Artists and designers turn security gates into street art for colourful New York project
POSTED 16 Dec 2015 . BY Kim Megson
The 100 Gates project aims to beautify the neighbourhood Credit: Nina Loschiavo
Street artists and New York businesses have joined forces to beautify the city’s Lower East Side using one simple tool: spray paint.
One hundred metal storefront security gates in the Manhattan neighbourhood have become city-sanctioned canvasses for a carefully selected group of graffiti artists, illustrators, graphic designers and abstract painters – including rising stars Shantell Martin, Faust and Mr Stash.
The creators have each been partnered with a local business to develop a unique, site-specific mural for the gates. The only stipulations? No politics, no religion and no nudity.
The project, aptly named 100 Gates, is the brainchild of artist and skater Billy Rohan, who partnered with the New York non-profit Lower East Side Business Improvement District in mid-2014.
A grant of US$30,000 (€27,500, £20,000) was secured in January to pay the artists and fund materials, and 85 gates have been transformed since then. The remaining 15 are set to follow in early 2016.
“It’s been a dream project and has brightened lives in the neighbourhood, no question,” said one of the project’s leaders, Natalie Raben, in an exclusive interview with CLAD.
“It’s all about beautification, creation and community. It’s been a lot of fun to see how the collaborations have panned out. Really, it’s the perfect poster child for a public art programme.”
Raben added that the project could be easily replicated elsewhere: “We hope we’ve created a platform to take this to the next level. In a way it’s been a pilot project, and if funding can be found, it could absolutely spread to other neighbourhoods like East Village and beyond.”
Local artists been partnered with businesses to develop unique, site-specific murals for their security gates Credit: Nina Loschiavo
$30,000 in funding was raised to buy materials and pay the artists Credit: Nina Loschiavo
Art works were created by graffiti artists, illustrators, graphic designers and abstract painters Credit: Nina Loschiavo
Rising star Shantell Martin has produced work for the project Credit: Nina Loschiavo
Work began in January, and the last gate will be finished early next year Credit: Nina Loschiavo
The gates have proved popular with local residents and tourists Credit: Nina Loschiavo
85 of the gates have been completed so far Credit: Nina Loschiavo
PROJECT PROFILE: The Dryline Bjarke Ingels, in conjunction with Rebuild by Design, has laid out plans for ‘The Dryline’ –
a leisure-oriented storm barrier for New York City.
The Dryline, previously known as Big-U, has been envisaged as a continuous 10 mile (16km) stretch, acting as a protective system around Manhattan, from West 54th Street South to The Battery and up to East 40th Street.
Location: New York , United States
Size: 10 mile
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Artists and designers turn security gates into street art for colourful New York project
POSTED 16 Dec 2015 . BY Kim Megson
The 100 Gates project aims to beautify the neighbourhood Credit: Nina Loschiavo
Street artists and New York businesses have joined forces to beautify the city’s Lower East Side using one simple tool: spray paint.
One hundred metal storefront security gates in the Manhattan neighbourhood have become city-sanctioned canvasses for a carefully selected group of graffiti artists, illustrators, graphic designers and abstract painters – including rising stars Shantell Martin, Faust and Mr Stash.
The creators have each been partnered with a local business to develop a unique, site-specific mural for the gates. The only stipulations? No politics, no religion and no nudity.
The project, aptly named 100 Gates, is the brainchild of artist and skater Billy Rohan, who partnered with the New York non-profit Lower East Side Business Improvement District in mid-2014.
A grant of US$30,000 (€27,500, £20,000) was secured in January to pay the artists and fund materials, and 85 gates have been transformed since then. The remaining 15 are set to follow in early 2016.
“It’s been a dream project and has brightened lives in the neighbourhood, no question,” said one of the project’s leaders, Natalie Raben, in an exclusive interview with CLAD.
“It’s all about beautification, creation and community. It’s been a lot of fun to see how the collaborations have panned out. Really, it’s the perfect poster child for a public art programme.”
Raben added that the project could be easily replicated elsewhere: “We hope we’ve created a platform to take this to the next level. In a way it’s been a pilot project, and if funding can be found, it could absolutely spread to other neighbourhoods like East Village and beyond.”
Local artists been partnered with businesses to develop unique, site-specific murals for their security gates Credit: Nina Loschiavo
$30,000 in funding was raised to buy materials and pay the artists Credit: Nina Loschiavo
Art works were created by graffiti artists, illustrators, graphic designers and abstract painters Credit: Nina Loschiavo
Rising star Shantell Martin has produced work for the project Credit: Nina Loschiavo
Work began in January, and the last gate will be finished early next year Credit: Nina Loschiavo
The gates have proved popular with local residents and tourists Credit: Nina Loschiavo
85 of the gates have been completed so far Credit: Nina Loschiavo
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David Rockwell installation dazzles New York with cascading LED light display POSTED 07 Dec 2015. BY Kim Megson A David Rockwell-designed interactive light display in New York’s Winter Garden Atrium has
opened, kickstarting a new seasonal tradition for Lower Manhattan based on the concepts
of sharing, giving, community and light.
Tunisian village turned into open air art gallery POSTED 11 Nov 2014. BY Tom Anstey The Tunisian village of Erriadh is receiving an influx of tourists after turning the
entire community into an open air graffiti museum.
Skating to victory: Southbank Undercroft saved by boarders POSTED 22 Sep 2014. BY Katie Buckley Skateboarders in London’s South Bank Undercroft have won their 17-month
battle to keep the space under Queen Elizabeth Hall designated for
skateboarding, BMX riding, graffiti and urban activities.
Numbers from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, (ALVA) show that Royal attractions
saw a huge increase in visitor numbers during 2023 – the coronation year of King Charles III.
Off the back of the success of the first round of Everyday Heritage Grants in 2022, Historic
England is funding 56 creative projects that honour the heritage of working-class England.
Universal has revealed it will be adding new Harry Potter attractions, alongside Super Nintendo
and How to Train Your Dragon worlds to its Florida resort.
Cruise Ship Interiors (CSI) invites cruise lines, shipyards, design studios, outfitters,
and suppliers to take part in CSI Design Expo Americas in Miami, Florida, the region’s only
event dedicated to cruise ship interior design. [more...]
