5 Pointz - Grafitti Art

5 Pointz in Long Island City, Queens is a block of colorful, detailed graffiti art that changes on a regular basis.  It took me nearly two months to realize that Long Island City is not a part of Long Island, thus my not making it out here until now. Ah, the joy of discovery and laughing at my own ignorance!

Reading that it is being threatened to be painted over this summer, I make my way to this oasis of color, pattern and beauty on what is the coldest day in New York City since my arrival in mid September.  At 19 degrees and with a robust wind taking the temps down to just 5 degrees, what I've planned to be a couple of hours spent photographing the buildings, instead becomes twenty minutes of nursing frozen fingers and toes while shooting.  Still, the gray light cast a moody ambiance over the covered warehouses and the bright colors taunt me to stay just a few minutes longer, and just a few minutes more.  And I do, until I can no longer feel my fingers, my toes or the end of my nose.