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[dropcap2]O[/dropcap2]ver one night 5Pointz, Hip Hop and Graffiti artist’s mecca became totally white. No, it’s not winter time yet. It’s because future destination of an old warehouse. Mr. Wolkoff, owner of 5Pointz building decided to change Queens (NY) landscape from old industrial factory building to a new two towers (47-story and a 41-story) which will hold 1,000 apartments plus 50,000 square feet of retail space. In his opinion there is nothing wrong with this: it’s just a business decision – an investment plan. But for the Hip Hop culture members worldwide this is the major issue for the last couple of days.
The idea of demolition is not right in the meaning of art. Many artists try to gather online to form resistance over owner’s decision. Comments appeared. There are many artists who claim this place as a Hip Hop and Graffiti mecca. And this is truly right. Millions of people every single year has visited this amazing place as a spot for cultural birth of urban movement as well as to look up to graffiti.
White paint over 5Pointz is because owner’s way of thinking:
“This is why I did it: it was torture for them and for me. They couldn’t paint anymore and they loved to paint. Let me just get it over with and as I knock it down they’re not watching their piece of art going down”
Mr. Wolkoff also stated to rent 12,000 square feet of studio space to artists who previously been active writers at 5Pointz. According to Wall Street Journal’s article this was not an option for Jonathan Cohen (Meres) – counselor of graffiti artists at 5Pointz.
The thing is: all publicity is not about this building (umm…maybe in some way yes). It’s because tens of brilliant graffiti art works. This was almost like a free, outdoor Hip Hop museum for tourists in New York. Many friends of mine have been visiting this amazing place and they got the same opinion: This is an amazing place with unique, one of a kind vibe itself.
White re-painting over night was an act of weird behavior from Mr. Wolkoff, a grown New Yorker and owner of this recognizable building. This was unnecessarily and inconsiderate. This wasn’t because owner’s sympathy about graffiti writers and what will they feel during demolition process. It was frankly an act of vandalism, as one of the users (ROSE PETAL) said:
“What was the reason for whitewashing a building that is going to be torn down? The only thing I can think of is perhaps they didn’t want pieces of the building to end up on ebay? Makes no sense whatsoever….except to add insult to injury. RIP 5 pointz, they already killed it……”
I wish this building would stay and re-created over night but unfortunately this won’t happen. Officially, building will be demolished in the next two months. As a response graffiti writers tagged white cardboards and using duck tape sticked them to the white walls of dying 5Pointz. My attention was attracted by one of the writer’s statement:
Who’s the vandal? It’s ironic how you did just what a typical 16 yr old vandal would do deface a building at night… coward.
If You want to support “Save 5Pointz” Community please visit their Facebook Profile.
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Photo credits: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images, Nathan Tweti
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