Having been assigned SoHo, I had an idea of what I would be walking into. I was even excited to an extent, even though I knew this wasn’t a shopping spree but rather a scholarly project in hunt of the neighborhood’s art.  I never visited SoHo before, so I was obviously creating images and an atmosphere of the neighborhood in my head. The area would be loaded with tons of unaffordable shopping centers, with large glass windows that displayed mannequins wearing rich fur and leather I could never afford to touch.  Girls would be walking with numerous branded shopping bags, dressed fancy on a casual day just because they could. If I were lucky enough, maybe I’d spot a celebrity too. It is SoHo, after all, I thought to myself.

After doing some research, I learned that the word SoHo was an acronym for South of Houston Street. What a shameful New Yorker I was, I didn’t even know that. I officially told myself that I could NEVER be a tour guide of New York City. With a crumbled spirit, I continued on my research journey of SoHo. I learned that the neighborhood had much more to offer than boutiques and chain stores. SoHo was rich in art as well, as it consisted of many art galleries and artists’ lofts.  The most interesting fact about this neighborhood is that SoHo is a symbol of economic, cultural, political, and architectural gentrification. Perhaps, this was one of the reasons Professor Healey chose the certain neighborhoods that she did. For the better or for the worst, all of them had been gentrified over the course of many years.

SoHo fulfilled my expectations on many levels. I walked out of the subway to find myself in a very commercial area. The streets were occupied with numerous stores, as large branded posters and advertisements filled the billboards. As I made my way to the heart of SoHo, I was struck by its unique architecture. The old fashioned Neo-Grec buildings in this neighborhood were very different from the modern themed glass buildings in other areas of Manhattan. Considering the wealth and fashion of SoHo, and thus the modernism of the neighborhood in that sense, why didn’t this place have tall glass skyscrapers and fancy condominiums?  Reinard’s research was useful here, and he informed our group that SoHo was famous for its cast-iron architecture. In fact, it consisted of the largest collection of cast-ion facades in the world! The architectural form roots back to the Industrial Revolution, when cast iron was cheaper to use than stone or brick. As an unauthentic tourist, I was still in hunt of art amidst the streets of SoHo. It was only after our third interview, did I manage to see art in the architecture of these buildings. Our third interviewee was a German tourist, who sat outside a café, despite the painfully freezing temperature. The very style with which he was sitting and staring at the neighborhood, hinted at the appreciation he held for the city. During the entire interview, he emphasized the magnificent architecture of SoHo and how he had never encountered something like it. Neither Europe nor other areas of Manhattan consisted of the architectural beauty that the buildings of SoHo entailed.  Another unique and old-fashioned feature of this neighborhood was the narrow streets lined with small boutiques. I felt like I was roaming in the dark streets of a European city.

Moving on to “actual art”, our group as lucky enough to get into an art gallery of the abstract expressionist, Robert Kobayashi. His artwork was fascinating in that it was all made of ceiling tin.  This sort of reminded me of Anthony Caro, who used steal chunks to create artistic sculptures. Our interview with the gallery’s in-charge was very interesting, because she touched on many valuable topics. Not only did she inform us about other art galleries in SoHo, she talked about the history of the neighborhood and its street art as well. Robert Kobayashi chose to put his art gallery in SoHo because he had been living there since the 1970s.  Over time, the neighborhood shifted from a “drug haven” to an artistic Utopia, mentioned the interviewee.  GENTRIFICATION, my silent brain screamed out. Along with the change came street art such as graffiti, which the interviewee considered exciting. She mentioned the famous street artist James Delavega, who draws on the ground and writes inspirational messages. Perhaps, all the artwork of this neighborhood was created to convey a message.  The ability to understand the message was in the hands of the neighborhood residents. They could either marvel the artwork like most people, or they can devote their time to figure out the meaning behind it.

Finding art in the streets of SoHo wasn’t a difficult task at all. We were greeted by graffiti and wall art on almost every block. Decorating walls with paint is such a trend that even pizzerias invite customers with the artwork of Mona Lisa.
One of the prominent street artworks that we came across in SoHo was “The Ace” by DIMA. This was interesting because it emphasized the eyes. There were multiple eyes, hand eyes, cloud eyes, and even crying eyes. Perhaps, DIMA was trying to comment on the ways of seeing and the power of the eye. Whatever the message may be, the fact that this graffiti stood amidst this neighborhood really told a lot about the artistic atmosphere and culture of SoHo.

Along with mentioning how different forms of artwork trickled their way into SoHo, our second interviewee mentioned how the people of SoHo itself are “walking art”. I couldn’t agree with her any better, because I did see the artistic element in the people of SoHo. Women were walking well dressed and fashionable, as men in red jeans were riding their bicycles through the narrow streets of the neighborhood. Couples were holding hands and walking the streets like love was all that they thrived on. The postures and style of these people was truly artistic and characteristic of SoHo.  We mentioned the negative connotation and vandal nature of graffiti to our interviewee, and in response she stated how the graffiti of this neighborhood is considered beautiful as it only adds on to its community.  This really showed how the people of SoHo appreciate its artwork as well, for its art truly defines its character.

After roaming the streets of SoHo like a tourist, I truly began to appreciate and marvel at the art that infiltrates its streets. Had I not been assigned this project, SoHo would’ve remained solely a “shopping hub” in my mind.  SoHo is incomplete with its wall art and art galleries. The architecture of SoHo makes it a valuable and unique neighborhood. NYC is home to a plethora of arts, and SoHo truly houses some prominent forms of this art.

Artwork on the streets of SoHo:

When we first started exploring Soho, I wasn’t too amazed and didn’t see much glamour. That’s probably because we weren’t in the heart of Soho. We saw A LOT of street art and graffiti-something we expected to see after doing research. Every street had at least one building with graffiti. We captured this art and randomly walked, looking for something interesting. We saw an art gallery and decided to walk in and interview one of the girls working there. She felt that she couldn’t be of much help because she didn’t know Soho very well but was kind enough to direct us to another art gallery that was around the corner.

While looking for the art gallery, we came upon the coolest thing ever.  We found ourselves in a perfume lab. Even though it had nothing to do with art in the neighborhood, we felt a need to go into the store. Right when you enter the store, you smell a million different perfumes. One guy who worked there introduced us to the store, which is actually a lab, and a lot of the new scents. He told us they have seven new, different scents, each representing seven different cities. He sprayed me with Paris, and it smelled sooo good. It was really cool because I never knew something like a perfume lab actually existed. I knew they have labs where perfumes are made but I’ve never seen one as a store before.

After leaving Le Labo, the coolest store ever, we found what we were looking for. The art gallery in Soho that had been there forever. We met Phyllis, who was pretty much in charge of the gallery. She told us a lot about the artist, Robert Kobayashi and his style of art. When he first decided to open up an art gallery, he chose Soho. This neighborhood had no art at the time and was a drug haven. According to Phyllis, the neighborhood gradually changed and became more glamorous in the past 10-15 years. She believed that the graffiti may have something to do with the fact that a lot of the buildings are vacant, since the rent is so high. She mentioned how she always sees a street artist by the name of De La Vega, who leaves inspirational quotes everywhere he goes, from all of Brooklyn to the Upper East Side to Soho. I googled him when I got home and he’s actually a really famous and popular artist. But that’s besides the point. What we learned from interviewing her was the effect that gentrification had on this neighborhood. It used to be a drug haven but slowly turned into an affluent neighborhood that attracted the wealthy and is now all about the fashionable clothing but where graffiti is still a trademark.

The artwork we chose to focus on is this one right here:

This piece of artwork clearly epitomizes what artwork is in Soho. Graffiti and street art is so popular in Soho; it’s everywhere you go. It can be found on every street in Soho, on random buildings, on the street. You can’t escape graffiti in Soho. We chose this as our piece of artwork because it defines Soho. Throughout the years, Soho has become a place full of graffiti. We were unable to figure out why graffiti is so prominent in Soho, but it may have to do with the fact that Soho used to be a drug haven. The graffiti may be from that time and it became more popular and appealing to the more affluent. They don’t see it as vandalism, but as legit art. This artwork amazes me because there are so many images in this one large piece.

We kind of got lost and made our way to the Light District but after asking for directions, using Google Maps and following Natasha’s intuition, we made our way back to Soho. We captured a lot of art and now our focus was conducting two more interviews. We saw a lady just sitting around and thought she would be the perfect target. Even though she didn’t live in the neighborhood, she knew a lot about the art in it. She told us that graffiti has become more popular throughout the years and the people of Soho actually appreciate it, as an artwork and it doesn’t have a negative connotation to it.

The other really cool thing was interviewing a family visiting from Germany. It was interesting because the father’s point of view was so different that what we had expected. When asked about artwork, he constantly mentioned the buildings. He said that you would never find buildings similar to the ones in Soho in Germany. Here’s exactly what he said:

After we were done, I felt as if the interview was not enough and didn’t help us much because he focused on architecture. But Reinard pointed out that that is okay because to him, artwork is architecture. Everybody has a different point of view when it comes to artwork, and I realized that he’s right and that architecture is a form of art. I really enjoyed doing this neighborhood blog because I learned about a part of NYC that I had never visited but always knew existed. I felt like a tourist going to Soho and looking around, but I learned how to appreciate the neighborhood and that there’s always something more than just the stores.

Everyone always goes to Soho for one reason: SHOPPING. Go right into the middle of Soho and you’ll know right away. Numerous retail stores can be found in close proximity to each other. Need new jeans? Go to Soho. Need a flashy new coat? Go to Soho. That new Uniqlo that just opened up? Yeah, it’s in Soho. However, Soho used to be much different many years ago- at least according to Robert Kobayashi, who has an artwork gallery set up in the neighborhood. When Kobayashi moved into Soho, he said that “the neighborhood was quiet,” and that “the neighborhood used to be drug haven but is now artistic.” So exactly how and why is Soho now considered a neighborhood of art and fashion? Well, my group and I wondered the same thing, so with the question in mind, and the freezing winds beating against our faces, we embarked on our little quest of knowledge for the arts.

Before I talk about the art my group had encountered, I’d like to discuss graffiti and its legitimacy as art. There are people who believe that graffiti is pure vandalism. Then there are people who believe that graffiti is the art that personifies the urban culture. What each person believes is up to them, but for our review, one must bear with the latter. I am a strong believer that graffiti is art, and to anyone who thinks otherwise, I tell them to look up famous artist, Banksy who made his career off of graffiti. Anyway, as my group and I wandered almost aimlessly through Soho looking for art, we found graffiti everywhere. Buildings were obvious locations, but a closer look revealed countless tags and symbols on mail boxes and dividers among other locations. It was beautiful. It was apparent that a great amount of creativity was put into these works. Well at least a good amount of them. One of the major details we noticed about the graffiti was that they were mostly pictures rather than words. Graffiti artists in Soho seemed to gravitate towards meaningful and often times complex pictures.  Kobayashi mentioned this in our interview with him, and thinks that although it is different, it is definitely still exciting. Aside from the artful graffiti, store owners seemed to have even utilized graffiti as a form of advertisement!

More talk about art and graffiti in Soho can be found in the filmed interview of a very charming, eloquent young woman we found sitting on a bench. Here’s the link to the interview:

Graffiti isn’t the only form of art around Soho. One of the first things that captured our attention as we walked into the neighborhood was the beautiful cast-iron buildings. These industrial looking buildings got their look from (you guessed it), construction during the industrial revolution. The interesting color contrasts and subtle architectural designs really stood out in comparison to the rest of New York city buildings. In fact, Soho is one of the most well-known areas to contain cast-iron buildings. As you delve deeper into Soho, you really start to feel like you’re walking back in time. The streets, some of them made of cobblestone, get narrower, and the buildings start looking more old fashioned. If you don’t want to lose that feeling, then don’t take a look at the stores at the base of those buildings. Then again, if you don’t look in the direction of the stores, you’ll probably get run over, or cause some kind of accident, so don’t take my advice. If you don’t think that the architecture is something to boast about, then ask the German family man we interviewed in Soho. The man we interviewed came from Germany to New York with his family, presumably on a vacation. When we asked him about what was artful in Soho, he could not stop talking about the buildings and how they had a 19th century feel to them. He claimed that the industrial buildings really set Soho apart from other areas such as midtown and even the cities he’s been to in Germany.

Here in the photo to the left, a stark difference can be made between the two buildings. The building on the left looks much more modern than the one on the right. Such is the result, our group believed to be, of the gentrification that occurred over the course of the past decades.

Finally, I’d like to talk about the one piece of artwork that really captured the attention of me and my group. This piece of artwork is quite peculiar in that it is… quite peculiar. There are several people, each with three eyes, donning a sort of body suit that superheros would wear. Everything from the clouds and planes and triangles have eyes, (one too many if I might add). The meaning of this piece is hard to grasp, and to be honest, is quite lost to me. However upon research, we have found that this picture was titled “The Ace” by Dimitri Drjuchin a.k.a. DIMA. This particular artist likes to incorporate his Russian roots, and influences in comics and spirituality, into his pieces. That can very well be seen in the picture. So why did I choose this picture? I chose this picture primarily because it was graffiti. That’s right, this hefty piece of work is in fact graffiti, drawn on some random wall on the corner of (streets which escape my memory). I believe that Graffiti greatly exemplifies the art culture in Soho, and that this particular one really had a lot to say for the neighborhood. The whole thing is bizarre and loaded with old symbolism reminiscent of religious Renaissance paintings… just like Soho (minus the whole reminiscent of religious Renaissance paintings thing). The people that frequent Soho are bizarre in the way that they’re so diverse and fashionable. As the woman we interviewed said, “Even the people can be considered as walking art.” The graffiti all over the buildings are definitely quite bizarre as well. Also, the old symbolism reminds me of the cast-iron buildings present within Soho. These buildings represent a time far back in our city’s history. They’re beautiful relics that still stand erect to this day. I hope that wasn’t too far a stretch of a comparison, but that’s what I came up with.
In the end, I enjoyed my little trip into Soho, as I’m sure my group mates did. Had I gone to Soho solely to shop, as most people usually do, I would have failed to notice the beautiful architecture and some of the cool graffiti. I think this neighborhood project really gave me so much more insight into the background of Soho and how it stands as a neighborhood instead of a fashion marketplace. For that, I am thankful, and I intend on visiting again to do a little more sightseeing and photography (and a little more shopping!)

Walking through the crowded bustling streets of the energetic and glamorous Soho, I would have never have imagined this to have once been a city of drugs and poverty. Yet, my preconceived notions were proven wrong by an interview with a helpful worker at an old art gallery. Phyllis explained to us how slowly throughout the decades the area of Soho changed dramatically into the expensive, ritzy, artistic area it is today. I found this especially interesting because it ties in with the conversation we have been having about gentrification. Soho is a prime example of what happens when a slum is dramatically transformed into a much nicer and expensive area. On the one hand, it is a good thing because the neighborhood becomes a lot nicer and safer as a result. But on the other hand, those people who have lived in the neighborhood and can’t afford the rising prices of the up and coming area are forced to move out. It is weird thinking about people in Soho once struggling to keep up with ends meet because when I walked through the streets of Soho, all I saw were young hipsters and elegantly dressed fashionistas. The people themselves “are walking art,” as one lady we interviewed had remarked.

It is true though. Everywhere I looked Soho was filled with some kind of artwork. There was graffiti all over the walls. Galleries filled the streets. The people that surrounded me all dressed as if their own bodies were a blank canvas ready to be painted on by the many fashion choices they made. I found it ironic because although I am usually not one to be entranced by glamour, I found myself amazed and in love with everything around me.

One really amazing part of Soho was the architecture. One glance at the buildings and you could tell that they were made really long ago. They are apparently called Cast Iron Buildings and are a trademark for the type of architecture in Soho. It was especially interesting interviewing a German tourist about the architecture because he was  amazed by the buildings in Soho. He found beauty in the apartments that lined the streets.

Which lead to me think: what is beauty and artwork? Can’t architecture be a certain form of art? I wondered if the people who built the extravagant Cast Iron Buildings thought of their job as simply construction or as art as well. I wondered if they spent lots of time thinking of the arch of the stairway or the angle of the roof. Doesn’t every precise detail add to the overall effect of the building, just as the details do in a painting? In many ways, I don’t think art is limited to just painting, writing, singing, dancing, etc. anymore. I think art is a lot more vague and open than before. Art is what you make of it and what you intend to be meaningful to you, as the creator.

Wake up at 7:00 AM, check. Do driver’s ed for 2 hours, check. Be stuck taking the bus to main street instead of getting a ride, check. Have the crappiest coffee to start my day, check.

Okay so fine, the beginning of my day didn’t start out so well. However, while waiting for the train to leave Main Street, Ashley happened to throw her cup into to somebody’s collection of garbage that apparently wasn’t garbage. When the man came back and handed her cup back to her with the words, “Excuse me miss, but that wasn’t garbage. I believe this is yours,” I cried of laughter.  Awkwaaaaard. That’s when I knew it wasn’t going to be such a terrible day.

The gap between Chinatown and Little Italy isn’t very big at all. In fact, our journey started in Chinatown until eventually the signs started making sense again. Literally every store was a restaurant claiming they had the best of some food or other. The amount of choices was ridiculous. Each menu seemed to offer the same food, but which one? That choice was made later, but first we had to find the art. First, we accidentally stumbled across a campaign. But not a campaign campaign, but a “fashion campaign.” Two very well dressed men were modelling the latest in some sort of probably ridiculously priced clothes line. Next we found the Italian American Museum.

