small girl. big city. cliches abound.

withoutwallsproject:

First off I’d like to take the time to take some time out to say hello to all of the new followers! I take it you guy like what you’re seeing and are looking forward to more. Also if you joined from SoundCloud thanks again, I got over 100 followers overnight so it’s a pretty awesome accomplishment. I’ll be posting a personal recording thanking everyone on my SoundCloud page very soon. So let’s get on with today’s recording!

Today I’m taking you guys to the East Village. Located just south of 14th St, this neighborhood is known for its relatively cheap eats, St. Mark’s, and the abundance of NYU students (myself included) that run around at night. This recording is also a double header of sorts. It features the “Alamo”, a black cube in the middle of Astor Place which can be spun on its axis. It’s a bit of ritual to push the cube once you’ve moved to New York. Originally installed in 1967 the sculpture was meant to be temporary but residents of the area petitioned for it to become a permanent fixture. The second artwork is a temporary piece commissioned by the city itself. A couple of lampposts throughout the East Village have been tagged with fluorescent cables by the Animus Art Collective. Commissioned by the Department of Transportation it is being used as markers for the city’s fourth annual “Summer Streets” program.

Finally, I have decided that I will be going to Philly, Boston, and Montreal to capture some sounds for the project. If any of you guys are from these cities I would love some tips on where to look for some cool street art as well as some submissions from you guys! Remember you can find all the information you need under the Participate page. That’s all for now, ciao!

withoutwallsproject:

Today’s find takes us to one of New York’s most iconic buildings, the Flatiron. Located on 23rd st between Broadway & 5th Ave the building was one of the first major skyscrapers to be erected in the city. At the base of the building there is vast retail space housing businesses like MAC Cosmetics and Sprint. Sprint has taken the great initiative to use part of their retail space as a sort of gallery showroom for new and emerging artists. Dubbed the “Flatiron Prow Artspace”, the company’s mission is to display artwork that  is “as unique and engaging as the building itself, with an emphasis on pieces that reflect the company’s commitment to eco-friendly living, technology and interaction”. The artwork that was on display was Miles Neidinger’s “Everything We See is Never Enough”. The massive structure models various synthetic materials such as twist ties, bright drinking straws, vinyl tape, and yarn and into seemingly organic shapes. In doing so the artist hopes the viewer strips away preconceived notions about synthetic materials and sees the materials in a “new found physical state”. In the sound recording you’ll hear the sounds of afternoon rush hour on the street: cars beeping, ambulance sirens, and people laughing as they clock out of work and into a happy hour nearby.

withoutwallsproject:

Happy Monday everyone! I am happy to report that I have gotten some user submissions and I will be featuring them this week. The first one comes from Jeff in Astoria, Queens (my home borough!) and it is set in Athens Square Park. The park was originally a playground which the city acquired in 1963. In 1990 a $1 million dollar reconstruction of the space, funded by the city, motivated the neighbors to make the playground a public park space for the community. A community group under the name ‘Athens Square, Inc.’ planned the reconstruction and decided on a design that resembled Athens itself. Why you ask? As many New Yorkers know, Astoria is predominantly a Greek community. The new park was to be comprised of three parts:

“a central court with amphitheater and sculpture, a recreational space, and a seating area along the perimeter. The group said its intention was to create “a little bit of Athens in Astoria.”

Through the 1990s, the group slowly built what is the Astoria Square Park we see today. Fun fact, one of the sculptures in the park is an actual gift from the mayor of Athens in 1998! The recording itself is from an Italian Festival that occurred in the park over the weekend. I hope this cover of Cascada’s “Every Time We Touch” will bring a smile to your face on the start of your work week. I know I smiled and maybe giggled a little.

withoutwallsproject:

Photo Credit: Freshnessmag.com

Happy Labor Day! As many of you take in the unofficial end of summer (and a long weekend) I present to you a new find. This find is by the famed Shephard Fairey and can be found on Bowery & East 5th St. If you don’t recognize the name, you probably have seen his work. Among having murals in almost every corner of the world, he also designed the Obama “Hope” poster that went viral during the 2008 presidential election. In addition his work can be seen in some of the most prolific museums in the world such as the MoMA, the Smithsonian, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The particular mural on the side of the Cooper Square Hotel is part of the hotel’s Art Wall Project. The mural depict a Myanmar Buddhist monk with an umbrella - a surprisingly politically charged subject. In 2007 these monks began to be prosecuted by the government because of their peaceful protests against the rulers. The mural serves as a voice for those being oppressed in Myanmar as well as a reminder of the price of freedom of speech. The sounds captured around the mural are fairly representative of the Bowery: loud traffic and chatty New Yorkers.