HAPPY NEW YEAR

and a stellar New Year to all…

"ABOMINABLE SNOW YETIS ETC.) NYC.

Last week, I went out looking for some samples of seasonal store window displays and came up with these two...

Uptown at Saks 5th Ave, I came across an array of animatronic figures featuring an abominable snow Yeti who has travelled from Siberia to NYC. ...(and why not?)

and downtown, one of my favorites for clever windows, Fishes Eddy, purveyors of    glassware on lower Broadway.

                 

                                                   all photos ©Ken Brown

the "BROOKLYN BOULEVARDIER"

something for a sloshy Monday morning in December..the "Brooklyn boulevardier" .

"5 POINTZ"

This small selection of photos represent a tiny fraction of the aerosol artistry that once covered the block long former warehouse and "graffiti mecca" known as "5 Pointz" in Long Island City. In a long standing legal tussle between artists and owners (who once sanctioned the endeavor), the art covered walls were whitewashed in the middle of the night on November 19th. Of course, all graffiti is ephemeral, but this full tilt assault on a beloved art institution was insulting and heart breaking for everyone. 

I know that part of the contract we make with this town is that change is constant but I am really saddened that the change here represents the latest volley in a long march of the condos and the soul sucking sound of homogenization.  

Meanwhile, big thanks to the curator of the walls, Jonathan Cohen, and to the many talented artists who contributed to this amazingly vital international art attraction and kept it going since 2002.  It is a big loss for us all.

November 5th 2013, just before this wall and the rest of the block was whitewashed in the middle of the night.

all photos ©Ken Brown

"T-DAY BEST"

all the best T-day wishes on our favorite food-centric holiday…

all photos ©Ken Brown

"POETIC POSTER DECAY"

In the all too brief life cycle of city posters, the late stages often have a certain poetic decline…

all photos ©Ken Brown

"SOLO MOMENTS" IN A BUSY CITY

Solo moments in a busy city…

all photos ©Ken Brown

"THEY WALK AMONG US" - MASK CITY

Like most of us, I love Halloween, and, like many of us, I have been taking photographs of this classic ritual for quite some time. For many years I would go down to the staging area for the Halloween parade in Greenwich Village.  At some point I realized my favorite photos were of costumed people out of context on the side streets or subways or buying beer in a bodega.  Recently, I found a batch of vintage masks that I had purchased years ago.  With the help of some friends, I decided to recreate some of those out of context moments…   

Happy Halloween!

all photos ©Ken Brown