A new gallery show of artists who work in NYC’s subways will open tonight at Bushwick’s Armature Art Space. “Showtime: Underground Arts” will feature at least one artist you probably know from your commute. That guy who cuts portraits out of paper (Ming Liang Lu), that guy who paints subway maps (Edwin Class) and one “It’s showtime!”-shouting dance crew will all be there.
The show was curated by BuskNY to raise awareness about the NYPD’s increased enforcement of the “Broken Windows” policy and its crackdown on subway performers. The theory that vigilantly punishing small crimes will deter bigger crimes from happening is currently under fire for its false logic and racist enforcement practices.
“Our goal is to end the wrongful ticketing, ejection and arrest of subway artists” of all kinds, Matthew Christian, a founder of BuskNY tells the New York Times. If you want to support that goal, head down to the show and pick up a t-shirt that says, “We Are Culture.” Proceeds will go to printing a shirt for all subway performers to wear as a uniform of protest. (Photo: Subway Art Blog)
