Call it the Powers of love!
Renowned graffiti artist Steve Powers is continuing his “Love Letter to Brooklyn” by painting more tender missives across facades on the Fulton Mall — and even crafting free signs for area businesses.
“We’ll go wherever we’re needed,” Powers said. “Art is great, but we’re here to help too.”
Last month, Powers and his team covered the decrepit Macy’s parking garage with warm catchphrases such as “Born busy as a Brooklyn-bound B” and “Is you for me?”
And two weeks ago, he painted “All I need is you and new shoes” on an empty black wall overlooking Albee Square. The giant polka-dotted “You” pops out high above Tony’s Pizza and the Rd Cpt sneaker shop — an open-air artwork for people lounging in the pedestrian plaza.
“This is an exclamation point to Downtown Brooklyn,” said Kevin Tolan, a director at the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. “We are definitely deserving of the attention that love letters bring.”
Now Powers and his team are continuing their outdoor epistle by designing storefront displays for local shops, a project sponsored by the city’s Downtown-boosting group. Dubbed Icy Signs, the crew is based in a storefront on Livingston near Hoyt Street and will paint signs until the end of the year.
Indeed, Powers is covering the Fulton Mall with high art at a time of rapid gentrification, as the retail boulevard awaits an H&M, Shake Shack, Aeropostale, and Express.
But the 43-year-old artist noted the importance of incorporating local and less-glamorous stores into the project. For example, even though Macy’s paid him to cover all four sides of the parking garage — which takes up an entire block — he painted “99” on the Livingston Street facade to represent the 99-cent store below.
“We’ve brought a lot of energy to the community by taking a building considered an eyesore and making it art,” Powers said.
Business owners can request a free Powers-painted window display by contacting the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership at (718) 403-1608 or via the Web at www.dbpartnership.org.
Reach reporter Kate Briquelet at kbriquelet@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260-2511.
