An hour to discover Street Art in Manhattan NYC!

Going to discover Street Art in the streets of Manhattan takes a lot of time! Yes, there are plenty of Street Art spots! But not all are in the same neighborhoods. If you are there for work, like me, you will certainly not have much time to spend on visits. And if you are a New Yorker, you are a very lucky person! I have therefore concocted a small route, which, starting from the famous Houston Bowery Mural, you will discover a nice palette of artists. Of course internationally renowned artists, but also local artists that deserves to be known.

 

Some major artworks around the iconic Bowery Mural!

It is an excellent starting point; its monumental frescoes, constantly renewed, are always impressive. Actually, we can admire the work of artist Queen Andrea, an artist who grew up just a few steps from the wall! This specialist typography and giant walls offers a simple message, very colorful, a note of hope and positivity with her “BELIEVE” and “LOVE MORE”.

Vous longez le mur sur votre droite et deux rues plus loin vous tombez dans Mott Street sur une œuvre majeure du jeune artiste JerkFace. Un double Mickey très pop art ! Cet artiste est plein d’humour et il ré-interprète tous les personnages Disney de notre enfance ; mais aussi les Simpsons ; si vous regardez de plus prêt son travail, il y plane une inspiration Warhol très forte.

You walk along the wall on your right and two streets further, in Mott Street, you will discover a major work of the young artist JerkFace. A double Mickey very pop art! This artist is full of humor and he re-interprets all the Disney characters from our childhood; but also the Simpsons; if you look more closely at his work, there hangs a very strong Warhol inspiration.

Continue on Mott Street, turn right at the end, and arrive at Bowery. No worries we are down Manhattan, between every street there are two minutes maximum! At the corner of Bleecker Street & Bowery, a real gift awaits you; if in addition to being a fan of Street Art you like rock; you will be thrilled! Blondie by the talented Shepard Fairey! with his 1 million subscribers on Instagram and his HOPE poster with Barack Obama; he is the most known Street Artist in US. This wall is from 2017 and is in perfect condition.

Have you enjoyed it? Then continue Bowery, cross the avenue and go at the corner of 2nd Street; you can not be wrong; from Bowery you will see the facade of an Italian restaurant with on the side cosmonauts made by BD White! This New York artist seems to be attracted to weightlessness; but not just that, he is also a sculptor and has exhibited in many galleries around the world!

Continuing on 2nd Street, you will come across a bird of the famous artist ROA, a rather dilapidated Invader and a nice “advertising” wall made by Hektad, a Bronx artist who has long been absent from the New York art scene. But he is back!

Going straight ahead, you will come to 2nd Avenue; go down to First Street a nice surprise awaits you; the Green Art Park.

 

First Street Green Art Park: Discover Local Street Artists!

This place full of Street Art is unknown to the general public. At the same time, a low-maintenance park with an uncomfortable pace is not really the New York you want to visit. And yet this place, under the impulse of a very “green” association, has seen the birth of very beautiful works; some very committed to ecology, others a little more decorative. Still, even if the works presented are very uneven artistically, the place is worth seeing.

Entering the Park we notice a work by Brooklyn artist Danielle Mastrion. A committed artist who fights for the rights of women and children as well as social justice.

A little further is a woman’s face made by another artist from Brooklyn, Ben Angotti, that can be seen …

 

The advantage of First Street Green Art Park is the variety of Street Art style. Suddenly we come across a work in black and white of MC-Monster representing the Loch Ness monster. An artist obsessed with monsters – as his name suggests – surrealist universes and psychedelic adventures. On the wall following a huge heart “Choose Love” done by Hektad! With more than twenty works you are not immune to a real crush, as was my case with the discovery of the amazing characters of Ramiro Davaro-Comas, an artist whose workshop is based in Brooklyn.

You will have done the tour in 15 minutes maximum! On the way to a new spot very very friendly. You leave the park through the main entrance and get off Chrystie St, two streets down you take a right onto Rivington St and will come to a dead end full of surprises!

