I visited the Taglialatella Galleries, which is just a short walk from The High Line, on 24th Street a while ago. Because we visited galleries before, I knew that this gallery welcomed visitors and was a place where artwork is sold.

Inside the gallery, everyone was busy with their own job; some were unwrapping paintings to put up and others were answering the endless ringing phones. However, the atmosphere was comfortable and friendly. Walking in, visitors are greeted with attention-grabbing pieces by artists of the pop movement including Andy Warhol, Mr. Brainwash, Keith Haring, Russell Young, and Banksy.

From this gallery, I discovered Mr. Brainwash, a pseudonym for Thierry Guetta, a street artist whose name I never heard of before, but discovered I love. My favorite piece by him is Chaplin and Mickey, which features a collection of icons together. First, we see Mickey Mouse and Charlie Chaplin in the center, but looking closely we can see in the background Mr. Brainwash includes Campbell Soup cans and a face of a famous woman, who I still can’t figure out who because we can’t see the whole face. I also love the different colors of splattered paint that I think made the painting even more unique.

Another painting I love by Mr. Brainwash is Broadway, which was being sold for almost $2,000 unframed! It is a mostly black and white picture that is altered by the artist. He adds a cutout of a man with a shopping cart in the middle of the street and a quote in color on the side of a truck. The quote he adds is, “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it,” a quote that stayed with me even after leaving the gallery.

I discovered my interest in pop art through visiting this gallery and now I am able to recognize artists, like Keith Haring, whose work I now see everywhere.