Manhattan Street Art Tour: East Village
NYC street artist Bianca Romero’s RBG tribute mural shows that the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg worked tirelessly for equality and justice.
By Marnie Kunz with Photos by Sanah Bukhari
Manhattan street art is the epicenter of the urban art scene worldwide, and after a tumultuous few years, street art in Manhattan’s East Village reflects the colorful and chaotic world we are living in. A trip to First Street Green Art Park at 1st Street between 1st and 2nd avenues in the East Village brings life to the issues facing our country in beautiful, paint-splattered color.
First Street Green Art Park
Voting is Sexy! Vote street art by NYC poet and artist My Life in Yellow.
First Street Green Art Park offers a street art and graffiti mecca for New York City’s vibrant Lower East Side and East Village neighborhoods. The art park features an open-air gallery of rotating murals by artists from around the world. New artists as well as street art legends paint the walls of the art park, which also offers cultural events throughout the year.
First Street Green Art Park is one of the epicenters to see the best Manhattan street art fully immersed in the neighborhoods where art, protest, and culture converge in NYC.
During the pandemic travel restrictions, there were fewer international artists’ murals in the park and more local artists, including more women artists.
#SharedFreedom
The current street art at First Street Green Art Park is organized with the theme #SharedFreedom, curated by local NYC artist @theartofwillpower.
The Shared Freedom project has transformed the First Street Green Art Park into a socially aware, activist hub of expression featuring the work of more than 2 dozen artists. In a chaotic and contentious time, the protest art was created to inspire people to stand up and vote and to give artists the freedom to express themselves in this turning point in history.
Voting Rights Street Art
With the 2020 presidential election so contentious, voting rights and protest street art are strong themes in East Village street art.
Colombian artist Andrea Acevedo @butterflymush challenges the idea that many votes go unnoticed and that every single vote DOES count with her mural at First Street Green Art Park.
NYC poet and artist My Life in Yellow created an inspiring vote mural painted with her signature bright yellow background for #SharedFreedom.
NYC mixed media artist Bianco Romero painted a beautiful RBG tribute mural at First Street Green Art Park honoring the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and her contribution to equality and justice in the U.S.
Self-described Columbian Artivist in NYC @butterflymush painted a mural for the Shared Freedom project urging every person that their vote does in fact matter.
This Chokey mural by NYC artist SacSix sums up 2020 pretty well.
Another mural at First Street Green by artist Calicho Arevalo @calichoart demands that we Hear, See and Speak only Justice.
Satirical Art
Justice mural by @calichoart at First Street Green Art Park.
NYC artist SacSix is well-known for his satirical Manhattan street art which also extends into the outer boroughs. His Chokey mural in First Street Green sums up 2020 for most people.
Black Lives Matter Murals
Racial justice street art also adds to First Street Green Art Park’s equality theme.
Brazilian and American artist duo Bella Phame call for equality in their signature vivid violet and green color scheme.
NYC artist La Femme Cheri painted a mural depicting two women, one standing up for immigrant rights against ICE (U.S. Customs Enforcement) and one calling for justice for Breonna Taylor, a black medical worker who was shot and killed by police in her own home in Louisville.
Animal Rights Mural
Animal rights activist and NYC artist Praxis has a mural in the art park as well as part of #sharedfreedom. His mural depicts the intersection of animal rights and human rights and the struggle against police brutality.
To find out more about First Street Green Art Park, follow the @fsgpark Instagram, and follow @theartofwillpower for more of his artwork on upcoming projects.
Resources: First Street Green Art Park
Related Posts: Chelsea Protest Street Art, Black Lives Matter Street Art Around the World, Where to Find the Best Street Art in Philadelphia
Sanah Bukhari moved to NYC last year and got to experience the city pre-pandemic. Now she finds joy in the smaller things in life, like nature walks and a zen yoga session, as well as writing to escape this unexpected year we are all going through.
Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, a dog lover, an Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet. She is based in Brooklyn, New York.
Racial justice mural by NYC artist @La_Femme_Cheri at First Street Green Art Park.
Brazilian and American artists Bella Phame infuse their vivid violet and green art with themes of equality, a perfect addition to the current theme at First Street Green Art Park.
RBG tribute mural by Brooklyn artist Lexi Bella.
A dove for peace at First Street Green Art Park. Mural by NYC artist Christian Penn @tekstthc.
