Graffiti, regarded as vandalism a few decades ago, has become a welcome art form on many of the building walls in New York City. With warm temperatures still in the forecast for the coming weeks, take a tour of these top 10 spots to witness the creations by talented large-canvas artists.
1. 2 World Trade Center (above) It’s not like a vandal could get anywhere near the World Trade Center if it weren’t authorized–at least not for as long as it would take to paint this mural. This multi-colored display can be found at the site of the future skyscraper, compliments of Todd Gray, Hektad, BoogieRez, Stickymonger, Chinon Maria, and Sebastian Mitre. Photo by Joe Woolhead
2. Upper West Side Hammer Boy This is one of the few remaining pieces by the legendary Banksy that hasn’t been torn down or defaced. The building owner at 79th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam installed a piece of Plexiglass over it to preserve it. Photo Time Out/Ali Garber
3. The Audubon Society You’ve probably heard the statistics about North America losing 2.9 billion birds–about 1 in 4–in the past 50 years. The Audubon Society has partnered with Gitler &____ Gallery to create several murals dedicated to awareness of our declining bird population.Find a map of the over 20 Upper Manhattan murals here. Photo Mike Fernandez/National Audubon Society
4. Rapper Big Pun Memorial Mural At 910 Rogers Place in the Bronx you’ll find a tribute to Puerto Rican rapper Big Pun, which is repainted by artist Tats Cru annually on Pun’s November 10th birthday. Photo Foursquare
5. Bowery Graffiti Wall Houston St. at Bowery has been a long-time favorite of renowned graffiti artists including Banksy, Keith Haring, JR, and Shepard Fairy. The current installment is by artist Queen Andrea. Photo Time Out/Ali Garber
6. The Bushwick Collective Just off the Jefferson Street L train stop, you’ll find 12 blocks of painted walls by artists from around the world. Photo Time Out/Ali Garber
7. Crack is Wack Painted on a handball court in Harlem more than 30 years ago, this Keith Haring mural was not sanctioned, however it has become such an icon that the City is restoring it. 128th Second Ave. Photo Keith Haring Foundation
8. Coney Art Walls At 3050 Stillwell Ave. in Coney Island you’ll find samples from Lee Quiñones, Crash, Tats Cru, and Mister Cartoon. Photo Time out/Ali Garber
9. Along the J/M/Z line The JMZ line hosts a canvas that stretches along the MTA’s longest stretch of elevated train track. Take a ride and see for yourself. You can also check out @jmzwalls. Photo: Time Out/Ali Garber
10. Tuff City The hand-in-hand relationship between tattoo art and graffiti is showcased at 650 Fordham Rd at Belmont Ave, Bronx and features numerous artists well-known in the trade. Photo Filip Wolak
