Huge Mural Project Beautifies East Harlem: PHOTOS

EAST HARLEM, NY — Over the past month, more than 100 artists have braved the summer sun as they adorned vast swaths of construction fencing in East Harlem with new works of art, aiming to transform the drab expanses of plywood into colorful attractions.

Now, the so-called Grandscale Mural Project is nearly complete, and more than half a mile of fencing along East 125th and 124th streets has been decorated with vibrant works of street art.

The project will be inaugurated on Saturday in an afternoon Roller Jam at the new plaza under the Park Avenue Metro-North tracks, complete with D.J.s and an artist-led tour of the murals at 3 p.m. It is hosted by Uptown Grand Central, the neighborhood group that organized the murals.

First held in 2019, the Grandscale project returned this year with a far larger canvas. The fencing, stretching between Madison and Third avenues, included the full-block site on 125th Street formerly home to Pathmark supermarket.

The artists chosen all have connections to Harlem, Upper Manhattan or the Bronx, and each received a $500 honorarium for their work. Artworks include a striking portrait of the late rapper DMX by artists Blazay, Evan Bishop, Katori Walker and Tommy the Animator; a graffiti-style mural by Gwiz, and a tribute to Harlem by artist SFA Uno.

There's also an 80-foot-long community mural designed by the artist Gera Lozano and painted by neighborhood residents last month. A full photo album can be viewed here.

Organizers hope the murals will brighten the days of thousands of daily commuters who pass through the corridor on their way to the Metro-North station or the 4-5-6 subway stop — and also the homeless and mentally ill New Yorkers who are dropped off in East Harlem from the shelters on Randall's Island.

"The Grandscale Mural Project is more than just painting a fence. It’s a way of bringing joy and bright color to everyone who travels through the East 125th Street corridor, and creating an outdoor art gallery that is accessible to everyone," Uptown Grand Central director Carey King said in a news release.

"The murals are a statement of the resilience and creativity of both Uptown artists and our neighborhood, and are a reminder that East 125th Street is worthy of the investment and policy changes it needs to really shine."

Saturday's roller jam will be held from 12-7 p.m. at the underpass on 124th Street and Park Avenue, featuring free skates for rent. Register here for the free 3 p.m. art tour.

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Previous coverage: Popular Harlem Mural Project Is Back, Bigger Than Ever