There wasn’t much inside but I think that was the point. It was a humble museum that gave everything that was important to the neighborhood that it possibly could. Inside were the history of triumphs and misfortunes of important Italians in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, I didn’t find it interesting at all. Which leads me to what I did find interesting: the food.

To me, the most artful thing in all of Little Italy was it’s food. While it lacked diversity, each restaurant seemed to have it’s own twist. Nobody claimed to have the best of the same exact thing. Isn’t that what art really is? Taking some of what every one knows and putting your own little twist on it? My favorite place that we went to was Cafe Palermo. This bakery, filled to the brim with over-sized immensely appetizing pastries, held the honor of having the best cannoli in town. I was tempted beyond belief to try one, but I chsoe the red velvet cake instead.

Talking to the owner of the shop really put this into perspective for me. He said he’s owned it for 39 years now and can’t wait to make 50. He told us about how the majority of the restaurants are family owned and have been for while, basically ever since “we kicked those irish outta hea.” The stories and references made showed that he was dedicated to his neighborhood, he even said he was born and raised there and hasn’t moved out. That’s why I consider the food in Little Italy art. Each place has their own style, each mixed with their own family roots and recipes. Recipes that have lasted generations upon generations. Whether it was the over priced pizza or the delicious red velvet cake, I enjoyed every bit of art I ate.

And I quote:

“so according to wikipedia: The Lower East Side is perhaps best known as having once been a center of Jewish culture,” Nicki IMed me last week before our “blog day out,” informing me of the research she did.

“Oh…it is? Good to know,” I thought.  Slight backfire that the Jewish girl didn’t know that “best-known” fact about the blog group she was placed into? Perhaps. Did it matter? Not at all.  The experience was all the more worthwhile and interesting.

We met up at Union Square and decided to work our way from there, down the avenues and down the streets.  For the first time in a long time (probably since the summer), I was walking the streets of Manhattan slowly, in no rush, and just enjoying everything there was to take in.  The store windows, the architecture of the buildings, the smells, the sky…It served as a great reminder to me of why the tourists love it here so much.  When you’re not in a rush the city has so much beauty to take in, an Eden.  (Of course, when it’s 8:45 AM and the bus hasn’t show up for 15 minutes [three ‘Not in Service’ buses have, though] and you’re running late to class, it sure is an inferno).

I’m not architecture pro, but I’ve always thought “those people” who talk about it are pretty cool, so I pretended to be that person as we walked around.  “This church is built in the style of Gothic architecture, isn’t it?” I asked.  “There are pillars, though, so isn’t that Roman?”  “Greco-Roman?”, another suggestion.  The Lower East Side had plenty of this style to observe and analyze, a particular feature of the neighborhood that I think makes it unique.  I definitely was not seeing this style in the middle of Midtown.  And whatever the style was nominally, I was taking notice.  Taking notice, paying attention: actions I don’t normally partake in while walking through the streets of the city.

I’d say our interviews got progressively better as we went along.  Our first few didn’t give us that much to work with, but as we continued questioning people, our answers got better and better.  The security guard of the New School (10th st and 5th avenue) told us about another division of the school (Parsons) specifically designed for art, and about an art gallery not too far from where we were with a lobby open to the public.  I completely understood what we he was talking about when he said that, because that was another key feature of the neighborhood I noticed when walking around. Many ground levels of buildings were lobbies were open for public viewing, even at times when the galleries of those buildings were not.  It was like a voice was luring you in: open lobby…come in…come in…come look.  We peeked as we passed by a few, and also wished we had gone exploring during the day, when the lobbies were open.  Nevertheless; the window viewing was nice.

As we rounded a corner on our small journey, I was struck by the Starbucks coffee on the corner of the street.  “OH MY GOSH I KNOW THIS STARBUCKS–I’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE. OH! OH! THIS IS WHERE BLUE MAN GROUP IS!!!” I shouted in exclamation.  First of all, I finally got a perspective as to where I was located; no longer was I just walking in exploration.  Secondly, Blue Man Group is perhaps the greatest off-Broadway show ever, and for me, the epitome of art.

No words necessary, no subtitles to explain the show, no post-show analysis trying to dissect the meaning behind it all.  Just a straightforward show with incredible music, creative visual artwork, and great fun.  The perfect blend of art for its own sake, and art for entertainment’s sake.  Frankly, I’ve seen Blue Man Group three times before, and that’s proof that it’s a fabulous show.  Furthermore, the time I enjoyed it the most was the third time; in other words, it only gets better and better.  While we have been discussing a lot of visual art and theatrical art in this course, I’d like to stress here the significance of music as an art form.  The music of BMG does it for me; I’m dancing in my seat, the beats reverberating within me, and I walk out of the show with the music stuck in my head.  Just like the blue men don’t need to say a word, so does their music need not have words; the music is enough to have an effect on me that this form of art has meaning.  If it moves me, I’d consider it powerful.

Hey Nicki

The Blue Man Group backstage crew worker was our final interviewee, and we unanimously decided he was the best one we got.  He summarized our trip pretty well, telling us about the many galleries the Lower East Side has to offer, in contrast with Soho.  The street art walking down the Bowery, other uncommissioned street art, street performers who perform around big concentrations of people (such things such as human robots, beatboxers, etc.). Specifically, he told us about one guy he’s seen in the area who only plays the bass, but “can play the bass for basically any song” and creates an entire performance out of it; sometimes other instrument players join him and an entire band is formed.  Can you get any more artsy than that? And again, it’s the music that speaks to peoples’ souls.  It’s inescapable, and there is a different style for every person, just like the visual art and architecture we saw that night.  There is so much to see and appreciate on the Lower East Side that I was both aware and unaware of, and my admiration and respect is heightened.

Besides for that, I really want to hear this bass guy play.  Maybe I’ll join in the music too.

I’m a New Yorker; I swear to it, it’s true. But I’m still unfamiliar with most parts of the city. Before this class, whenever I took trips to the city, my friends and always ended up visiting the same places – Times Square, Central Park, Harold Square… I mean they had all we needed anyway: good food/green space/karaoke bars. But it wasn’t that I never ventured anywhere else. I’d been to Greenwich Village a few times, OK one time before the project. At the time though, I hadn’t realized the area was called Greenwich Village, I had assumed that the rest of the population of New York had given the region the same name I had “that area around NYU.”

I managed to meet up with the rest of my group at Washington Square Park, after a couple of city slickers pointed me in the wrong direction. The arch looked amazing all lit up at night. “There,” I thought. “That’s art.” Then went to a coffee shop, where we sat and ate along a window, staring blatantly at the passersby. I was convinced some artsy-looking fellow would walk in and sit down. One actually did. This fellow mentioned an artist in the area that sits on stoops and paints the community around him. What else did he consider art? “The old buildings and all that, that’s art.”

We walked back to Washington Park where we came across an NYU theater group dressed in mid 20^th century clothing chanting about the evils of Prohibition and the like. They were obviously too preoccupied to interview but I’m sure if had interviewed them they would’ve told us that their performances are prime examples of art in the Village.

We then did the unthinkable: an infiltration of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. I walked into the building, right up to the security guard and on the spot made up some mumbo-jumbo about an arts seminar that had to be worked on. Too easy.

Walking through the gallery, I saw mostly photographs, and nothing really stood out to me. While we were in the Tisch school we stopped a student and asked him where we could find some artwork in the Village. “You won’t find any around here,” he said. “Unless you’re in this building.” He sounded kind of uninformed for a student studying art in the area but I was still very grateful for his opinion.

And I didn’t think of it until now, but people of Greenwich Village are particularly fashion-forward, even for New Yorkers. The residents’ individuality is showcased through their clothing. Scarves, boots, and brightly colored tights; standout accessories strategically placed here and there. Their clothing creates an expression, sometimes even a message. And it can be deemed as art because that’s what art is, creatively putting something together to display a message, even if that message is as simple as “I like stockings with patterns on them.”

Before I describe the art my group and I discovered in Little Italy, I would like to address some issues that plague Little Italy today.

As a fellow Italian, or at least half of one, I have always wanted to visit Little Italy to get a taste of the culture that has prevailed in my family for centuries. Whenever I heard the name Little Italy, I imagined a town filled to the brim with Italian culture and hundreds of Italians that lived in a tightly knit community where everyone referred to each other as “paesano.” If I went to Little Italy decades ago I would have seen the town I had always dreamed about, but unfortunately that is not the case today.

Presently, Little Italy is a miniscule neighborhood that consists of mostly restaurants, one museum the size of a small bank (literally), a couple vintage clothing stores, and a few apartment complexes. All of the people that made Little Italy so great have moved on and took the Italian culture with them. The museum guide even said it herself, “Little Italy has become more of a tourist attraction rather than a town that reflects Italian culture.”

If that’s not bad enough, Little Italy continues to shrink due to the overwhelming size of Chinatown that continues to grow everyday. When an owner decides to sell their business, the shop is engulfed by Chinatown instantly. I was astonished to see how I went from Italy to China as I turned the corner. Given the circumstances, Little Italy will probably cease to exist in the near future. As John Delucra said, “It’s only fair. We took this town from the Irish, and now the Chinese are going to take it from us.”

Now I will go on to describe the art. I have to admit Little Italy is not the place to go to find eccentric architecture, paintings, or anything else you would find in a museum, unless you go to the Italian American Museum of course. As Ashley stated in her blog, Little Italy is home to the most exquisite Italian cuisine I have ever seen. The culinary arts of Little Italy are definitely something to marvel at.

There may not be Italian art, but at least there are photo shoots for fashion campaigns

At the Café Palermo, owned by John Delucra, I tasted the most delicious cannoli I have ever eaten. Each and every cannoli is hand-made using a family recipe that was passed down over generations. The sweet cream with a hint of lemon, the chocolaty chocolate chips, the crisp outer shell, and the mouthwatering powdered sugar that makes you want to lick the plate clean put together creates this masterpiece we call the best Cannoli in New York City, and maybe the world. Currently, John Delucra is working on the $1,000 cannoli competition, which requires one to make the most expensive, and edible, cannoli on the market. (More details can be found in the video interview on a previous post)

I ate my cannoli to quickly to take a picture, but they look as good as they taste

In addition to a delicious cannoli, one can visit the restaurant that served the first pizza in America over 100 years ago. Angelo’s, coincidentally the restaurant right next to Café Palermo, was established in 1902 and still exists to this day. Making a pizza is a work of art, which places the first people to do it in America as innovators of the arts. Angelo himself made the first authentic New York pizza every New Yorker has come to love today. So if you ever get a chance, I highly recommend that you go to Little Italy to have a taste of the best cannoli and pizza New York has to offer.

Home of the first pizza in America

Every time we asked, “Where can we find art in Little Italy?” everyone pointed us to the food. Food is all the talk in a neighborhood that is overrun by restaurants. Walking down the streets, we couldn’t avoid being stopped by every restaurant owner trying to pull us into their restaurant for lunch. It is a very competitive business, but each restaurant has something special to offer. I find it amazing how every restaurant serves exactly the same menu, and yet could still be so distinct from one another. There is always one dish that makes a restaurant stand out whether it’s a cannoli, a pizza, baked clams, or any other classic Italian dish.

Little Italy is a place to find some of the best Italian food in New York and that’s about it. There is a little bit of history that could be found, but you have to search really hard to discover it. Personally, if it weren’t for the interviews I wouldn’t have learned a thing by simply exploring Little Italy for myself except for the fact that John Delucra makes a mean cannoli. Still I highly suggest that New Yorkers pay a visit to Little Italy in the future, because sadly it may not be around much longer.

P.S. The video interviews for our trip to Italy can be found in a previous post.

A dog better not pee on Italy's pride!

YUMMMMM

The vintage clothing shops had interesting antiques

Little Italy turned out to be an adventure once we actually found it. Tyler, Ashley, Alyssa, and I witnessed a completely different mood as we moved into serene Mulberry Street from the loud hustle and bustle of Chinatown businesses. We weren’t yet sure where we actually were until we saw a little cart that said CANOLI SHACK. A quick look down the street and many Italian restaurant banners came into view. When I say many I mean A LOT of restaurants. There were so many at least 3 or 4 per block that it was impossible to decide where to eat. I wondered how anyone visiting this neighborhood would figure out where they were going to eat lunch. There were just too many restaurants to choose from. Adding to the pressure were the representatives of each restaurant standing outside and competing for lunch patrons by advertising the exact same food. “Lunch guys? Lunch ladies? We have the best pasta in town!”

We made our way down the block and were searching for Little Italy’s art. Out of nowhere comes the greatest sign for the Italian American Museum. Ding Ding Ding there must be art in there! We encountered a small museum that was only maybe double the size of our classroom. The young woman working there was extremely nice and even allowed us to interview her as she walked us through the different art pieces of the museum. Check out the videos of all of interviews in our Interviews in Little Italy post below! The coolest thing about the museum was that it was once a bank from 1885- 1932 when Little Italy was a thriving Italian American community. I thought that the old cash register and the old safe were the most interesting pieces because it showed the history of the neighborhood in something as simple as an old bank. The safe was especially awesome because it had been left shut in the bank only to be opened by a professional safecracker many years later when the bank was to be turned into the museum that it was now. The safe contained envelopes and notes that were not claimed and are left on display at the museum. I admired the fact that they were able to preserve this remnant of the original neighborhood as it once was.

