Tile Art in Progress

Walking home from Union Square where I go to the green market and yoga I often walk down Second Avenue. The first time I saw the tile guys working on this street lamp base I didn't have my camera so I felt very lucky to get a chance to see them plying their craft again, this time with my camera. For years now, I want to say almost since the mid-nineties, this street artist has been creating tile work all over the East Village, mostly, but not exclusively at the base of street lamps.

What they are working on here in this picture is of particular historical meaning to me because the Filmore East, which had been a concert venue in the 60's and early 70's became The Saint in the 70's and 80's.

Now all that's left is the facade with a bank in it, the theater was torn down to build ugly condos.

The Saint was probably the greatest club I have ever been to, the dance floor was under a scrim covered dome and in the middle of the dance floor was one of those light projectors like they used to have in planetariums so dancing at The Saint was like being under the stars, it was amazing.

The other thing I remember was the 24 restaurant on the corner, it wasn't exceptional in any way other than it was always open and had great pancakes when you needed them at 4:30 in the morning.