Start your stroll in Court Square, a neighborhood hub that’s visually defined by two very different pieces of architecture: the sleek, blank One Court Square, the tallest building in Queens; and 5 Pointz, a 200,000-square-foot former factory complex whose outer walls are coated with a bright patina of graffiti. It’s impossible to miss this massive outdoor gallery, monolithic and intricate, as you walk down the paint-splattered block of sidewalk on Jackson Avenue. Presided over by street artist Meres One, the facade is always changing, featuring the works of notables like Cope2, Tats Cru and many more. Keep an eye out for the edifice’s oldest piece (from 2000): artist Child’s name spelled out in lilac-colored bubble letters, visible above the loading bay. Free.
Long Island City in New York has become noteworthy for its towering new skyscrapers, 5Pointz Aerosol Art Center and new bars, but there’s also an offbeat art scene thriving in the neighborhood. Spend a day taking a walk around the boundary-pushing galleries and enjoying the Manhattan skyline.
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