Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Owner Of Brooklyn's Broken Angel House Evicted, Block Party Friday
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 13, 2013
Modified Mar 13, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Mar 13, 2013
Modified Mar 13, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Photo by jameswolberg's flickr
Artist Arthur Wood is losing his Clinton Hill home, which he purchased in the 1970s with his late wife, and the neighborhood will send him off with a block party this Friday. The 84-year-old has been struggling to keep his unique living space—known as the Broken Angel house and highlighted in the 2005 documentary Dave Chappelle's Block Party—for years. Throughout his time there he has turned the building into a livable sculpture.
"This beautiful artistic landmark has inspired many people with it's intricate arches, stunning, gravity defying angles and it's sheer asymmetry in a landscape which is all too dull and predictable. Much of the material it was built from was sourced from the garbage and dumps of NYC."
When the structure caught fire in 2006, the Department of Buildings came snooping around and deemed it unsafe—the order to vacate led to arrests and a long foreclosure battle, and now Wood is being evicted. It's unclear what will happen to the building, but last year a failed Kickstarter aimed to turn it into a museum.
Organizers promise bands, BBQ, and plenty of art at this Friday's send-off, which will be held outside of the home at 4-8 Downing Street between 4 and 9 p.m. More details can be found here.
Tagged
arthur wood
block party
broken angel
clinton hill
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 19, 2026
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .