Have you ever walked around in Lower Manhattan and noticed a trail of paint on the sidewalk?
About 3 years ago, one of my friends in school decided to follow the trail around and noticed that the trail produced the image that you see above; a strange-looking rendering of what appeared to be the word “momo.” MOMO, we found out, was the name of an artist that used to be based in NYC, and sure enough, the one responsible for tagging his name across the width of Manhattan.
After requesting a meetup, MOMO told my friend that he accomplished this task by fixing 5 gallon paint buckets to the back of his bike, poking a hole in the bottom of the containers, and riding though the West Village, SoHo, Greenwich Village, East Village, and Alphabet City. Momo made the tag in 2006. Some parts of the line have been covered up by roadwork and redone sidewalks but most of the line is still visible.
To me, the interesting thing about the line is how both similar and different it is to regular graffiti. Essentially, most graffiti writers enjoy seeing their name on thing. The bigger they can paint it and the more visible their tag is, the more people will notice their conquering of the city. MOMO created the largest tag in New York, yet the scale of his work here, so massive that it can’t all be viewed at once, means that thousands of people will walk on it each day and never even notice it. It’s simultaneously the biggest and smallest artistic statement I have seen in my time here.
MOMO made a video about the line which you can see here.
If you ever walk over it, now you’ll know what you’re looking at.
Westward view of 53rd St from the Gannett Media offices- you an spot the Peninsula Hotel in the right with the red umbrellas
“As a citizen, and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable.” —
President Obama (via brooklynmutt)
Alternate news lede: “Millions of Americans committed to the First Amendment lost money Friday after President Obama foiled their bets that he’d continue flying under the radar and never speak out against the bigotry directed toward the proposed Islamic center in lower Manhattan.” (via savingpaper)
I didn’t live here in 2001, but I think the political opportunism being demonstrated by both left and right wing figures and the incredible phobic response from a number of people in the country over this community center is despicable, saddening and far more of a threat to American ideals than any mosque in lower Manhattan.
The view from my desk in our new apartment- from foreground to background, you see the following: my computer, my balcony, Brooklyn and the Manhattan skyline
Eleven Times Square (from 8th Ave)- just finished construction recently.
Personnel entrance near the NW platform of the Lexington Ave / 59th St station
Court Square in Long Island City
US Soccer match under the Manhattan Bridge
Duff beer at the Gowanus Beer Garden- Brooklyn
Uptown view of Broadway and 5th Ave from the tip of the Flatiron Building
