Rag & Bone, Area Gentrifier, Commissions Anti-Gentrification Mural with Clash Imagery
Here’s a mural that’ll no doubt stir the pot.
Rag & Bone, a store that replaced Cafe Colonial in 2010 and further contributed to area hyper-gentrification, just commissioned a new anti-gentrification mural for its art wall.
Street artist Dan Whedon (aka Omni NYC) borrowed imagery from the seminal Clash album London Calling in which Paul Simonon smashes his bass guitar against the stage at the Palladium during the September 1979 gig. (Pennie Smith shot the iconic photo.) “Gentrify this” is the proverbial punk statement here, yet seemingly falls flat given the choice of venue.
Whedon completed the mural over the weekend, which also includes shout-outs to CBGB and the iconic SAMO tag.
The piece is the latest in a succession of artwork Rag & Bone has curated since opening here. It’s part of the so-called “Houston/Project.” It all started with an empty tribute to Cafe Colonial in 2010 that stated, “Rag & Bone bids farewell to Cafe Colonial, a neighborhood landmark.”
Recent Stories
Chinatown Garment Industry Hanging by a Thread
Once a hub of manufacturing for the city’s garment industry, there are only a few remaining factories in Chinatown from a peak in the hundreds. The localized industry, which once employed thousands of immigrant women and men, sparked an area restaurant boom in the 1970s. Yet, began to decline in the late 1980s when manufacturers started […]
Residents Unite Against Developer Plans to Swap Park for Parking on LES Waterfront
Residents on the Lower East Side waterfront may soon lose more publicly accessible outdoor space. The developer of a new super-tall plans to reduce a children’s playground to a parking lot. As excavation work commences on Chetrit Group’s 70-story, twin-towered development at 265 South Street, tenants in the adjacent building – Lands End II – […]
Chinatown Homeless Murder Suspect Still Awaiting Trial
More than two years since the horrific murder of four homeless men in Chinatown, the suspect has yet to be held accountable for the crimes. In the early morning hours of October 5, 2019 Randy Santos stalked, then allegedly bludgeoned to death Cheun Kwok, Anthony Manson, Florencio Moran and Nazario Vasqez-Villegas while asleep on the streets. In […]
Excavation Begins for 70-Story South Street Towers
Cranes, and plywood, and pile-drivers, oh my! Such is the story down on the Lower East Side waterfront. Department of Buildings on April 12 issued official approval to the Chetrit Group to begin foundation activities for its dual 70-story tower at 265 South. A month later, the big trucks are mobilized. While excavation is now […]
For 7th Year Running, Greek Jewish Festival Returns to Broome Street this Weekend
After a more subdued outing last year, the Greek Jewish Festival this spring is on the rebound, pulling out the stops. It returns on Sunday for another go-round. Founded by Kehila Kedosha Janina on Broome Street seven years ago, the event celebrates the culture and traditions of the Greek Jewish community. Years past saw crowds […]
