Site Description: “We worked with Victor & Lisa of the Greetings Tour to make the Greetings from Chinatown mural project a reality. We are proud to be associated with such an iconic mural sign that serves as an entryway into Chinatown. As a Chinatown business owner, we are happy to contribute to projects like this that help strengthen our community.” — Christina Seid / Owner Of Chinatown Ice Cream Factory To The Team At ‘Greetings Tour’ The “Greetings from Chinatown” mural was painted in 2014 by Lisa Beggs and Victor Ving. It’s an iconic mural standing at 10 feet by 50 feet in the heart of Chinatown. Right by a busy interstate bus stop, tourists, travelers, and locals alike stop and admire this work of art. A quote from the ‘Greetings Tour’ team said, “A lot of the Chinese locals could relate to the imagery so they stopped and quietly watched the progress of the mural every day.”

The mural itself is on a gray, monochromatic background that plays into the color of the city’s gray tones and it adds an aspect of abstraction to the overall image as well. One of the artists said, “Due to the rich history of graffiti on this wall, we wanted to play on the look of the city’s buff becoming abstract art itself.” The artists contrasted the background with the vibrant colors of the lettering from “lucky red” that represents Chinese culture to the green of the street sign painted in the letter “O.” The symbolism of each image within the letters are attractions or bits of history Chinatown is known for. For example, it includes the Maneki Neko (the waving cat) that is seen in almost every storefront in Chinatown. This small detail plays such a big role in the overall environment of Chinatown along with other symbolisms seen throughout the artwork. Some other details include trucks covered in graffiti, which is a staple in Chinatown with the non-stop inventory being brought to restaurants and stores, almost always these trucks are covered with some sort of graffiti, once again playing a big role in the overall environment. The official ‘Letter Guide’ from the Greeting Tour site: C - Maneki-neko cat, H - Manhattan Bridge, I - Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, N - F train and some trash (of course), A - Box truck/ tribute to Jade BTM, T - Tsingtao Beer, O - Bootleg Louis Vuitton on Canal St., W - Fung Wah Bus (on fire), N - Nom Wah Dim Sum Parlor

Among many of the other public displays of art across Chinatown, this mural is an example of street art. The message alone is what draws people’s attention and is enough to represent Chinatown. It brought together a community for its creation and still brings the community together. QUESTIONS: The “Greetings from Chinatown” mural raises interesting questions about the tensions between graffiti and street art. What do you think about this? ACTIVITIES: If you just so happen to be in Chinatown, whether that be you’re passing by as a local or a tourist, take the time to take it in. Listen to the sounds of conversations meddling into the sounds of cars, the constant stream of Mandarin to Cantonese being shouted around. Go to the local spots, the small, dimly-lit restaurants that serve the best food most locals swear to. Some restaurants that are a personal favorite are Thai Son, Ming Wong, Wo Hop, just to name a few.

Elevated at 30 feet in the air, the High Line is a staple in the tourist experience nowadays. It wasn’t always this pretty though. From the mid-1930s through 1980 the High Line used to serve as a rail line known as the “West Side Elevated Line.” Used bythe Western Electric factory, this line transported products needed by the facility. However, after World War II, when transporting switched over to trucks, it soon became abandoned and greenery took over the tracks. A quote from the “History of New York City” blog said, “Overrun and unmaintained, the High Line was seen by many as a nuisance and a structure meant for demolition multiple times over.” In 1999, the Friends of the High Line was founded and hosted an ideas competition to to reimagine how the trainline might be used as a park. This generated excitement. In 2009 the first section of the High Line was open to the public. Final sections were completed in 2019 and 2023. Today the whole park is a continuous greenway of approximately 1.5 miles.

This unique piece of architecture can be considered as a public art space itself. Preserved by member of the community for the community, the High Line demonstrates what’s possible in the ever evolving New York City. A defunct railway line turned into a space for art, food vendors, and tourists, it brought together a community of people for the creation and it is still used as a collaborative space with different artists showcasing their works. It also serves as a path in the city to admire different views from the Hudson River to the busy streets of the city. QUESTIONS: Who do you think this revitalization project was for? Which community did the developers have in mind, the tourists or the locals? Or both? Critics of the High Line argue that it contributes to the gentrification in the Chelsea area, what do you think? ACTIVITES: Take a stroll through the High Line, walk down the path and have a nice picnic by West 23rd Street, the only lawn area on the High Line. Enjoy the surroundings, the good weather, some food, hopefully, and the giant mural, “I Lift My Lamp Beside the Golden Door,” by Dorothy Lannone.

“At Groundswell, racial justice is central to what we set out to do in our work. Groundswell amplifies the voices of young people of color, and artists of color, through public art to reflect the brilliance of communities of color. We believe that through the power of expression and art making young people of color discover their agency to affect change in their lives and communities.” — The Groundswell Team

“By elevating youth vision, voice, and community collaboration, we aim to develop the next generation of changemakers,” is the official Groundswell vision statement. “We Are, I Am,” is a large mural spanning the side of an apartment complex at the corner of Rockaway Boulevard and Dumont Avenue in Brownsville, Brooklyn. With the help of two Brooklyn based non-profits who strive for social changes and crime prevention, Brownsville Community Justice Center (BCJC) and L+M Development Partners, Groundswell created this colorful artwork. Casey Angelo, associate director of programs for Groundswell, told Brooklyn Paper, “the installation reflects the organization’s commitment to promoting social justice through youth, art and community.” The lead professional artists guiding the creation of this mural, Yolande Delius and Eric Miles, brought together the local community. As a group they attended weekly workshops to explore the history of public art, asked questions about the social issues that are affecting the community, and sought out feedback about their perspective in the design. From this they were able to create the idea, the mural itself depicts a community coming together to demonstrate and voice the problems they are facing. A creation by the people for the people representing the locals' voices show the collaborative efforts to bring a community together. QUESTIONS: Do you have any murals near your community? Have you ever wondered who created these and what their story is? ACTIVITIES: Next time you walk past a mural, whether that be a memorial for someone or a message someone is trying to spread, do a bit of research. See who the artist was, who the work is meant for, and what the meaning behind the piece is.