Lower Manhattan's boarded-up storefronts have being transformed into powerful murals dedicated to racial justice

David FarleyJun 23, 2020, 21:13 IST

Pedestrians pass by Steve “ESPO” Powers' Black Lives Matter mural in New York's Union Square neighborhood.ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Amid lockdowns, protests, and looting, many businesses in lower Manhattan have boarded up their storefront windows.
Street artists have repurposed the plywood planks as canvases, sharing murals and messages calling for racial justice.
Some have worked with business owners and sanctioned campaigns, while others aren't waiting for approval.
Here is some of the powerful artwork adorning Soho, the East Village, and other downtown neighborhoods.

Following the citywide lockdown and demonstrations, many businesses in lower Manhattan boarded up their storefronts. Some had windows smashed during protests, others were hoping to deter looters.

The result was that New York's shops and restaurants, which once enticed throngs of passersby, were now dismal and dull.

Street artists saw the plywood planks as a blank canvas for original and provocative art, much of it addressing racial injustice and the Black Lives Matter protests.

Some artists were sanctioned to create murals by business owners, others didn't wait for permission.

Here is a sample of the powerful artwork adorning Soho, the East Village, and other downtown neighborhoods.

After the windows of their St. Mark's Place restaurant, Hanoi House, were smashed, Ben Lowell and Sara Leveen reached out to well-known street artist SacSix to turn an eyesore into an artistic landscape.

Street artist Reggie Warlock's work outside Hanoi House, 119 St Marks Place. David Farley

After the windows of their St. Mark's Place restaurant, Hanoi House, were smashed, Ben Lowell and Sara Leveen reached out to well-known street artist SacSix to turn an eyesore into an artistic landscape.

Albert Diaz has been using wordplay and collage lettering to make charged statements in subway stations for decades. He came aboveground to create this work outside Hanoi House.

The facade of Hanoi House, 119 St Marks Place. David Farley

Albert Diaz has been using wordplay and collage lettering to make charged statements in subway stations for decades. He came aboveground to create this work outside Hanoi House.

Ballistic had been thinking for several weeks about a statement that would touch upon both Black Lives Matter and the coronavirus.

Jilly Ballistic's work outside 123 St. Mark's Place. David Farley

"Life Is a Juggling Act" is a two-panel collaboration between artists ZROPRO and Chris RWK outside the East Village bar Ten Degrees.

ZROPRO and Chris RWK's two-part mural outside Ten Degrees, 121 St Marks Place. David Farley

SacSix added his own piece, a mural of Anthony Fauci as Mr. Spock, as "a fun way to spread the message of washing your hands."

A wheatpaste of Anthony Fauci as Mr. Spock, outside Ten Degrees, 121 St. Marks Place. David Farley

SacSix tackled another pop icon, Mickey Mouse, with "Time to Break Through the White Glove of Oppression."

Time to Break Through the White Glove of Oppression," by SacSix. Paula Froelich

Well-known graffiti artist Fumero painted a portrait of George Floyd on Houston Street.

Fumero's mural dedicated to George Floyd on East Houston Street and the Bowery. David Farley

Another campaign, Art 2♥️SoHo, invited dozens of veteran artists and newcomers "to bring optimism, healing, and love" to Soho by painting messages of unity on boarded-up storefronts.

In front of the NARS cosmetics store on Prince Street, Love Lovenotes painted a mural dedicated to Breonna Taylor.

People walk past a mural reading "Justice for Breonna" on a Prince Street storefront, on June 19, 2020. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Another mural nearby depicts the figure of Justice, wearing a face mask and blindfold and holding her scales.

A mural reading "United We Stand" on Prince Street. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

American clothier Faherty Brand tapped artists Optimo NYC and Distoart to paint their mural, "Freedom isn't Free," on the front of its temporarily closed Soho location.

"Freedom isn't Free," outside Faherty Brands at 133 Prince Street. Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Android Oi and LOVEMKM collaborated on an eye-catching collage nearby in front of Happy Socks. "We felt motivated to express creativity in a time where expression of life, in general, was on complete hold," Android Oi said.

Android Oi and LOVEMKM's work outside Happy Socks on the corner of Prince Street and West Broadway. David Farley

Android Oi and LOVEMKM collaborated on an eye-catching collage nearby in front of Happy Socks. "We felt motivated to express creativity in a time where expression of life, in general, was on complete hold," Android Oi said.

"We are about peace and love, and hope to inspire good vibes with the vibrant colors and use of pink, the color of unconditional love," she added.

A close up of a mural on West Broadway and Prince Street in Soho. Paula Froelich

84222487_3066923610090569_7915041743072456557_o

Another collage mural by Android Oi and LOVEMKM. Paula Froelich

After the Dsquared2 flagship store on Spring Street boarded up its windows, artist Trevor Croop, a.k.a. Light Noise, decided to paint a mural with a powerful message of hope.

Trevor Croop paints the facade of the Dsquared2 flagship store at 166 Spring Street. Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

After the Dsquared2 flagship store on Spring Street boarded up its windows, artist Trevor Croop, a.k.a. Light Noise, decided to paint a mural with a powerful message of hope.

"Waves of Change" wraps around the entire corner of Spring Street and West Broadway.

