Monday, January 12, 2009

Art on 61 Fifth

A Fine Company reports that the old Schrafft's building on 5th Ave and 12th St is ready for demolition and "plans are underway to build a 10 story mixed use building. It should include 3 or 4 homes, many multi-level and a commercial space on the ground floor."

I wrote about the history of 61 Fifth here and, like Mr. Fine, I also think it's a shame to see a building of such significance vanish. Even in its decay, it has become an interesting sight, worth stopping to look at on your next walk-by because the building and its plywood fencing has become quite a canvas for street artists.

Not as dramatic as the stuff on pre-luxurified 11 Spring, but still intriguing, the art on 61 Fifth is mostly wheat-paste works. Maybe some of you wheat-paste aficionados can identify the artists.

The hand of God passes a bottle of Christ Panacea to a hospitalized Adam:



Patty Hearst in gold, wrapped in tape buildings by Aakash Nihalani (I think):



"What's wrong in your life that her life is so important in yours?" with Britney Spears:



The graffiti spills off the Schrafft's building and takes over the mailbox on the corner--using Diane Arbus' boy from her photo "Child with Toy Hand Grenade in Central Park," but instead of a hand grenade here he is holding a boombox:



And some 61 Fifth Avenue art actually ends up as oil on canvas. Glad to see someone has preserved this about-to-vanish structure. (Note, in the back, a Skullphone and some Obey Giants):


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4 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 12, 2009 at 10:08 AM

    beautiful pics! - BN

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ken MacJanuary 12, 2009 at 10:55 AM

    great post, another sad loss. Just wandered by there yesterday, telling my girlfriend about its days as the Lone Star Cafe. It used to be a beautiful building

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jeremiah MossJanuary 12, 2009 at 11:55 AM

    thanks ken--maybe you could get some better shots. there's more stuff there.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Eli BalinJanuary 12, 2009 at 2:37 PM

    That building had character. It's a shame that its replacement will probably be yet another glass box.

    I do, however, think that much of its soul was already long gone, lost when the giant lizard was taken off the roof.

    ReplyDelete

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