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A Look Inside An Abandoned Essex Street Market Building, Where Hanksy Is Hosting A Weekend Art Show
By
Scott Lynch
Published Jun 23, 2017
Modified Jun 28, 2017
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Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist
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By
Scott Lynch
Published Jun 23, 2017
Modified Jun 28, 2017
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Hanksy, the NYC artist known for street art puns and turning an abandoned building into a four-hour art exhibition, is putting on another show this weekend with the help of a whole bunch of his talented street art friends. It's called Market Surplus, it's being held inside the abandoned 140 Essex Street (which is slated for imminent demolition), and it features a dozen massive murals from the likes of Buff Monster, Elle, Faust, NDA, BK Foxx, Owvbics, Pixel Pancho, Sonni, L'amour Supreme, and Hansky himself. From the press release:
A short-lived exhibition that brings the typically permanent world of large scale mural art inside, Market Surplus allows a historic Lower East Side building to exit in vibrant style. NYC-based artist Hanksy, with assistance from Essex Crossing, have brought together a group of artists to each create immense paintings with subtle or overt nods to the culture-heavy LES. The exhibition will be open to the public for a few short hours before the soon-to-be razed building, along with the art-filled interior, will be gone forever.
Gothamist dropped by Thursday night, and you can click through the photos above for a preview. Most of the works take their inspiration from the surrounding neighborhood. NDA's piece, for example, portrays the long-time butchers at Luis's, and BK Foxx's striking black-and-white mural shows the craggy hands of another LES old-timer. And if it seems like a lot of creative energy to be spent on art works doomed for destruction, Hanksy believes that their a lot of power and excitement in the ephemeral nature of the project. Plus it's a great way to bring people to the historic space one final time before it gets transformed by the ambitious Essex Crossing complex.
The Market Surplus exhibition with be held at 140 Essex Street from June 23rd to 25th. The opening night party is Friday, from 7 to 11 p.m. Suggested entrance fee is $10, which will be donated to the LES Girls Club. Saturday and Sunday hours are noon to 6 p.m.
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essex street market
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Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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