![]() ![]() Artists of all ages, ethnicities and social strata had one thing in common: the creation of an art building unique in the world. ![]() ![]() “I feel the loss emotionally,” says Jerry Rotondi, 72, a retired art director who calls himself a 5 Pointz volunteer, advocate, and friend. Word spread and “R.I.P.- REST IN POWER” signs soon appeared. Then in the early hours of November 19, 2013, the unthinkable happened: the landlord had the art whitewashed into oblivion. With the threat of demolition looming, “Save 5 Pointz” rallies were held, testimony presented to elected officials, and a lawsuit filed on behalf of the artists. In the distance, the crimson logo of Citicorp floated in the clouds. Even the colors seemed to vibrate.īesides the energy, there was a palpable sense of camaraderie at 5 Pointz, as artists worked from street level or on ladders while amazed tourists-many foreign-born-snapped away or shot video. When I came upon the face of a helmeted soldier painted in pointillism style, I realized I was in an outdoor museum-not the kind where patrons tiptoe, speaking in whispers, but a dynamic, ever-changing creative hub. These photos are a tiny sampling of what I saw that day-as far from crude “spray and run” graffiti as you can imagine. I was stunned by the intricacy of the vibrant images climbing stories high, and their careful planning and execution. I enlisted my cousin, an avid 5 Pointz fan, to be my guide. That is, until 5 Pointz came under threat by its owner-developers, who announced plans to bulldoze and erect two luxury high-rise apartment buildings on the site. (I later learned that curator and graffiti veteran Jonathan Cohen, known as “Meres One,” reviewed all artists’ requests in advance.) I was intrigued, but although I lived just a short el-ride away, I never paid a visit. In a minute-not enough time for the eye or brain to take it all in-the images vanished and the train rumbled underground, heading to Manhattan.įor years, male and female aerosol artists from all over the world-Europe, Australia, Japan- created their graffiti art here, on the outside walls of this gritty building in now-gentrifying Long Island City. A riot of color and occasional faces covering every inch of the old, block-long factory, it felt hallucinatory. From the elevated train in Queens, I’d glimpse the phantasmagoria that was 5 Pointz. ![]()
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