Along our merry way we came across this vintage clothing shop that had old clothes from as early as the 1850s. The woman in the store had a really indifferent view towards the neighborhood especially the restaurants because she mentioned that they all served the same exact food. I think this was a good contrast to the interviews we were having that mostly described positive aspects of the neighborhood. The store clerk worked in the neighborhood daily and we could tell she wasn’t too crazy about it.

We began a journey to Sal’s pizza shop and I thought Sal’s pizza…? Where have I heard that before? I know!! Do the Right Thing!! It was almost a real depiction of the restaurant it was so strange it even had its own wall of fame! We had some good fairly cheap pizza and I caught a picture of real life Sal. I wanted to tell him about the movie but then I was reminded that it never ended well for the restaurant.

After pizza we were still hungry and still needed one more interview. We decided to go to Caffé Palermo that boasted “Best Cannoli on the planet Earth.” We all had some delicious dessert. While eating we noticed all these cut out boards of this Italian guy who looked like he might be the owner. Then we turn around and at one of the tables the same guy was there! Ashley went up to him and asked if we could do a video interview and it turned out to be the best interview of the day. His name was John Delutro and he owned the café since he was seventeen years old and has been running it for the past 39 years. I was blown by the fact that he was able to keep this café of his open for so long and busy with customers. He was a sweet guy and really wanted to explain his story to us. He told us how he was born and raised in the neighborhood, how the neighborhood came to be, and how it is declining as a neighborhood for Italian American residents. I was surprised he was one of the few to still live in the neighborhood as he said most people were able to sell there houses for much higher prices than they paid for it and then moved to Brooklyn or Queens. He told us about the open neighborhood he once lived in where no one locked their doors, he could sleep on the fire escape, and the neighborhood was one large cohesive unit. I found this interview to be the best way to end our day as it really stood out because we actually got a first hand account from someone who is a true native of the neighborhood. He was able to relate the story of Little Italy through his eyes and I could tell the connection he had with his neighborhood was very special to him.

Explore Chinatown while looking for works of art? Easy!! I’m in this neighborhood practically every week. I know my way around. This assignment should take no longer than an hour or two. It wasn’t until half an hour into our visit to Chinatown that I realized how wrong I was. There were so many significant places in this neighborhood that I had never encountered!

Rui Yan, Vishal, Rawan and I braved the freezing autumn winds and walked all around Chinatown last Sunday. We were looking for something that would be considered art. Luckily for us, a certain part of Chinatown, called Confucius Plaza, has two statues of famous Chinese philosophers. One of them was of course, Confucius. Confucius emphasized morality, justice and sincerity. This statue is considered as art because it represents the cultural values that the Chinese live by.

After we had found our “piece of art”, we decided to search for people we could interview. Fortunately, there was a small group of people from Brooklyn standing right by the statue of Confucius. They just so happened to be waiting for someone and had some free time on their hands. We interviewed them for a few minutes and they kindly gave us their insight on art in Chinatown. They weren’t too familiar with the neighborhood, but they did suggest Columbus Park, where senior citizens like to practice their tai chi, have chess tournaments and play music. We came across a very nice old man, who was willing to sit down with us for about ten minutes. He told us all about his life in China and introduced us to a few of the instruments that he and his buddies liked to play in the park. (He told us the names of the instruments in Chinese, so I have no idea what they’re called in English.) During the interview, I looked around and saw that there were many senior citizens hanging out in the park. Most of them seemed to be very close with each other, laughing and sharing stories. It really gave off a friendly vibe. Columbus Park definitely adds significance to Chinatown.

Rui Yan had introduced us to a certain theater that hosted shows such as operas. I can’t believe I’ve never even heard of this place! We had wanted to interview one of the performers, so we decided to sit in on one of the shows and wait for it to end so we could go backstage. Did I mention that the show was free?? The auditorium was practically filled. Although I did not enjoy the opera much, (It was rather boring for me. I didn’t understand a word they were singing, and the performers didn’t really seem to connect with the audience.) I was able to experience a taste of the music of my culture.

Chinatown is a very crowded and dirty place. But it also has a variety cultural entertainment. From little Chinese gift shops to delectable dim sum restaurants, Chinatown really is an exciting neighborhood to be in. I’m glad I got to learn so many new things about my culture from this assignment. I grew a new respect for Chinatown. I finally understand why tourists from all over the world are willing to spend their vacation in a crowded place like this. Although Chinatown isn’t the best neighborhood to enjoy art, one visit could teach people a great deal about the Chinese culture.