Gaia mentioned the Freedom Tunnel to me the other day and while I knew of them I have never had the pleasure of visiting them.
Named after street graffer/artist Chris “Freedom” Pape, the Freedom Tunnel is an Amtrak tunnel running underneath Manhattan’s Riverside Park. Pape began the tradition of recreating historic masterpieces in the tunnels, including the Venus de Milo and a full train car recreation of the iconic hands from Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.
I did some one online research and came across this amazing image that riffs off Francisco Goya’s “Third of May, 1808” (1814).
The mural probably refers to the time period when the once isolated tunnel was filled with homeless shantytowns that were bulldozed after the tunnel was reopened to trains on April 4, 1991. Thankfully, street and graffiti artists still create work in the dark stretch, turning it into a unique urban art museum.
Below is the reputed self-portrait by Chris “Freedom” Pape as a spray can.
I highly suggest you check out the post in full on CityNoise.
More info & photos of the Freedom Tunnel here, here, here, here and here.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s a cool story, Hrag, I’d never heard of it either, and every semester a student gives a presentation on street art! I will definitely be referring them to your site. I love the cinderblocks.
someone recently used that same image in this interesting, related post:
http://walk.allcitynewyork.com/2009/02/riverside-tunnel-2009.html