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Polaroid of the Week: Captivating Street Art in Spanish Harlem

Polaroid of the Week: Captivating Street Art in Spanish HarlemNew York City's street art scene thrives despite its unofficial status, with commissioned murals transforming neighborhoods like Bushwick and Williamsburg. Iconic artists such as Belgium's ROA, Britain's Banksy, and Brazil's Os Gemeos have left their mark across the five boroughs.

The ever-evolving nature of NYC street art keeps walls fresh and inspiring. This fall brought exciting additions: French artist Invader's recent mosaics and the MonumentArt project, where international artists adorned school walls in East Harlem and the South Bronx with massive murals.

These developments prompted an exploration of Spanish Harlem's vibrant scene, long on my must-visit list. Using a map of new mural locations, a street art walk revealed stunning works from the MonumentArt project, including pieces by favorite artist Faith47 (one of the few prominent women in the field), a portrait of Nicholasa Mohr, and a striking new ROA mural. This week's Polaroid highlights Viajero's poignant boy in a paper boat—his third mural. Its precise details, thoughtful expression, and use of real newspapers evoke the harrowing journeys of child refugees attempting perilous sea crossings to Europe, as reported in summer news.

Discover these artworks yourself with this map of nearly all MonumentArt locations.


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