Cool Hunting

If you've ever spent anytime in New York's NoLita neighborhood, you may have noticed a giant deserted-looking building on the corner of Elizabeth and Spring. The building stands out because it's covered in ever-changing street art—from good old fashioned graffiti to paper paste-ups and milk crate-based sculptures. For almost 20 years it has been a place for writers to make their mark, as the unoccupied building was left virtually untouched by buffers or paint. When the news got out earlier this year that the building was sold, it seemed like the end of an era. Instead, in a unique turn of events, it has become an opportunity for something new. Recognizing 11 Spring Street’s place in the community, the new developers of the building contacted the Wooster Collective. Together they are celebrating the building and its history by having more than 45 street and graffiti artists paint directly onto the 30,000 square-feet of interior walls space and the exterior walls—no art can be taken away. Artists, who have made the leap from the street to the galleries like Daze, Swoon, Doze Green, BAST, Che Jen (pictured above left, click either image for more detail), FAILE are doing their thing, as well as lesser-known artists like, Diego, Elisita Balbontin and Borf. Also, the Wooster Collective invited old school writers like Lady Pink, John Fekner, MUCK and Cycle to give them their props. After Sunday the walls will be covered in sheet rock, preserving the pieces underneath like a time capsule, and the art on the exterior walls power washed. See more installation images here.

Update: Our friends at Gothamist posted some great shots of the work.

Wooster on Spring
11 Spring Street New York, NY 10013 map
15-17 December 2006, 11am–5pm
On 17 December 2006 at 3pm there will be a panel discussion with many of the artists attending.

BAST

Daze