Art with a Message in Long Island City

A couple of years ago I wrote about a great art installation in Long Island City called the Top to Bottom Mural Project. For that project, dozens of street artists painted a variety of murals on all four sides of a three-story building. This spring, a new art installation appeared on the same building, covering the original murals. This project is a bit of a mystery. I’ve done some research, but I haven’t yet figured out who has painted it. It looks like the work of one artist or group of artists working together on a single concept. The murals appear to portray refugees from different geographic places and different eras. It’s a powerful work of art – there’s something different to see everywhere you look. Some are in color, while others are in black and white. The figures are woven throughout spans of glass windows. Some are small, no more than a single story in height. Others are as tall as the building.

Anything I might say about these murals is not nearly as effective as they are, so let me get to the photos. I’ve chosen a variety of shots to give you a sense of the project’s magnitude and impact, but there’s even more to see if you go there in person.

If you want to see these amazing murals for yourself, the building is located at 43-01 21st Street in Long Island City. If traveling by subway, the closest subway stations are the F train’s 21st Street/Queensbridge station and the E, G, and 7 trains’ Court Square Station. (The M stops at Court Square on weekdays, but not on the weekend.) If I ever figure out who the artist is, I will update the post later. Note: If you wish to take photos of the murals, I recommend going on a cloudy day. The sun casts shadows on the murals that make photography challenging!

Socrates Sculpture Park: Nari Ward Exhibition

We’ve visited the Socrates Sculpture Park before, quite some time ago (you can find that post here), but I kept seeing photos of the summer exhibition on social media and had to get there before it ended. For the first time in its history, the park hosted an exhibition featuring a single artist, Nari Ward. Ward was born in Jamaica but currently makes his home in New York City. The exhibition, titled Nari Ward: G.O.A.T., again, was both challenging and intriguing.

One of the things that makes this exhibition unique is that the art was created on site. As visitors roamed around the park, the most common features of the exhibition were the concrete goats. The park’s website contains this explanation of the exhibition’s name and the artist’s use of goats to convey his message:

Nari Ward: G.O.A.T., again examines how hubris creates misplaced expectations in American cultural politics. … G.O.A.T. is an acronym for Greatest of All Time, a phrase commonly used in American sports, made famous by Muhammad Ali, and in hip-hop, most notably, as the title of Queens native LL Cool J’s best-selling album. The title alludes to the African-American experience and political theater – common themes in Ward’s work.

The figure of the goat features prominently in Nari Ward: G.O.A.T., again as the artist’s articulation of social dynamics, conjuring the animal’s attributes and symbolic connotations, from an ambitious climber of great heights to an outcast. A flock of goats cast from lawn ornaments traverse the landscape, both in groups and as solitary individuals, manifesting the show’s title. The appropriation of the word goat, turning an insult into a moniker for excellence, demonstrates the power of wordplay, while the modifier again implies historical repetition. Scapegoat, a forty-foot long hobby toy further develops the goat metaphor and highlights another strand of the show: the satirization of virility, masculinity, and monument.

Intrigued about these goats? Here are some photos of the exhibition. It had rained heavily the day before our visit, hence the puddles, but there were plenty of dry spots to walk on.

The exhibition also included a piece titled, “Apollo/Poll.” Here’s a description of the piece from the park’s website, as well as a photo of what it looked like.

The visual anchor of the show is Apollo/Poll, a towering sign that reads ‘APOLLO’, the letters ‘A’ and ‘O’ blinking on and off to spell out “POLL.” The red LED-lit letters echo that of the iconic neon beacon hanging over Harlem’s Apollo Theater, a renowned venue for African American musicians and entertainers. Ward imagines the sign as a reflection on the enterprise and art of self-promotion, performance, originality, and the meaning of communal acceptance.

But the Nari Ward exhibition was not the only thing I found in the park. There were also these examples of community art projects, although I couldn’t find specific explanations of them.

And there was also this discovery, a free mini-library. Visitors were invited to take a book or leave a book at the site.

This exhibition has now ended, but another great exhibition has recently opened. If you’d like to visit the park, you can find directions here on the park’s website.

