Covering 20,000 square feet, the largest mural in the history of New York City is revealed on the side of City-As-School High School in the West Village.
From giant paintings to small graffiti pieces, NYC street art remains a uniquely personal and public form of self-expression. The genre captured the attention of mainstream pop culture during the 1980s and since then, artists have been traveling to NYC to create urban masterpieces.
Argentinian street artist Magda Love, as well as the high school students, worked on the mural for more than two years which required a lot of dedication and patience.
“Getting the permission that was needed was definitely the hardest part,” Magda Love told Metro. “It wasn’t the painting that took so long, it was getting the permits.”
Passionate about empowering women and creating art that is accessible for everyone, her paintings and murals can be found throughout New York City and in galleries throughout Europe. The focus of a Red Bull documentary, Love explains that street art is for everyone to see and enjoy, no matter who you are.
“Street art is a special way for New Yorkers to claim public space and embrace art,” Love said.
Embracing other women with art
“I wanted to make a piece that celebrates women, our power and feminine energy,” Love said. “I want the mural to send out a positive view of women that shows that we, like men, can be fearless and powerful.”
In addition to her work, Love also works with high school students who want to learn more about art.
“As a mentor, I want to inspire young people to challenge themselves and to push through different projects no matter how hard they are,” Love said.
Love explains that the most important thing as a street artist is to be fearless, creative and to create challenging projects.
“I was gifted with no fear and that’s required for a job like this.”
