I just spent a few days working on a little essay on a forgotten publisher from New York City (which you can read HERE if you like) That is indeed your intrepid reporter above, complete with a "Man Purse" but before you laugh, note I lived on that island all that time without a car, and if you pass some good stuff on the street, which happened then every damn day...you had to sling it over your shoulder. This space, which at the time was a bit ragged, has been spiffed up into Hell's Kitchen Park to serve the community, and it is quite nice. 10th Avenue and as you can see 47th and 48th Street. The Mural wasn't up long. I'm glad I had someone catch it.
I love the graffiti in NY; sure is better, more colorful and much more interesting than graffiti I've seen anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteI think I remember this paddle ball court in Hell's Kitchen Park with grafitti with a baby surrounded by hyperdermic needles and crack pipes. On the wall it said,"Don't Do It Baby". Also, farther up 10th Avenue and on the uptown side of W52nd (towards 11th Ave,) was another mural I believe was used for a Dylan album cover. Anybody else remember these murals from the late '80s?
ReplyDeleteI remember the one you are talking about. That one came after the one pictured here.
DeleteI was back in the 80s sitting on that handball court that said baby don't do it I was on the front page of the daily news on this handball court back in the 80s can anybody help me find that article from The daily News
DeleteYes, as a matter of fact, I DO remember the Dylan murals, and thanks for asking. The Murals done in the nabe in the early 80s were by TROTSKY, an African-American artist of some considerable talent who did a handful of them alone 10th Avenue. Bob Dylan saw them while riding his bike and used one for the "Oh Mercy" jacket cover. (Pretty good, eh?)
ReplyDeleteJim Linderman
Wow, Thanks for the quick response. I always thought that mural was on a Dylan album cover. The artist's full name was Remerro Trotsky Williams (I've been researching all morning),but nothing on the internet could tell me were the mural was located. P.S. Any favorite watering holes on the West Side?
ReplyDeleteTrotsky was a friend of mine and a great, great guy as well as a wonderful painter. Unfortunately, I do know EVERY great watering hole on the westside. I knew them far too well.
ReplyDeleteI lost touch with Trotsky when I left NYC in 1990. Anyone know where he is? I photographed him and his wonderful paintings. He is a great artist!
ReplyDeleteOk so......here goes the dylan was on 53 and 10th ave on p.s 111 , the picture above was taken on 48st park and 10th ave pre 88', the crack baby came up on the same wall in 88 , hope this helps
ReplyDeleteCan anyone tell me more about the mural pictured here, with "Hell's Kitchen" "Do it" "New York Fresh" and "Dedicated to the people" on it? I have a photo of myself in front of it from 1983. I remember seeing a big poster of it, back in the days when the Broadway tourist shops had rows and rows of cool posters.
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