ICONYC Brewing Company

 

I recently stumbled upon a new microbrewery in Astoria, Queens, and I must say that this one immediately became one of my favorites. Named ICONYC Brewing Company, it’s owned by three friends who grew up together in the nearby neighborhood. The beer is brewed down the street, but there’s a tasting room on 34th Avenue.

First, let’s talk about the tasting room itself. It isn’t particularly large, but it’s comfortable and the tap wall is creative and fun. There’s a nice bar, and bar-level seating continues across the front of the space as well, allowing visitors to watch the world pass by outside. It’s a great place to hang out with friends.

Now for the beer.

We chose to order samplers, which allowed us to each choose 4 beers (5 ounces each) to sample. Kristy chose Uptown Haze (described as a “juicy, hazy, New England IPA”), Resonance (“rotating hop IPA, dry hopped with vic secret”), Never Settle (“white IPA, brewed with Moteuka and Centenial hops”), and a bottle pour – High Ryse (“rye saison fermented with Brett and Saison yeasts”). I went in a different direction: Steamline Lager (“California Common-style lager with 5 different specialty malts”), Spaaz (“Kolsch dry hopped with Spatz and Saaz”), Witbier (“tradition Belgian wheat beer), and the Sour Cherry Stout (“stout aged on sour cherries”). (Note: Two of my glasses are larger because they temporarily ran out of the tasting glasses – I’m not complaining.)

All of the beers were delicious – and it’s rare to say that when tasting such a variety of beers. The brewery is turning out high quality beers, and there’s something to please pretty much any beer lover’s preferences. (Not tasted this time: a grapefruit sour; a saison brewed with hibiscus, rose hips, and lemon grass; a cucumber saison; and a dry-hopped blonde ale.) In fact, ICONYC was so good that we returned the following weekend, and this time I ordered a full glass of my favorite, the Sour Cherry Stout. It has the coffee and chocolate notes of a traditional stout without being too heavy. The sour cherry hints are subtle, but somehow give the beer a hint of freshness. It’s so good that it will be my beer of choice any time I can find it.

ICONYC doesn’t have a kitchen, but they offer takeout menus for nearby restaurants. As a result, we discovered Homemade Taqueria next door. Their tacos, made with fresh corn tortillas, were absolutely delicious. We’ve been talking about them ever since and plan to make another visit soon.

Want to visit the ICONYC Brewing Company’s taproom and taste their beer? They are located at 45-13 34th Avenue in Astoria. If taking the subway, take the R train to the 46th Street station. Walk one block south/southwest down 46th Avenue to 34 Street and then turn right. The tasting room is only a short distance away.

A Farm in the City: Queens County Farm Museum

One thing people usually don’t expect to find in New York City is a farm, but there are a number of urban farms. Most of the urban farms have been founded recently and are located in unique locations – small greenspaces, even rooftops. Those gardens are creative in addressing the farming challenges of a major city, but there’s still one farm, surrounded by the city, that carries on farming in the traditional way: the Queens County Farm Museum.

The farm’s website contains the following description of the Queens County Farm Museum:

Queens County Farm Museum’s history dates back to 1697; it occupies New York City’s largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland. The farm encompasses a 47-acre parcel that is the longest continuously farmed site in New York State. The site includes historic farm buildings, a greenhouse complex, livestock, farm vehicles and implements, planting fields, an orchard and herb garden.

We visited the museum on a Spring day when not too many people were around. It was as if we had left the city entirely and traveled somewhere in rural upstate New York.

As visitors enter the farm property, one of the first buildings they come to is the Adriance Farmhouse.

The earliest parts of the farmhouse date back to 1772, although it was added onto in the 19th century. The farmhouse now has New York City landmark status.

Across the way, there’s a small shop where you can get a coffee or purchase seeds, eggs, fresh produce, or other farm-related gifts.

Let’s see what else may be discovered on a stroll around the farm. Certainly some things we might expect to see on a farm – but not so common in New York City!