Trevor Croop "Waves of Change" at 166 Spring Street. Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Beijing artist Annie Zhang got stuck in New York when the pandemic came to the US in March. She's been painting a globe with the words "We are humans. We are one" all around the city, including on this vacant shopfront on West Broadway.

Annie Zhang paints on plywood planks covering a storefront on West Broadway between Prince and Spring Streets. David Farley

Beijing artist Annie Zhang got stuck in New York when the pandemic came to the US in March. She's been painting a globe with the words "We are humans. We are one" all around the city, including on this vacant shopfront on West Broadway.

Chrome Industries turned over its Mulberry Street storefront to Will Pay, who collaborated with other artists to invoke the words of Martin Luther King.

Instagrammer @catscoffeecreativity has been chronicling much of the artwork going up on Soho storefronts.

Ron Haywood Jones, a.k.a. American Urbanite, created this "Black Lives Matter" piece in front of the Orangetheory gym in Soho.

"Birdwatching is not a Crime," by Claire Strautmanis, a.k.a. Aloofer., references an incident in May, in which a Black birdwatcher asked a white woman to leash her dog in Central Park, as required by law.

Vince Ballentine is among the artists who were invited to use Artists and Fleas' Chelsea storefront "to spread love & solidarity alongside our black communities."

Bonobos asked artists Malik Crawford and Jerome Tiunayan to take over its boarded-up Chelsea storefront.

Malik Crawford and Jerome Tiunayan's mural on Fifth Avenue and 17th Street. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Muralist Steve Powers, a.k.a. ESPO, enlisted an army of artists for his mural in Union Square, which pays tribute to 40 Black lives lost to police-related violence.

Street artist Steve Powers' mural outside the Daryl Roth Theatre, 101 E 15th Street & Union Square West Gotham/Getty Images

The 10-step action plan leaders can use right now to create more equal workplaces during the pandemic and beyond

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Lower Manhattan's boarded-up storefronts have being transformed into powerful murals dedicated to racial justice

After the windows of their St. Mark's Place restaurant, Hanoi House, were smashed, Ben Lowell and Sara Leveen reached out to well-known street artist SacSix to turn an eyesore into an artistic landscape.

Albert Diaz has been using wordplay and collage lettering to make charged statements in subway stations for decades. He came aboveground to create this work outside Hanoi House.

Ballistic had been thinking for several weeks about a statement that would touch upon both Black Lives Matter and the coronavirus.

"Life Is a Juggling Act" is a two-panel collaboration between artists ZROPRO and Chris RWK outside the East Village bar Ten Degrees.

SacSix added his own piece, a mural of Anthony Fauci as Mr. Spock, as "a fun way to spread the message of washing your hands."

SacSix tackled another pop icon, Mickey Mouse, with "Time to Break Through the White Glove of Oppression."

Well-known graffiti artist Fumero painted a portrait of George Floyd on Houston Street.

Another campaign, Art 2♥️SoHo, invited dozens of veteran artists and newcomers "to bring optimism, healing, and love" to Soho by painting messages of unity on boarded-up storefronts.

In front of the NARS cosmetics store on Prince Street, Love Lovenotes painted a mural dedicated to Breonna Taylor.

Another mural nearby depicts the figure of Justice, wearing a face mask and blindfold and holding her scales.

American clothier Faherty Brand tapped artists Optimo NYC and Distoart to paint their mural, "Freedom isn't Free," on the front of its temporarily closed Soho location.

Android Oi and LOVEMKM collaborated on an eye-catching collage nearby in front of Happy Socks. "We felt motivated to express creativity in a time where expression of life, in general, was on complete hold," Android Oi said.

"We are about peace and love, and hope to inspire good vibes with the vibrant colors and use of pink, the color of unconditional love," she added.

84222487_3066923610090569_7915041743072456557_o

After the Dsquared2 flagship store on Spring Street boarded up its windows, artist Trevor Croop, a.k.a. Light Noise, decided to paint a mural with a powerful message of hope.

"Waves of Change" wraps around the entire corner of Spring Street and West Broadway.

Beijing artist Annie Zhang got stuck in New York when the pandemic came to the US in March. She's been painting a globe with the words "We are humans. We are one" all around the city, including on this vacant shopfront on West Broadway.

Chrome Industries turned over its Mulberry Street storefront to Will Pay, who collaborated with other artists to invoke the words of Martin Luther King.

Instagrammer @catscoffeecreativity has been chronicling much of the artwork going up on Soho storefronts.

Ron Haywood Jones, a.k.a. American Urbanite, created this "Black Lives Matter" piece in front of the Orangetheory gym in Soho.

"Birdwatching is not a Crime," by Claire Strautmanis, a.k.a. Aloofer., references an incident in May, in which a Black birdwatcher asked a white woman to leash her dog in Central Park, as required by law.

Vince Ballentine is among the artists who were invited to use Artists and Fleas' Chelsea storefront "to spread love & solidarity alongside our black communities."

Bonobos asked artists Malik Crawford and Jerome Tiunayan to take over its boarded-up Chelsea storefront.

Muralist Steve Powers, a.k.a. ESPO, enlisted an army of artists for his mural in Union Square, which pays tribute to 40 Black lives lost to police-related violence.