A Brooklyn mural got knocked down, but it got up again.
The exhibit, depicting local artists in Gowanus, was destroyed by an unknown vandal or vandals Thursday. Hours later, it was rebuilt by a group of artists, locals and even total strangers.
Johnny Thornton, the executive director of Arts Gowanus, the nonprofit group behind the mural, said it had just been installed after days of work in intense heat. He said his group was in the middle of a meeting when a team member walked around the corner and saw the mural destroyed, with panels ripped off.
“There was shock, anger and some tears from everyone involved,” he said, noting that they hadn’t even had time to document their effort.
But then, he said, the mood “quickly changed into joy” as construction workers, local business owners, and even folks who happened to be passing by, came together to help the artists fix the mural.
“It was up in less than two hours,” he said, adding that the mural is a bit damaged.
“Seeing it up again was a huge morale boost for everyone who had spent their time and effort making this project happen,” said Thornton.
The mural covers a green wooden fence surrounding a construction site at Nevins St. and Union St in Gowanus, which will be the site of a development with two residential towers known as 300 Nevins.
Thornton said that the murals are being used to decorate the construction fences “as a way of highlighting the local arts community.”
In an emailed statement, the team behind 300 Nevins, Sam Charney of Charney Companies and Nicholas Silvers of Tavros, said they were “shocked and saddened to learn of the destruction of the mural at the site of 300 Nevins,” but said they applauded Arts Gowanus for their “amazing work in quickly repairing the damage. The mural is now once-again intact for the community of Gowanus to appreciate and enjoy.”
Arts Gowanus is a not-for-profit organization that supports local artists. Their mural project is also part of City Canvas, a pilot initiative from the city’s department of cultural affairs, that aims to improve the pedestrian experience by transforming temporary protective structures into art displays, while giving cultural organizations the opportunity to present their artists and work.
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