Sweet Collage Days in Brooklyn

Roar! I was rummaging around my room and realized I still had all the collages I made last October that I failed to sell on Bedford Ave. I figured it would be fun to hang them up in places around Brooklyn as pieces of street art! The collages were all about celebrating the impermament nature of the city so I thought it would be nice to try and contrast some of my old scenes of Brooklyn with their modern day counterparts.

I hung this picture of a Brooklyn rail yard over by the Morgan Ave subway stop. This is the same place I hung some of my previous street art.

I put this scene of old Brooklyn up outside Roberta's over on Moore Street. I figured it would serve as a reminder of more crinoline days! Roar!

This collage of overbuilt, downtown Brooklyn I put up on a shipping warehouse on Johnson Street.

Roar! I put this scene of all the cool Brooklyn kids partying in the 1980's up in front of 3rd Ward. I'm pretty sure this is what goes on in there every night!

This picture of people break dancing downtown I hung up over on Union Street in Williamsburg. I still see this kind of stuff happening all the time over there!

The picture of old McCarren Park Pool I put up outside of the pool, which is currently undergoing renovation. I think it's fun to look at all the different uses this area has had over the years. From ice skating to swimming to concerts, and now, once the construction is done, back to swimming. It really makes you think about the nature of change in the city! Roar!

The collage of the pigeon at the owl bar on Barry Street I actually ended up hanging up over on Wythe Street across from a building that looked pretty similar. I was trying to find a place on Barry but it's mostly ugly condos now. Roar...

I tried to put this old scene of the Williamsburg Bridge in a place where it would be at the same viewing angle but that's pretty much impossible thanks to the BQE. It sure is crazy to see how this area has been transformed by the highway system. 

I put this collage of the construction of the Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower, now One Hanson Place, over on Schermerhorn street where there is a nice view of the tower!

The picture of the old Fulton Street Rocket Train I hung up right on the corner of Fulton and Adams in downtown Brookyln. It's crazy to see what a mess of overhead tracks this neighborhood used to be. While it's a lot more open now it would still be nice if there were actually trains that ran here from other parts of Brooklyn.  Especially rocket trains!

I put the diptych I made of the cockfight between Williamsburg and DUMBO up on the wall of a warehouse underneath the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO. It looked great up on the wall and should help serve as a reminder to how this area used to be before it became so hip. Roar! 

I had a lot of fun putting all these pictures up around north Brooklyn. I know they won't be up for long but I feel that they really embrace the impermanent nature of street art. When you've been around as long as I have you learn you just need to enjoy it while it lasts! Roar!

Lacing it up at Gleason's!

Roar! This afternoon I headed over to Gleason's Gym in Dumbo to see what my Key to the City would unlock. After riding Down Under the Manhattan and Brooklyn Underpasses I arrived at Gleason's Gym over on Main Street.

Here I am outside the door to Gleason's Gym. I wonder what type of facilities they'll have?

It tuns out Gleason's is a boxing gym that's been in operation since 1937 and many World Heavyweight Champions including Muhammad Ali trained here. Here I am checking out the boxing ring. I may float like a butterfly but I stomp like a T-Rex! Roar!

Roar! What's this guy staring at? My name isn't Adrian, it's T-Rex!

My key apparently opens this locker off in the corner of the gym!

Why it's full of boxing equipment! What a surprise!

I think some of this stuff might be a little too big! Roar!

This is the creed at Gleason's. They take boxing really seriously and it shows. 

Visiting Gleason's was really cool. I don't often get to come down to Dumbo so I decided to explore the rest of the neighborhood while I was here. 

At Jane's Carousel They have this sweet old carousel on display. Unfortunately due to fire regulations they can't allow people to ride it. The carousel was built in 1922 and has been fully restored. After nearly 20 years of waiting it is finally being moved Brooklyn Bridge Park for a spring 2011 opening where everyone will finally be able to ride it.

Next, I walked over to St. Ann's Theater where they were having this wild festival of toy and puppet theater! It was so cool to see all the models and there was even a talk about how much everyone loves toys! Roar!

When they saw I was there they asked me to give a guest speech. I'm not sure why they thought I knew so much about puppets? 

Next, I headed over to Empire Fulton Park under the Manhattan Bridge. It's such a nice park, even if it is a bit noisy. I just love sitting on the steps by the water. If you haven't been to this park definitely check it out!

Empire Fulton Park is also where one the iconic views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan is. I just love this park! 

I decided DUMBO would be good place to put up some art. First I put up this sticker, which was originally stuck up on the plaque on the Williamsburg Bridge. It was covered in layers of paint and eventually started to peel off. So I retrieved it, redrew my silhouette, and glued it up here. Remember the four R's: reduce, reuse, recycle, and ROAR!

Lastly I put up this mixed media piece of a puzzle of the very same iconic view from Empire Fulton Park  combined with my signature stencil. I hope the folks over in DUMBO like it. Roar!