5 Pointz

It’s a not-so-secret garden for the best street artists in the world.

5 Pointz – so named because it signifies the coming together of all five NYC boroughs – is ‘an outdoor exhibition space’ where street artists from around the globe come to work their magic.  (‘Outdoor exhibition space’ actually means run-down factory building walls, and bitumen, and smashed windows, and roller doors.  But whatever.)

Difference is, none of these works are necessarily created under cover of darkness, or on things that look like elephants, or with chisels and drills.  To spray or paint or tag here you not not only need a permit from the curator – Meres One himself – but you might also need to supply a sample, or even your lay out.

For a movement that has a history of running fast and loose with vandalism and crime, it’s kind of a big deal.  This is about as black-tie as it gets for street art.

You’d think there’d be more whining about 5 Pointz regimenting the street art movement, or turning it into something it’s not through that kind of formality.  Sure, some people hate on the permission wall idea.  But let’s face it – street art is commercial now, and the artists who object to this sort of thing probably don’t take it upon themselves to do that publicly.

And anyway, when old-time masters like Stay High 149 become proponents, then who cares.

5 Pointz, 45-46 Davis Street, Queens.