More Pictures of Paint

Happy Monday, y'all. I just thought I'd take another opportunity to highlight some of the truly amazing pictures I've uncovered recently over on Flickr. Above, you'll see another shot (this time in color) of the Soho mural that formerly loomed over the Moondance Diner. You may remember me talking about it in this post. Both the mural and the diner are long gone, of course. This photo was taken by one Elissa Malcohn. Here's a different shot of it, snapped by Swatch Trm. At the risk of repeating myself, I truly miss the days when massive stretches of exposed facade could be utilized for art (as opposed to ubiquitous advertising).

To that same end, I culled together selection of other photos of murals around NYC.

Here's a latter-day shot of the Gringo mural (which I've invoked here numerous times). Note the "space for rent" sign blocking his signature blonde quiff.

Here's the fabled "Crack is Wack" mural by Keith Haring. I believe that might even still be there. Anyone?

This one took me back. I want to say that this mural of a top-hatted magician brandishing an apple on the Brooklyn Bridge graced a north-facing wall on the western side of Houston back in the day (the photographer didn't cite the specifics). Ring any bells, anyone?

Here's a shot of the weird pixilated portrait on Prince Street (I spoke about it back on this post).

Here's a compelling shot from 1983. The photographer says it's on St. Marks Place, but I can't necessarily place it (although I dimly remember the painting of that face). Can anyone give more specifics?

Here's a shot – also from `83, by the same shutterbug – of the mural space on Houston (currently occupied by Shepard Fairey's beleaguered piece).

Beyond that invariably long-since-painted-over mural of Wendy O Williams I mentioned just a few days ago, there is one more forgotten Manhattan mural I've been trying to find a picture of. It graced the western-facing side of tall building in Hell's Kitchen somewhere in the 30's or 40's way over on the West Side. It was painted to look as i the top of the building had been detached and was dangling from a tied ribbon. Sound familiar? Write in if so.

Comments

[SB]

Crack Is Wack is still there.

[Jill]

Ha! Crack is Wack is still there, lonely inside an empty chain link fence. I saw it on Sunday on our way home from upstate, and the husband and son cooked up a plot to steal the whole wall for installation somewhere else and replace it with a fake. Would anybody notice was the debate.

[Kianga Ellis]

Ditto. Took a photo of Crack is Wack a couple of months ago from the car. This is a fabulous post. Thanks.