While the Initiative continues to encourage alternative measures as best practices for securing storefronts, we are pleased to see some stores that have installed security barriers during the COVID-19 outbreak have offered them to artists as a temporary canvas, contributing visual interest and a hopeful atmosphere to the corridor.
Bloomingdale’s SoHo at 504 Broadway commissioned Marco Santini to apply a colorful geometric mural filled to their storefront, filled with positive words.
Meanwhile, the Aritzia SoHo Flagship invited muralist Stephen Powers to apply work to the black-painted security barriers on their extensive Broadway and Spring Street frontage. The result is a series of timely vignettes including a tribute to singer-songwriter John Prine, who died April 7 from coronavirus complications.
We hope that other stores follow suit with this approach!