston St. The First Street Green Art Park works with local artists, schools, and members of its community to curate the artwork in the garden and offer sustainable programming. This gallery gives a nature element in the middle of the bustling city if you’re keen to explore a green space.

Lafayette Street

*Photo: Courtesy of The L.I.S.A. Project*

Get off the beaten path of Broadway, and head down Lafayette Street. This street features shops, cafes, and artwork. These few blocks best showcase the style of SoHo. The walls feature independent projects’ work like the L.I.S.A. project, and high-end brands like Gucci displaying their artsy side. It is certainly worthwhile to stroll down Lafayette and visit all the art and trendy stores in the neighborhood.

A project nearly a year in the making, 4 World Trade’s street-art inspired gallery on the building’s 69th floor is finally finished. The exhibit will feature the work of over 50 artists from New York, and around the world, in a variety of mediums.

ART4WTC is a dramatic and shift in style for the Silverstein Properties artist residency program, which they have used to decorate their unleased spaces for around the past 15 years. The idea for the art project was born when Silverstein Properties Chief Marketing Officer, Dara McQuillan, viewed a display of similar work at World Trade Gallery, and offered curator Doug Smith the opportunity to turn the 69th floor into a giant canvas.

Layer Cake + Belowkey, Joe LaPadula, Jenna Krypel, *Beautiful Cleanup*

Smith jumped at the chance, and since June 2016, the space’s barren cement interior has been transformed into a kaleidoscope of color propelled by each artist’s enthusiasm for their craft. The project not only seeks to revitalize the Lower Manhattan art scene and elevate street art from its humble beginnings, but also celebrate the Financial District’s progress since 9/11.

Some of the artists featured in the gallery include Bradley Theodore, Layer Cake, Rubin451, Logan Hicks, Stickymonger, Sonni, Cern, Hugo Bastidas, Lauren Ys, L.E.G., Itaewon and Ron English, and WhIsBe. His piece, Vandal Gummy Blue & Red, is a playful nod at street art’s past life as acts of vandalism, while Ron English’s piece, No Brain No Pain, is a powerful punch of reality and color.

Fans of Hamilton can even find quotes from the hit musical in the very fabric of David Hollier’s $10 Bill, which faces the direction of the Trinity Church cemetery where the Founding Father himself is buried. Fortunately, Spotify — who will eventually occupy the space — plans to keep as many of the pieces as they can. Downtown recommends art fans of all ages check out the 3D tour available online to see the work of those keeping New York creative and colorful.