There was some unusual excitement on the farm while we were there – filming for a television cooking show! (From the look of things, this appears to be for the Food Network show Chopped – one of their grilling competitions.) We didn’t get to see any of the famous judges, but we did spy the set. This photo also demonstrates that the city isn’t too far away, as evidenced by the high rise buildings in the background.

Want to visit the Queens County Farm Museum? It’s located at 73-50 Littleneck Parkway, in Floral Park. The website contains directions for traveling by car or public transportation here. As a bonus, the farm is free except for a small number of special events dates.

Views of New York City on a Foggy Night

My first Finding NYC blog post, more than one and a half years ago, showed some of my favorite photos of the New York City skyline. (You can find that post here.) One of the best views of Manhattan is from Gantry Plaza State Park, along the East River in Long Island City, Queens. The park is a wonderful place to watch the sun set over the city, and the city lights at night can be magical.

Last night we went to a restaurant not far from the waterfront, and afterwards we walked down to the park to view the city. The clouds were coming in, and fog was descending. It certainly was a different view than usual! Still, even without being able to see the skyline, the city was beautiful. Would you have guessed that this is New York City?

This was definitely not the night to use the viewers – as demonstrated by my wife! Regardless, we had fun. And on a night like this, we had the park to ourselves.

The fog was not so thick that we didn’t spy the Queensboro Bridge in the distance. This is one bridge that looks better at night, when the bridge’s structure is less visible.

There are always the views of Long Island City and the gantry cranes – the fog had not obscured them yet.

Or how about this view of the Hunter’s Point Library construction site, with its unique architectural design by architect Steven Holl? I can’t wait to see the library once it’s finished!

Here’s another close-up view. Doesn’t it look intriguing?

Finally, a photo of the vintage Pepsi sign. Even with some of the neon tubes unlit, the sign still glows brightly in the dark.

(If you want to visit Gantry Plaza State Park yourself, the directions are found here, in my earlier Manhattan skyline post.)

Celebrating the Lunar New Year in Flushing, Queens

New York City has the largest Asian-American population in the United States (at latest count approximately 12% of the city’s 8 million residents), so it’s unsurprising that the city is host to numerous Lunar New Year events. Most tourists attend Lunar New Year events in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood, but other boroughs also hold Lunar New Year parades and other celebrations. This year, I decided to watch the Lunar New Year parade in Flushing, Queens. Over half of the Asian-American population lives in the borough of Queens, and Flushing is home to a second Chinatown.

The parade may not be quite so grand as the one in Manhattan, but it was a wonderful celebration of the community. My favorite things in the parade were the brightly colored dragons – they always drew cheers from the crowds as well.

There were also some child-sized dragons. See what I saw inside the dragon’s head?

Here are some of the marchers in the parade, dressed in various traditional costumes.

On a serious note, there was also this brightly decorated car, accompanied by people carrying signs about domestic violence. They were marching with a community organization that provides support for victims of domestic violence.

Finally, there were plenty of people in various stuffed costumes, from a character from a cartoon to buddhas – and let’s not forget the roosters, as this year is the year of the rooster!

Want to explore Flushing’s Chinatown for yourself? Take the 7 train all the way to the end of the line, to the Flushing-Main Street station. When you come above ground, you will be in the midst of Chinatown.

Welling Court Mural Project 2016

Artists: Mike Makatron (@mike.makatron) and Dirt Worship (@dirt_worship)

Street art, by definition, is temporary. Something left exposed to the elements will deteriorate over time, obscuring once clean lines and dulling once vibrant colors. When you come across murals you love, it can be sad to see them fade as the seasons pass. But that reality is made better by another aspect of street art – what is old will soon be replaced by something new, and your process of artistic discovery begins again.

Artists: Chris Stain (@chrisstain1972) and Billy Mode (@billymode)

Such is the case with the Welling Court Mural Project, in Astoria, Queens. In January, I wrote this post about the murals at Welling Court. Most of the murals featured in that earlier post were painted in June 2015. In the past several weeks, Welling Court has become been renewed once again, as artists from around the world descended on the neighborhood to repaint most of the area’s many murals. (I’ve never counted, but I’ve seen estimates that Welling Court has as many as 150 murals!)

Artist: Fumero (@fumeroism)

Wanting to catch as many artists in action as possible, I made multiple trips to Welling Court in June. And I was in luck! The Welling Court Mural Project hosted its annual block party on June 12, and many artists were painting in the week prior to and after the block party. I returned to the neighborhood again several days later to capture photos of the finished murals as well.

Artists: Chris Soria (@chrissoria), Joel Artista (@joelartista), and Marc Evan (@marcmaniac)

Artists: Chris Soria (@chrissoria), Joel Artista (@joelartista), and Marc Evan (@marcmaniac)

Artists: Chris Soria (@chrissoria), Joel Artista (@joelartista), and Marc Evan (@marcmaniac)

Artist: KIDLEW (@kidlewnyc)

Artist: KIDLEW (@kidlewnyc)

Artist: KIDLEW (@kidlewnyc)

Artist: Sonni (@sonni)

Artist: Sonni (@sonni)

Artist: Jules Muck (@muckrock)

Artist: Jules Muck (@muckrock)

Artist: See One (@seeoneart)

Artist: See One (@seeoneart)

Part of what makes the Welling Court Mural Project so interesting is that you never know what you will see next. The neighborhood has streets that come together at odd angles, and as you turn the corner and look down the next block there may be another four, six, or even more murals. Don’t forget to look up – sometimes there are smaller pieces high above the streets. Glance into alleys and small parking lots; check the sides of buildings as well. Your diligence will be rewarded with artwork a less discerning eye will not discover.

Artist: drsc0 (@drsc0)

Artist: SacSix (@sacsix)

Artist: unknown (will update if I determine identity)

A wide variety of artistic styles and genres are represented at Welling Court. Some work seems more like fine art, while other pieces draw on the gritty, graffiti-inspired form that traces its roots to New York City’s street scene of the 1970s and 1980s. Most artists create their murals using spray paint and exterior house paint, but there are some fine examples of wheatpaste (artwork painted on heavy paper and adhered to the walls with a flour-based glue), ceramic tiles, and other media as well.

Artists: Christ RWK (@chrirwk and @robotswillkill) and Herb Smith (@herb_smith)

Artists: Icy and Sot (@icyandsot)

Artist: Mastro (@mastronyc)

Artist: Chris “Daze” Ellis (@dazeworldnyc)

Artist: lmnopi (@lmnopi)

Artists: Katie Yamasaki (@katieyamasaki) and Caleb Neelon (@calebneelonart)

Artist: Lady Pink (@ladypinknyc)

If you wish to explore the Welling Court Mural Project, you can take the N or Q train to the 30th Avenue Station in Astoria, Queens. From the train station, walk northwest on 30th Avenue (the cross streets will get smaller as you go). When you have walked about 10 minutes, you will start seeing murals. The more you walk around the neighborhood, the more murals you will discover!

(I have so many more photos than what I’ve included in this blog – I will be adding them to my Instagram gallery (@findingnyc1) as I have time, so be sure to check it out if you are interested in street art.

Movable Sculpture: “Lunchtime on a Skyscraper”

New York City is full of amazing public art, but Sergio Furnari’s sculpture, “Lunchtime on a Skyscraper – A Tribute to America’s Heros,” is truly unique. Furnari is a master craftsman who creates sculptures and artistic custom tile work. In creating “Lunchtime on a Skyscraper,” Furnari drew inspiration from an iconic 1932 photo of construction workers taking a lunch break on a high-up beam during the construction of one of the buildings at Rockefeller Center.

The sculpture has its own unique history. Furnari, an immigrant to New York City from Italy, finished it just after 9/11. The sculpture really resonated with the workers doing the clean up at the World Trade Center site. The sculpture spent 5 months at a temporary location near the site before going on a nationwide tour. Because the sculpture is mounted on a truck, it can be moved around. I’ve seen it multiple times near Furnari’s studio in Long Island City, Queens, near 10th Street/Vernon Blvd. and 45th Avenue. Every time I see it, I’m struck again by Furnari’s ability to portray these working class men in such a realistic way.

