E 10th St: The Intersection of Murder and Art
The stretch of E. 10th St. between Avenues B and C was the scene of gruesome murder Saturday night before violence gave way to optimism Sunday as artists added to the already flourishing street art creativity directly across the street.
The violence erupted shortly after 10 PM on May 27 in front of 381 E. 10th, which is situated along a normally quiet section of the Alphabet City Street. The artwork, meanwhile, broke out the next day on the wall of the abandoned P.S. 64, across the street.
The murder took place in front of this building at 381 E. 10th St.
Responding to a 911 call, cops found 31-year-old Michael Gillegbrower, who lived in nearby Jacob Riis Houses, lying in a pool of blood from stab wounds to his shoulder, back and neck. He was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital.
The cops soon encountered and arrested Quon Alford, 28, of Rockaway Ave in Brooklyn, who had been stabbed in the back. Alford was charged with manslaughter.
New work from Al Diaz
Just hours later, as much of the neighborhood was awakening to the horror that occurred the night before, volunteers were setting up for the annual Loisaida Festival on Ave. C. The festival is “a platform to celebrate arts & culture through music, dance, arts, cuisine, and other cultural manifestations representative of the diverse ethnic groups and nationalities that make up the fabric of the neighborhood.”
As the festival was underway, artists, including graffiti legend and former neighborhood resident Al Diaz @albert_diaz1, descended on the school to add to the already impressive series of murals on the 10th Street side of the derelict building.
A still from Al’s selfie video.
Diaz, who attended school at the old St. Brigid School a couple blocks south on The B before teaming up Jean-Michel Basquiat on the graffiti team @SAMO, added to his earlier work on the wall. This time, he used his signature subway lettering to spell out this message: “Insatiable greed, disrespect, disregard 4 local culture and people’s basic needs. Disdain for actual progress, blind lust 4 power/control, crimes against societal well being.”
New work by @Eloburnz and @tekstthc.
The vacant building, the former home to the greatly missed community asset the CHARAS/El Bohio community and cultural center, has become the area’s premiere location for thoughtful and engaging street art, much of it bemoaning the loss of the community center and other assaults on the neighborhood’s legacy of diversity.
Work by @emergence.arts and @art_by_luch.
Other great new additions to the 10th St. mural walk include a stunning black and white stencil piece called La Nena of a little girl planting a Puerto Rican flag. The piece, which is by @paged1, pays worthy tribute to the work of legendary, anonymous British street art giant Banksy. La Nana became a symbol of Pueto Rican resilience in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017. @paged1 will be featured in a show across the street at Piraqua Art Space produced and curated by @themusegalleryny on Saturday, July 8, from 4-10 PM and Sunday, July 9, 2-8 PM.
Other new pieces were contributed by @Eloburnz, @tekstthc, @emergence.arts and @art_by_luch.