 

Freeman Alley: the jumble of Graffiti and Street Art in the heart of Bowery

I will not write long lines on Freeman Alley, a stalemate that is 30 meters long! But a stalemate unavoidable, abounding of little-known artists, very well known and those who would like to be noticed. Freeman Alley is a bit like the wall of a teenager’s room; we do not know where to turn. You’ll find JGoldcrown’s Lovewall, collages by Ipenemy, Invader, Phoebe New York, Jappylemon, and tons of graffiti! A sort of Ali baba cave.

 

If you have more than one hour for your ride; I urge you to try the restaurant Freeman is at the end of the impasse, it is an institution and we eat very well in a very nice atmosphere with good value for money, especially for brunch!

And if you do not have the time, continue to Rivington Street, cross Bowery, go south down the street to Kenmare St.

 

A concentration of monumental artworks in the East Village!

I think you have understood, I kept you the best for the end of the ride. The biggest Street Art’ names  gathered in a pocket handkerchief on the border of East Village and Little Italy! These streets are full of treasures.

You are on Kenmare St? Then turn on Elizabeth Street, the first street on the left. You will come across a famous spot that Lisa Project is working on; an association that wants to revive Little Italy with Street Art. On one wall, you will discover the works of artists such as Vhils – who exhibited in France at the Tokyo- Palace, or Jules Muck, an artist of English origin who now lives in California, or the famous graffiti artist Meresone in the process of finalizing the signature of his electrifying work!

As an introduction to this matter it’s not bad at all, right? We continue ? at the corner of the street turn right onto Broome Street. Advance for 2 streets, do not be too distracted by all the little tags and others that are on your way because you should not forget to look up on your left to see this:

Tristan Eaton! His monumental wall “Big City of Dreams” dates from 2015 and is a must in New York! He had the privilege to put his signature on the Bowery Mural but also in France in Paris in the 13th.

You see the clock ticking and finally do not really want to stop there. Promise the last 10 minutes will really please you!

Continue Broome Street to Lafayette Street – 2 blocks – and look left on the opposite sidewalk. I did not lie to you, the last minutes of your walk will be really nice. On the same wall we find a giant and majestic tiger done by Sonnysundancer, an artist very committed against the disappearance of wild species. The vandal gentleman of Nick Walker, an artist from Bristol, whose coast on the art market is indecent … We can say that on this one, the Lisa Project for which he realized this work, made us a beautiful gift !

 

And much cooler, two characters with whom we would like to walk; the famous guys from STIK, a London-based artist who works a lot with hospitals and homeless shelters for which I am an ultra-fan. I love them !

You are sad ? Me too … But I did not say my last word! We have two minutes left, just two and I can not leave you like that! You need a “wow” before resuming your journey. Quickly return to Broome Street, continue the street for 30 meters and raise your head on your left! Nothing like finishing with a pop’art’ touch  no? D * FACE is certainly the English artist whose pop art work is the most accomplished and the most recognized; he has his own gallery in London and continues to work out on the street criticizing the overconsumption society in which we live. A “must see” to end this ride with style!

One hour is short, but!

That’s really finished! In an hour I’ve concocted a ride that mixes “great classics” and emerging artists, must-see places and underground places. I hope you have enjoyed and if so do not hesitate to share. For those of you who have more time to spend in New York, or for those who will not have the chance to visit the big apple, you can continue to walk in Brooklyn with a nice tour of the Bushwick Collective, the Mecca of Street Art! and accompany me in my discoveries by following me on Instagram. For the most addicted, I have also concocted an article with all the works on the mythical Bowery Wall 😉

Si vous aimez le Street Art ou avez envie de découvrir ce que vous pouvez dénicher à côté de vous quand vous voyagez ; je vous conseille vivement l’App StreetArt Cities. Et si vous êtes plutôt casanier et que le Street Art dans le canapé ça vous va bien ; je vous recommande le livre « Street Art » édité par Lonely Planet qui voyage pour vous au pays du Street Art, il n’est pas cher et très bien fait !

If you love Street Art or want to discover what you can find next to you when you travel; I highly recommend the StreetArt Cities App. And if you are rather homebody and the Street Art in the sofa it suits you well; I recommend the book “Street Art” edited by Lonely Planet who travels for you in the country of Street Art, it is cheap and very well done!

See you soon for new adventures; do not hesitate to comment with your own spots and share with your friends!