Graffiti Mecca

If street art were a religion and I were a devout follower, five times a day I would use a compass to kneel facing the corner of Jackson Avenue and Crane Street in Long Island City, and I would pray to the Gods of Graffiti. Luckily that's not the case. But just as luckily, I got the chance today to check out the Graffiti Mecca that is 5 Pointz, an ever-changing graffiti museum that sits across the street from the MOMA's auxiliary museum PS 1 (shown below).

5 Pointz is a block-long warehouse that was converted into a bunch of artist studios. Graffiti artists from around the world come to tag the outer and inner walls as well as the roof. Apparently the gatekeeper of this wonder is well-known street artist Meres, A.K.A. Jonathan Cohen (a Jew graffiti artist?), who decides who can paint and how long the art can remain on the walls.

Another cool thing about this place is it's across the street from International Delights, whose delights sent heavenly scents wafting down the block as I took pictures on an empty stomach.

The squeaky clean exteriors of the International Delights delivery trucks is proof that graffiti artists are not all vandals with no respect for other people's property. So what if they need a little reminder?


I only had time to take pictures of one outer wall, which you'll see still offered me plenty of eye candy to capture. Upon my return, I'll try to photograph the other outer walls, and maybe even try to get a tour of the inside and roof, the latter of which I caught a glimpse while taking the 7 train (see below) out to the U.S. Open the night Roddick beat Gulbis, a tenacious Latvian with a knee-buckling drop shot. That train ride was the first I'd seen or heard about this place, and I was immediately captivated.


Now, without further ado, I present to you the best of the graffiti on one the Crane Street side of 5 Pointz. As I said earlier, more trips to this place and accompanying photographs will follow soon.

I don't know why, but I love this little carrot

Crew: Xin of Japan.

Crew: Neopen of France

Crew: TD4

Previous four photos showed art by MSG

Previous two pieces by Meres

Previous three photos showed art by: EAD, Yours, Rezo, Stook, Yama

Don't know who's responsible for this, but I'd like to!

Previous three photos showed art by: TNB, 156, KD, RMA

Crews: IWS, 6 Cents, Detour, Sacred

Previous three photos showed art by: Part, Sire, Ms. Bles, MTR, Shiro, Prisco

What is this, the outside of one of those hilariously shitty 'scary' rides at a second rate carnival?

Breakfast Club art by: Dvate, Ethix, Demer Dabs & Myla

Crews: MSG (see link from before) and OM

Middle piece by DZ (deceased, from NJ)

Top piece by CMYK
Middle piece by TPA
Bottom piece by CMYK

Top piece by Mynor
Middle piece by BAD Inc
Bottom piece by TD4 (see link above) and AK

Top piece by iFone
Middle piece by Part TDS

Bottom piece by Wallnuts

Crew: Fat Poo. How clever.

Must be the brother of the evil drug skeleton on the back of the Honkey Lips Hearse

Crew: NSA

Ok, I got too lazy to find the artist info for every goddamn photo. I didn't realize what a monster I had created until I look at the clock and it's two hours after I first uploaded the photos! If you want to know who painted a piece, click on the picture and look for yourself!