5 Pointz used to be a Mecca for graffiti. During my commute to the city, I would look out the window of my suspended subway car and have an overhead view of the huge mural space, located in Long Island City, Queens in New York City. It was a nice change of pace: a spot of color in the blur of city, industrial grey.
The murals, painted by artists from all over the world, were displayed on the exterior walls of the factory building, which served as studio space for artists at the time. I’ve only visited the actual site once, but I remember standing in awe at the center of it.
When I heard of the plans to demolish 5 Pointz, I knew no one would let that slide. By that point, the building had become iconic; too many people loved and respected that space.
Then one morning, I couldn’t see the spot of color anymore on my commute. I remember the feeling my heart drop. Overnight, the entire building had been painted over in white. Now, it’s entirely demolished and in it’s place, a new apartment complex is being constructed.
I visited the site recently and recorded the video below. This is what 5 Pointz looks like today.
(Audio courtesy of Bensound)
Credits:
"Deliberate Thought" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/?keywords=deliberate+thought
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
