Results tagged “jamesdelavega”

For decades East Harlem has been the center of New York's Puerto Rican community. Over the years many Mexican and Dominican immigrants have also made East Harlem their home. Now, as the squeeze of affordable housing gets tighter and tighter in Manhattan, more middle-class professionals are moving to the neighborhood. In a tale almost as old as New York itself, the changes have long-time residents worried about the loss of community.

We've been following the career of Ellis G for about a year-- ever since he started chalking his shadow-art around Smith Street in Brooklyn. He's already gotten a fair amount of press for the shadow-outlines-- and he deserves it, because the pieces are unique and fun. Today the Times weighs with a nice bio piece:

The Times has a good article on James De La Vega, a graffiti artist who was arrested last July for painting a mural on Willis Avenue in the Bronx. De La Vega is one of the city's best known graffiti artist, thanks largely to his sidewalk chalk works. Gothamist first noticed them about six years ago. Lots of memorable quotes like "Your Thumbs Are More Important Than You Think" and "The Rich Control The Destiny Of The Poor, But An Intelligent Man Controls His Own." De La Vega also does murals, mostly in upper Manhattan near his studio on East 103rd Street. In 1999, he was arrested while doing a permission piece on the side of a supermarket in Spanish Harlem, and ended up pleading guilty before the owner could get there an back up his story. That led to a probation sentance, which created the possibility of real jail time after the Bronx arrest last year.

And on an interesting note, 90th Street has Silly Billy the Very Funny Clown, one of the city's most sought-after clowns. He's also known as David Friedman, the brother whose videotapes of his family during the 80s make up a much of Capturing the Friedmans.

Related: The Times on whether graffiti on a hat is art.