If you are traveling by subway, the closest subway station to this location is the Court Square station. If you head to Long Island City to visit one of the microbreweries (I’ve talked about them previously here, here, here, and here) or to see some of the community’s street art (see my post here), you should keep an eye out for this sculpture as well – finding it is always a special treat!

LIC Beer Project

There are 4 microbreweries in Long Island City, across the East River from Manhattan – they make for a nice walking tour, if the weather is nice. We’ve previously explored 3: Transmitter Brewing, Rockaway Brewing Company, and Big Alice Brewing. Today, I’m going to introduce you to the fourth and final one: LIC Beer Project.

Located on the opposite side of the Queensborough Bridge from the other microbreweries, LIC Beer Project offers a taproom and brewery space that is architecturally interesting.There’s a small bar area and a few high tables with bar stool seating, as well as a large area where visitors were playing a beanbag game called “cornhole.” You can also check out the brewing area.

Unlike the other microbreweries in Long Island City, visitors currently cannot order tasting flights at LIC Beer Project, but they do offer full glasses of beer. On the day that we visited, the taproom offered 6 LIC beers as well as 2 guest taps. I tried a Belgian-style stout called Evening’s Empire, which was very good.

LIC Beer Project is located at 39-28 23rd Street in Long Island City. The closest subway station is approximately three blocks away – take the F train to the 21st Street – Queensbridge station. Make sure that you check the brewery’s website before you go, as it is only open for limited hours.

Tasting Unique Brews at Big Alice Brewing

Wanting to try some of New York City’s most unique (and delicious) beers? If so, you should head to Big Alice Brewing in Long Island City, Queens. Located just across the East River from Manhattan, it’s not too far to travel from anywhere in the city. Big Alice gets its name from the Big Allis electric power generator, also located in Long Island City. The founders of Big Alice changed the spelling to incorporate the initials for Long Island City: aLICe!

The brewery and taproom are located in a neighborhood with a distinct industrial feel – it’s situated in a brick building with an understated entrance. As you can see from the photo below, some people actually bike to the brewery. But it’s only a short walk from the subway as well.

Inside, the taproom is cozy yet comfortable. In addition to the area near the taps, there is another seating area near the brew tanks. That’s one of the things I love about visiting microbreweries like Big Alice – I have the opportunity to see where the beers are brewed as well.

At Big Alice, you can choose a tasting flight (either 4 or 6 beers), or you can purchase beers individually by the glass. One of the benefits of visiting a place like Big Alice with a friend – you can try more beers if you share them! We started with a 6-beer tasting flight and then ordered a few more samples as well.

During our visit we tried the following beers:

• Peppermint Stout
• LIC Native White Stout
• Galena Single Hop Blended Sour
• Jalepeño Rye
• Gunpowder Tea Rye Ale
• Sour One with Kiwi Cask
• Sweet Potato Farmhouse Ale
• “Date Night, Bro? (coffee and doughnut stout)

Everything was delicious! Among our favorites: the Sour One with Kiwi was a truly excellent sour ale, for those who love sours. And the Jalepeño Rye, which always gets positive reviews online, was also really good (much better than I had expected, actually!). I enjoyed the Sweet Potato Farmhouse Ale, and surprisingly – that coffee and doughnut stout! And yes, it really was brewed with doughnuts! It looked a bit like chocolate milk, but it tasted like a seriously tasty stout. The bitterness of the coffee balanced the sweetness of the doughnuts. There actually wasn’t a beer that we regretted tasting, a rare feat for any beer tasting.

Big Alice constantly adds to beers to their repertoire, so you may not find every one of these beers on tap when you visit. But, based upon our experience tasting their beers, you will not go away disappointed. And Big Alice is classified as a farm brewery, meaning that they source their ingredients from farms in New York State.

How do you get to Big Alice Brewing? It’s located at 8-08 43rd Road, between 9th Street and Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City. The closest subway station is the Court Square-23rd Street Station, where you can catch the E, 7, or G (and the M on weekdays). While you’re in the area, check out the Top to Bottom Mural Project, which is only a short walk from the brewery.