Blog Post #1 for Art and Society
Daniel F. Ambia
In America and especially in New York, there is art almost everywhere you look. In subway stations, on walls, on billboards and even on the sidewalk. Throughout the five boroughs artists have used a variety of cityscapes for canvases. I live in an interesting neighborhood known as Bay Ridge. Although I grew up one neighborhood away in Sunset Park, I didn't realize how lacking in artistic expression Bay Ridge actually was. Its a nice, quiet neighborhood with a lot of working class and upper-middle class residents but the only interesting art I could find were the buildings. Don't get me wrong there is creativity everywhere, and the architecture in the neighborhood is beautiful and interesting and while walking around I even considered taking a picture of a building and submitting it to the blog. But then I stumbled upon this piece of graffiti art painted on the side of my favorite coffee spot in the morning. I believe it is a stencil of the President with several additions from other neighborhood taggers. But what struck me the most was the message. I thought it was ironic that someone would put up a stencil such as this in Bay Ridge where the buildings are probably 99% clear of all graffiti. I also thought about the people I saw everyday trudging down the Avenue, walking into Bagel Boy to get coffee before going to work. I thought about how most of the neighborhood residents were blue collar workers, firemen and police officers and had probably spent the vast majority of their adult lives working forty plus hours a week. And most people you see on the train heading to work don't seem particularly happy and I even reflected on how much I fret over expenses and bills and worry if I will be able to adequately provide for my son in the future. So I chose this piece ultimately because it fit the scene and it made me stop and think for a second and reflect and I assume it does this for everyone who passes by, the solemn procession to the subway in the morning for the good ole nine to five.