Two months after the 5Pointz building was whitewashed overnight, the artists are still going strong now presenting their artwork at a Long Island not-for-profit art center.
The group of artists, including 5Pointz curator and CEO Jonathan Cohen known as “Meres One,” have come together for an art show called “WALL WORKS: The Art of Graffiti” at the Gold Coast Arts Center, located at 113 Middle Neck Rd. in Great Neck.
The opening reception for the show was held on Sunday, which marked the two month anniversary of what 5Pointz spokesperson Marie Cecile Flageul calls the “criminal whitewash.”
“Today is two months following the criminal whitewash and nothing has happened to the building, so to us it’s a way to keep the light on as well,” said Flageul.
5Pointz was whitewashed overnight on Nov. 19, after owners of the property on Jackson Avenue and Davis Street in Long Island City, the Wolkoff family, ordered the action.
The artists were invited to present their art at the not-for-profit organization and thought the location made perfect sense because 5Pointz is also a not-for-profit group and had a lot of programs inclined to children just like the Gold Coast Arts Center, said Flageul.
She also said there are numerous art shows by 5Pointz artists planned for throughout the year.
The Long Island art show, which was curated by newly appointed gallery curator and Long Island City resident Jude Amsel, features aerosol art on small to large canvases, walls of the gallery, subway maps, real street signs and many more. The show also features a white sculpture by Hunt Rodriguez called “Rest in Power 5Pointz” which people can sign, leaving a piece of them with the art.
“I don’t think the reach of this culture has fully gotten out to Long Island,” said Cohen, whose pieces in the show include a series of five different canvases each depicting one of the boroughs with elements that stood out to the artist. “5Pointz is on a pause state right now, but it will start again. It is a positive program, so it’s good to let people see that there is some artistic ability and talent that go into this and it isn’t the perceived negative thing that everyone thinks.”
All the pieces in the show are for sale and 35 percent of the sales go to the Gold Coast Arts Center, with the remaining amount going towards the artists.
“WALL WORKS: The Art of Graffiti” also features works from Carols “See TF” Game, Luis “Zimad” Lamboy, Shiro, John Paul O’Grodnick, Veronique Barrillot and Kid Lew. The show is on display until March 2.
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