In recent art world news, developer Silverstein Properties asked street artists to decorate an empty floor of one of its office buildings at the World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan a couple years ago. Presently, in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns a significant portion of the site of the World Trade Center, the developer has provided artists a public place close by to showcase their artistic work. A collection of corrugated metal sheds make up the artists’ new canvas, infusing Lower Manhattan with a 5Pointz street art vibe.
This new canvas of corrugated metal sheds is on the site bounded by Greenwich, Vesey and Church Streets and the Oculus transportation hub, and stores mechanical equipment that will service at some point 2 World Trade Center, which is currently on hold while the developer seeks to locate an anchor tenant. The solicitation of artists to enliven the metal shed exteriors is hoped to provide the area with a more finished appearance.
The selected artists each received $1,000 for paint along with a $2,000 honorarium. To date six murals are completed or nearly completed and two additional murals are expected. The murals will be on display for at least a year.
Working at the World Trade Center site, where the twin towers [once] stood until the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, carries an emotional gravity, and artists grapple with the enormity of that loss. But many spoke of a determination to balance the loss with art that lifts the spirit.”
For a summary of each selected artist and photos of the works for this innovative street art mural project, see “Bringing a 5Pointz Vibe to Lower Manhattan,” published online by The New York Times on June 1, 2018.