More than 50 multicolored murals have transformed a swath of buildings into a vast outdoor gallery known as the BUSHWICK COLLECTIVE. The accidental curator of the Collective is Joseph Ficalora, a native of this Brooklyn town. Up until the last fifteen years, Bushwick had been an area of high crime and blight. In fact, it was the devastating murder of Joseph’s father back in 1991 that prompted his son to take positive action and initiative.
In 2013 Joseph decided the best way to heal from this tragedy and support his still-beloved neighborhood was through a transformative Graffiti and Street Art project. Once he started googling key words related to this art form, his role as a steward of outdoor art began. He reached out to artist from around the globe, asking them to contribute their talents to the canvases that are the industrial and residential buildings of Bushwick. There are few rules: nothing offensive to children, women and the local buisnesses. Themes are varied and range from cartoon figures, to stark black and white imagery to subtle and not so subtle takes on the current social and political situation. None of the street art is permanent and stays around for 12 months or so at the most. It is truly a wonder to behold!
The area is now wonderfully diverse and home to some great eateries so do support local commerce while your in town. Two of my favorite spots to grab a bite are:
~ ROBERTA’S PIZZA, 261 Moore Street http://robertaspizza.com
~SEA WOLF, 19 Wycoff Ave. http://seawolfbk.com
HOW TO GET TO THE BUSHWICK COLLECTIVE: Take the “L” train to the Jefferson ave. stop. As soon as you get out of the subway you will see the murals. I walk one block to Troutman and Wycoff Streets and start meandering from there.