5 Pointz Grafitti Art 7 - B and W
by Allen Beatty
Title
5 Pointz Grafitti Art 7 - B and W
Artist
Allen Beatty
Medium
Photograph - Photographs
Description
5 Pointz was a vibrant 200,000 square foot landmark located at 45-46 Davis Street in Long Island City, Queens. Over the last decade, this Graffiti Mecca evolved into a sanctuary for aerosol artists and appreciators all around the world. The block-long outdoor gallery welcomed artists to use it as a canvas, music video directors and filmmakers to use it as a backdrop, and urban art lovers to take photos and appreciate its brilliance.
In 1971, Gerald Wolkoff purchased this once dilapidated and abandoned building, and in support of the artistic community, offered aspiring artists cheap studio rentals within the developed complex. Wolkoff and a partner founded a program called The Graffiti Terminators in the early 1990's, which aimed to support local artists in exhibiting their work on Phun Phactory (the original name of 5 Pointz), while discouraging illegal or dangerous tagging. However, the Phun didn't last long, as the project was eventually terminated due to lack of participation.
Jonathan Cohen, the curator of 5 Pointz and the artist behind the light bulb expressions, transformed the building in 2001 into the ever-changing outdoor art exhibit it became. Many hip-hop and soul artists, such as Mobb Deep, Doug E. Fresh and Joss Stone have shown admiration by using the exhibit for their music videos or projects. Cohen, otherwise known are Meres One, is a passionate artist who finds it essential to make a distinction between illegalized graffiti and the aerosol art displayed on this five-story landmark. The negative connotation attached to this art form is caused by vandals who damage property and lack respect for this artistic expression. Cohen believes that graffiti is a label for writers who vandalize. Aerosol art takes hours and days.
Meres' goal was to develop this attraction into an official art museum to be validated and appreciated like Manhattan's Museum of Modern Art. However, current owner David Wolkoff has a different fate in mind for the building he claims it is beyond repair and that is to tear it down and build a two million square foot condo-development which will serve as a great location for young people and empty nesters who can't afford Manhattan. Wolkoff wants to focus on the progression of the neighborhood, which he believes has the potential to be the next Downtown Brooklyn.
Although Wolkoff assures the public the building is going to have some link to the past, meaning that there will be art programmed throughout the walkway of the building, there will be art walls, some aerosol artists are convinced that the demolition of the outdoor gallery would enforce the negative view on this art form. Cohen responded to this proposal by starting an online petition called Show Ur Love to 5 Pointz in an attempt to preserve it. However, it has now been torn down.
This image is Featured in the following FAA Groups:
USA Photographers Only,
Your Story of Art,
Arts Fantastic World,
Just Perfect,
New York Sunsets Sunrises Landscapes And Iconic Places,
Images That Excite You,
Photographic Camera Art,
Daily Promotion,
Arts and Mediation,
New Contemporary Landscape Photography,
Travel Art,
Music CD Cover Designs,
Camera Art,
New FAA Uploads,
Urban Images,
Uploaded
January 18th, 2019
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Viewed 584 Times - Last Visitor from Jacksonville, FL on 03/27/2024 at 3:22 AM
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Comments (34)
Luther Fine Art
Congratulations! Your fantastic photographic art has been chosen as a Camera Art Group feature! You are invited to archive your work in the Features Archive discussion as well as any other discussion in which it would fit
Allen Beatty
Michael, thank you very much for the Home Page Feature in the Music Cd Cover Design Group
Allen Beatty
Tina, thank you very much for the Home Page Feature in the New Contemporary Landscape Photography Group
Don Columbus
Congratulations Allen, your work is Featured in "Photographic Camera Art" I invite you to place it in the group's "2019 Featured Image Archive" Discussion!! L/Tweet
Allen Beatty replied:
Don, thank you very much for the Home Page Feature in the Photographic Camera Art Group
Jim Love
Some of the most artistic graffiti I've ever seen...great find and love the black and white rendering