Go there on the lower east side of NYC and this is what you'll find - looks like a scary old abandoned building right? - Nope it's the 72 room home of Jay Maisel, famed photographer/artist. It was also the site of a famed showdown between street artists, who Maisel hired from local art schools to create art on and inside the building. However that pissed off the graffiti artist, (taggers and writers), who then defaced the street art in protest claiming if you get paid and it's sanctioned, then it ain't graffiti, which is illegal and more about writing. This tension between street artists and graffiti artists continues. (Large)
Fav - lots of eye candy here to behold! Very interesting story behind it too. Obviously I'm on the side of the paid artists - sorry, tagging and scribbling is not artwork. While I've seen some pretty talented grafitti artists, I don't see them spending a lot of time "beautifying" their surroundings.
@pwallis - Thx so much for the Fav. Yeah its an interesting battle and seems like as many of the graffiti artists become popular and start getting paid for their work/designs, their atitude$ are changing.
Beautiful building . . great piece of architecture. And I don't like the graf art on this . . what a shame. That stuff is UGLY and there's no respect or appreciation for that piece of history. Nice photo tho, Michael.
@karenann - its actually now a landmark building. Maisel bought it for 100 Grand 40 years ago and now valued at like 15 million! I think the crux of the dispute was that he hired the street artist to create graffiti-like art and the true graffitist took offense to the attempted knock-off.
@deens@aromatic - thank you Nadine and Jane for the Favs! NYC has some of the world's top art/design schools and there's also the street crowd so there is this whole underground culture - cool stuff - thx again!
Wonderful capture and story, what a fascinating place. I'm with Richard Tyson, I think a UK 365 trip to NYC would be phenomenal, with you as the tour guide of course!
So sad that a petty dispute defaced a lovely piece of architecture. That being said, the photo is great. I too, like the person on each side, the history you included, and the whole look of the shot. I actually don't mind the graffitti if it beautifies a place, but so much of it is just truf wars mischief or anger directed at some nameless enemy that it's hard to see the artisitry in it. Your shot is great though!
@olivetreeann - thx Ann. Not sure if you saw my comment above to Karenann, this old banking building is now a landmark. A lot of the street art (meant to look like graffiti) that was there has been destroyed or written over by the graffiti artists who thought their art was being ripped off so it looks like the mess it does - which many people actually find very cool still. Maisel himself was a graffiti artist at one point and I'm told the inside of the building is insane. The property is worth like 15 mil and City wants it cleaned up as area becoming very hip, but I think Maisel wants to leave it as is.
Wow lots of comments I had to scroll for ever !!!! Lovely building, great story of rivalry & really interesting & informative photo about this iconic place but I don't like the graffiti ! On the whole graffiti is frowned upon in the UK & discouraged so we aren't used to it !! I know it is an art form but over here it's mostly vandalism !!
@happypat - haha me to long way long to reply. Where appropriate it's amazing artistic expression. Here actually the owner, a graffiti artist at one point himself, authorized the art work which was meant to simulate graffiti and that's what made the real street graffitist so mad. But I hear ya. Thx so much for commenting :)
wicked door, love the perspective, awesome building and pic. very cool story and comments. it's sad when one artist defaces the work of another artist.
Lovely shot. Love those two guys, one walking and the other resting against the wall. The walls look shabby now with all those paintings and writings. Would have been nice to see the original paintings.
not sure... it's a great shot... a shame building like this get wasted that much, although it fits here... can't help myself... at least for the picture it fits
great shot, thanks for the background
and yep you are right I do love these photos!
which reminds me I saw some graf yesterday and I'll photograph it, it kinda sucks tho
its more like mural than anything
you'll see some bridge piers here that are tagged but nothing spectacular like this
This is new one for me. Thanks for the info on this one.Interestingly enough here in Edmonton the murals and street art once it is done is left alone. it is the empty walls that get targeted
Fascinating local history. It reminded me of a movie about a black graffiti artist from the 1990s, but I can't remember the title / name (starts with a B?). Do you know who I'm talking about? When googling, I saw a newer independent film--walk through the doors of the gift shop. Have you watched it?
I'm sure you will continue to re-visit this site - it's absolutely a photographer/artists dream/necessity - so many things, angles, colours, etc to shoot and I'm sure it would look awesome in different lights too. Just the door and its grid alone - would make a fab close up. I'll have to return to NY one day. ;) Keep clicking!!! ;)
@thebluegnu - thank you so much. Yeah this is a great area for photography - all kinds of characters street peeps to fashionistas and very gritty and artsy.
posted May 9th, 2012
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@pwallis I concur.
Thank you all so very much :-)
and yep you are right I do love these photos!
which reminds me I saw some graf yesterday and I'll photograph it, it kinda sucks tho
its more like mural than anything
you'll see some bridge piers here that are tagged but nothing spectacular like this