I get why New York City recently boarded up its storefronts. It’s a sad state of affairs. But I wholeheartedly agree with Steven Heller’s suggestion to let artists and designers use the opportunity to express life and vitality. We need that right now – even if only temporarily.
“Empty plywood cries out for posters,” writes Heller, “and posters add life to the cityscape. Why not let New York artists and designers have the freedom to fill them? Provide temporary permits if that’ll help. Eventually the plywood will be removed, right?”
Heller likens it to his parents allowing him to use crayons to draw on the apartment walls before they were painted. “It was temporary,” he recalls, “but, man, was it fun.”
I had a similar experience as a four-year-old – but with a much different outcome. Upon seeing my brilliant aesthetic on display on our living room wall, my mom instituted the then-common practice of corporal punishment. It’s okay, though. I survived to draw another day.
