By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

It’s no secret that I’m a big Hoka fan, and I was thrilled to lead a special Runstreet NYC Art Walk with Hoka recently for the grand opening of the Hoka flagship store in New York City. On a breezy Sunday morning in June we gathered for an epic adventure exploring the art and architecture that make Midtown Manhattan so stunning. Runstreet photographer Marques Jackson was on the scene to capture the fun-filled morning in high definition. After the pandemic threw a wrench in our Runstreet Art Run events for a few years, 2024 has been a great return to doing bigger events. And what better way to celebrate than by leading a special NYC Art Walk with Hoka and their plush, ultra cushioned shoes? In true New York Spirit, Midtown Manhattan was a challenge for me, as I am more familiar with the street art-laden neighborhoods of Brooklyn and areas of Lower Manhattan like the Lower East Side, Soho, and Chelsea. But after scouting the area with Marques, we added some iconic architecture to the walk, the perfect complement to some sweeping murals on side streets in Murray Hill.

NYC Art Walk Route - Exploring Midtown Manhattan

For our NYC Art Walk, we picked a mix of historic buildings and large-scale murals by international street artists. Here is a recap of some of the key landmarks on our walk:

Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central Terminal is a National Historic Landmark with a Beaux Arts style facade. The sprawling train hub is one of the world’s most-visited tourist attractions with over 20 million visitors per year (and that’s not including all the train passengers passing through).

“Travelers” Statues

Sculpture Art by Bruno Catalano is a beautiful outdoor gallery along Park Avenue stretching from East 37 Street to East 34 Street along the upscale avenue. “Travelers” features large-scale sculptures of everyday people going on journeys. The statues evoke a grand, heroic sense and they have striking holes in their midsection. In 2004, the artist had a metal casting accident that left a hole in a central element of his creation, and this has become a signature of his sculptures ever since. The Patrons of Park Avenue feature more information on this stunning outdoor installation.

Chrysler Building

The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco skyscraper that stands 1,046 feet tall. The distinctly styled building was the tallest in the world for 11 months after it was completed in 1930. The Chrysler Building was named after Walter Chrysler, the head of the Chrysler Corporation who commissioned it.

Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is one of my all-time favorite buildings in NYC. The iconic 102-story Art Deco skyscraper was built from 1930 to 1931. The building is named after New York state’s nickname, the Empire State, and is a symbol of the city of New York. The Empire State Building was the tallest building in New York for many years after it was built. It now stands as the seventh tallest building in NYC.

Dragon 76 Mural

The Dragon 76 Traffic Safety Mural is a massive 5,200-square-foot mural that is part of Street Art for Mankind’s initiative to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to cut the number of global deaths and injuries from traffic accidents by half by 2030. Dragon 76 has striking murals throughout NYC. The artist was born in Japan and has been painting street art in NYC since 2016.

Women’s Equality Mural

The Women’s Equality Mural is a public art piece by South African artist Faith XLVII. The mural expresses her support for gender equality and her appreciation for all the women who fought for women’s right to vote, workplace equality, and more.

Kobra Street Art Murals

The street artist Kobra’s murals played a large role in our outdoor contemporary art exploration. Eduardo Kobra is a Brazilian street artist who paints large-scale, colorful murals with mosaic styles throughout NYC and the world. We saw Kobra’s Einstein mural, and his massive portrait of American pop artist Roy Liechtenstein.

Future of Work Mural

The Future of Work mural was created by international artists and partners dubbed Clandestino - Shalak Attack and Bruno Smoky. They address the future of work in a vibrant mural on E. 48th Street.

Flower Mural

The flower art by Salvador Andrade Arevalo offers a colorful reinvention of massive scaffolding that stretches along what will be the new J.P. Morgan Chase headquarters on Madison Avenue. The Mexican-American painter and printmaker is based in Chicago.

Post-Walk Recap - Hoka Flagship Store

The Hoka NYC flagship store is a multi-level space with excellent amenities for runners and walkers to gather. Following our NYC Art Walk, we enjoyed complimentary brunch at the new Hoka location. There was also a shoe booth with several different Hoka models - including my favorites, the Mach 6 running shoes. Walkers could try on different Hoka shoes for the event and walk around Midtown in them. Two lucky walkers also won free pairs of Hoka shoes in a raffle giveaway after our walk.

I had so much fun catching up with people from past events, some of whom I hadn’t seen since the pandemic began! It was also great to meet new people and see a wide range of ages, with some kids, families, and seniors. With our walk format (as opposed to the usual Art Runs), more people could participate, and we had a large turnout.

Looking for the best place to see outdoor art in your city? Sign up for the Runstreet newsletter to find out about our upcoming art walks and runs in NYC, Chicago, and beyond. Follow and tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share the artwork you find in your city.

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

Runstreet NYC Art Walk with Hoka