DUMBO
This piece is inspired by a trip to the Arts Under the Bridge Festival in the DUMBO neighborhood on the Brooklyn side. A cool area of New York between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges that consists of old loft buildings from the mid 19th century to the early 20th. Long abandoned by industry, it is now the home of a vibrant community of artists.
The festival is very much like the early days of Chicago's Around The Coyote, which took place in Wicker Park, Chicago's artists community. Since then, most of the artists have been replaced by creative professionals and their spaces upgraded beyond what your average painter can afford. There were lots of open studios, group shows and music.
Like Wicker Park, the hip are following the artists in DUMBO. New condos are being built and Nike wants to build a Town there. It won't be long before no mortal can afford to live there.
42"X28" | OIL ON CANVAS | 2003