5 Pointz
Reviewed by: Aaron Yam
Public art can be out in the open or hidden from the common eye. It all boils down to the artist’s decision. Most of the time, these pieces of art are easily seen in the public as the artist is trying to make a statement. Street art is usually an artist’s way of getting his/her name out there. By repetitively replicating a piece of art all around the artist’s neighborhood, or even world, street artists are able to create a name for themselves. A good example a street artist’s rise to fame is the notorious Banksy. Not much is known about him except for the fact that he creates controversial street art that stirs certain emotions from his audience. New York City is a canvas for street art because street art is ubiquitous here. One place in particular is well known for it’s abundance of street art. It is called “5 Pointz”.
Located in Long Island City between 45-46 Davis Street, 5 Pointz was a famous location for street artists around the world because it was a place where a statement could be made. This is a building littered with street art. Almost every square inch of it is covered with street art of some form. Every artist that leaves a work of art here does so with the intention of cementing their name into the walls of the building. It is kind of like a Hall of Fame for street artists. What is amazing about 5 Pointz is that it preserves the work of many artists, but it does not take away the limelight from any individual artist. It is a re-telling of many stories made by artists throughout the years. This was clearly street art that was meant to be seen. With its wide variety of bright colors and style, 5 Pointz is able to capture the attention of any pedestrian passing by. It would be an understatement to say that all the colors of the rainbow are included in this public art. Colors from bright neon green to basic red, and everything in between. The building literally jumps out at people because of its vast difference in appeal than the dull colorless buildings surrounding it. Everyday commuters taking the 7 train are able to see this public art from their windows. Anyone who passes by 5 Pointz must be marveled by its massive size and colorful details. Additionally, the graffiti on this building can be observed individually or as a whole. There is a sort of mysteriousness to 5 Pointz because there are so many different pieces of art on it that it prompts one question: why did they choose this building? Was there something special about it? Is there a deeper meaning to this? Or is all this just a museum of graffiti? Any way a person looks at it, there is always beauty in its work.
Artists from around the world come here to this street art mecca to permanently engrave their work/leave their mark on the world. The amount of space available for artists to work on is mind blowing. This isn’t a small building, this is like a factory sized facility. Because of its massive size, 5 Pointz is able to stand out even from a distance. When you are standing around 5 Pointz, you are able to see street art down the block. It is all you can see. 5 Pointz is best viewed in the day because at night the art is not as visible. This piece of public art originally meant for permanent standing was eventually demolished. Artists from around the world were disappointed that the street art mecca was due for destruction because it was like a historical landmark to them. Artists petitioned for 5 Pointz to be recognized as an official landmark, but it failed. Unfortunately in 2014, 5 Pointz was demolished so that a condominium could be built in its place. There is still hope for street art to appear again at 5 Pointz because artists are petitioning to create an art space in the lower levels of the condominiums as a sort of commemoration.
