By Bill Parry
The 5Pointz artists are worried that history is repeating itself. Less than two years after developer Jerry Wolkoff ordered the “whitewashing” of their graffiti mecca in Long Island City to make way for two luxury residential towers, the artists have learned that some of the murals they created at August Martin High School in South Jamaica this spring have been painted over.
They are concerned that more of their work is threatened after a change in leadership at the school.
More than 150 of the artists reunited for two weekends in May to paint over 300 pieces of aerosol artwork to liven up the hallways, staircases and elevator doors at August Martin, with the approval of Principal Gillian Smith and the city Department of Education. The artists came from as far away as Japan and Texas to volunteer their time, talent, passion and supplies, paid for out of their own pockets at a cost of more than $40,000.
A student-led initiative called “Operation Skittles” was conceived to make the school brighter and more inspirational. Its goal was to stimulate the students at a school known to be one of the worst in Queens, where the graduation rate had been stuck at 39 percent for the last two years with attendance around 70 percent.
Syreeta Gates, a Dream Director assigned to the school by the non-profit Future Project – a national campaign to empower young people – contacted 5Pointz creator Jonathan “Meres” Cohen and his co-curator Marie Cecil Flageul and the project was authorized and endorsed by DOE Deputy Chancellor Elizabeth Rose.
When the murals were finished, each with motivational quotes and inspiring words, the students were electrified. “The attendance is up and the students aren’t even late anymore,” Gates said at the time. “It’s crazy. These kids are taking selfies of themselves in front of the art and putting it out on social media that ‘their school is better than your school’ and that has never happened before.”
Much has changed over the summer.
Principal Gillian Smith chose to leave August Martin and now works in student services at a Queens Borough Field Support Center. Smith was replaced by Rory Parnell, who had Mere’s iconic “bright ideas” light bulbs on the first floor doors painted over along with art in a first floor corridor. Gates complained to Parnell on behalf of “upset” students and the two had a “falling out,” according to a person with direct knowledge of the events. Parnell could not be reached for comment while Gates would not comment.
When a 5Pointz artist named Carlos went to the school from his home in Rockaway last week, he made the discovery.
“I went in to see if I could get a photo of my Lauren Hill and Albert Einstein murals and when I went through the doors I could see they had covered painted over Meres’ light bulbs in yellow paint,” he said.
Meres had painted the light bulbs, each featuring inspirational words, at the students’ request to take their attention away from the metal detectors at the doors.
“They expressed that being greeted by metal detectors gave them a sense of entering a jail rather than a learning sanctuary,” Cecil Flageul said.
A DOE spokesman said a portion of the first floor hallway and the inside front doors of the Aviation Center were repainted in school colors in order to put up bulletin boards that will display students’ work. “Virtually all of the murals painted in collaboration with the Five Pointz artists have been left in place,” he said.
Flageul fired off an e-mail to Principal Parnell seeking an explanation last Friday. There has been no response.
To further confuse the situation, The Future Project Co-founder and President Kanya Balakrishna said her organization is proud of the students’ accomplishment at August Martin last year.
“And we remain committed to them no matter what,” she said.
According to a DOE source, however, the new principal has been working with the lead community-based organization at August Martin – the Child Center of New York – to coordinate resources and partners. “The school chose not to continue with the Future Project based on the needs of the community,” he said.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
