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Next time you're sitting in traffic on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (knock on wood), take a glance out the window and you may spot this new addition to the neighborhood.
The Atlantic Avenue BID, in collaboration with Thrive Collective and NYC DOT Art, has transformed 1.5 miles of the BQE underpass between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street. The open-air mural is one of the most ambitious street art projects in NYC right now, as seven massive works now line the streets connecting Atlantic Avenue with the Brooklyn waterfront.
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The mural features bright, colorful and eye-catching paintings of iconic NYC culture—pizza, pigeons, coffee (in a traditional bodega cup, of course), the Staten Island Ferry and a smiling cartoon version of the Statue of Liberty. Most importantly, the people of NYC and Brooklyn are heavily featured, with themes ranging from immigration and industry to biodiversity and community healing.
For the south wall, seven artists were selected by Thrive Collective to build the six art pieces and interpret the complicated past of the thoroughfare, while still celebrating the future. The pieces were each given individual titles: "Dockyards" by Will Power, "Industrious" by Vince Ballentine, "Restore" by Jodi Dareal, "Biodiverse" by Peach Tao, "Recreate" by Miki Mu, and "Reframe" by Christian Penn.
In his piece, Will Power (William Richardson Jr.) featured Brooklyn's dockworkers.
This painting honors their courage and the power of solidarity.
"In this painting, I strive to capture the indomitable spirit of the Brooklyn dockworkers at Red Hook Terminal. Their silhouettes stand resolute against the backdrop of towering cranes and vast cargo ships, symbolizing their unwavering strength and unity," he said in an artist statement. "These workers are the unsung heroes of our nation's commerce. Their labor ensures the seamless flow of goods that sustain our daily lives and drive the economy forward. This painting honors their courage and the power of solidarity, reminding us that the heartbeat of our ports—and indeed, our economy—lies in the hands of dedicated workers who stand together for justice and dignity."
The north wall, "The Avenue," by artist Marrisa Molina spotlights the power of neighborhood voices during land use changes. It also expores the architecture that was preserved as landmarks in Atlantic Avenue's historic districts, highlighting the 60-year anniversary of the NYC Landmarks Law. You can see this represented in the paintings of construction workers carrying steel beams behind Atlantic Ave road signs.
Although the BQE is a regular part of life for New Yorkers nowadays, back in the 1940s when it was first constructed by urban planner Robert Moses, the expressway was viewed as a tragic mistake. By displacing thousands of people and severing the connection between Atlantic Avenue and the waterfront, the previously pedestrian friendly street became car centric.
As long as the BQE remains a part of Brooklyn's infrastructure, its walls should be used to celebrate and honor Brooklynites.
"As long as the BQE remains a part of Brooklyn's infrastructure, its walls should be used to celebrate and honor Brooklynites, particularly those whose neighborhoods were fractured and displaced by the expressway," Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn's borough president, said in a statement.
The mural was commissioned after the Atlantic Avenue BID was awarded funding to redesign the Atlantic Avenue BQE Underpass via a $60,000 Public Realm Grant from the NYC Department of Small Business Services.
Officials have also upgraded the pedestrian lighting in the area—so you can take a stroll and experience these powerful works of art even as the sun sets.