A pair of artists are telling developers and their alleged “hipster-mite” minions how they feel about recent efforts to redevelop and rebrand parts of the Bronx.
On Walton Avenue in Mount Hope, a new mural in the form of a giant comic strip dramatizes what the artists see as the nefarious gentrification of the neighborhood by uncaring outsiders, the New York Times reported.
The painting, by Rio-based Alberto Serrano, working with local graffiti artist The Royal King Bee, depicts an invasion of the Bronx’s “hives” led by the “evil crops developer Dr. Dor,” which translates to “Dr. Pain.”
“Gentrify these honeycombs with your cultural appropriation and privilege!” the villain commands, “Give rise to luxury condos and coffee shops.”
The artists told the Times they were inspired by the recent movement to redevelop the Bronx, which The Real Deal chronicled in its November issue. They specifically cited a billboard put up by Somerset Partners and the Chetrit Group attempting to rebrand the neighborhood as the “Piano District,” as well as a controversial party the developers held to celebrate their plans for the area, which featured bullet-riddled cars and fiery trash cans. [NYT, Gothamist] – Ariel Stulberg
Mural on Walton Avenue in the West Bronx (credit: Alberto Serrano and the Royal KingBee)