When I see your face, what does that mean to me? What does that mean to you? And most importantly, what does that look like? 

New York City has the most creative and varied street art in the country — unexpected and mystical, just like its city. My favorite street art in the town is of two types: one that I can connect with and another that teaches us a story. 

Street art in New York has been around since the 1960s. What began as tags or graffiti in subway tunnels has now become complex and entered the sophisticated art world. Legend has it that Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat used the urban environment to challenge societal norms and bring attention to critical issues. 

Roaming around the city, I have noticed that the various murals have either cultural or political meanings. Images are always up for interpretation. Historical or cultural context gives an image a fixed meaning to the public, therefore, the image can be interpreted in many ways, depending on the viewer. Within every image, there is a sign, a signifier and a signified. 

While riding the Metro-North to midtown Manhattan, Harlem’s 125th Street caught my eye. This single image of a mother and child hugging, with vibrant colors and flowers behind them, conveys a beautiful cultural meaning. A beautiful recollection and representation of the diversity and migration Harlem faced. It is truly beautiful seeing individuals express their culture, family and ideals through art. Just as an article does, images also tell a story. 

The Grandscale Mural Project conveyed this art through a nonprofit organization, Uptown Grand Central, dedicated to supporting the East 125th Street and Metro-North corridor. Some of these panels between 124th and 125th street are the largest street installations in New York City. “I am glad to continue to support a project that makes such an important contribution to the neighborhood, and excited to see the artwork that will emerge this season,” said Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala, a project sponsor. 

If we recall Harlem’s history, it was initially settled by the Dutch in the 1600s and evolved to its current status as an African American neighborhood. After the Harlem Renaissance flourished in the 1920s, it helped advance and advocate for African American culture through literature, music and visual arts. Some famous artists who emerged from this era include Duke Ellington, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. 

Harlem continues to evolve, preserving its rich cultural history, even while facing challenges in today’s society, like gentrification.. The neighborhood remains a cultural and historical representation of African American advancement. The community  will continue to embrace its cultural context, evolving and flourishing. 

Another example of street art caught my eye while I was roaming around in Midtown. It said “protect your heart” in large graffiti. Simple, but powerful. How do you feel after viewing these three words? What images pop up in your head? Exactly. Street art has everyone thinking, reminiscing and connecting with themselves and the city. Living anywhere, each individual learns and experiences their own situations that shape values and views of a particular place and city. 

When I encounter street art, I feel sudden feelings of self-love and strength opening up inside me. Being only 20 years old in New York City, you are more exposed to the world than someone living in the suburbs of a state. Just as an image is open to interpretation, each place is, too. I like to feel safe and therefore protect my heart, mind and body when living in New York City. I’m a young student figuring out life, like most New Yorkers and people across the country.

Street art holds its authority and authentic meaning in shaping New York’s culture and history. Beyond the many modern infrastructures, such as the recent 60-foot J.P. Morgan model skyscraper, New York holds its own context and rich history with significant meaning. The voices, the feelings, experiences, self-expression, social commentary and cultural exchange. Something that buildings and fancy infrastructure cannot tell. They reflect the city’s affluence regardless of the challenges it faced socially, culturally and economically. We must continue to remember and embrace individuals’ expression and identity in the Big Apple’s society.