The Wall in Central

Like many others I cut through the alley next to Central Kitchen quite frequently, of course I have noticed the artwork, thought it was cool, but it wasn't until I ran across this article that I knew what it was about.

What's even more dope is how the grafitti-like art is public, lacks a corporate sponsor and is wholly legal. Supine's piece is part of a huge project on the wall outside Central Kitchen (567 Mass. Ave., Cambridge) and in fact, the entire 81-foot wall is covered from top to bottom in a poster-painted 3-D graffiti-stenciled pastiche. The last week in October, Supine and 19 other artists met in Cambridge to create a public display of cutting-edge street art that defies description. More than a simple wall, the entire southeast-facing facade, from HVAC ducts to window sills (up to and including parts of the roof) are plastered and splattered with characters, words and colors. The art will remain there for all to see until the weather, or something else, washes it away.

"The wall is true in spirit," says contributor Celso (of the Endless Love Crew), "but the best work to me is the stuff that people are willing to go to jail for. It's more of a rush when you are painting in the dark, watching your back and trying to finish a work before the cops arrive."

Hargo admits that something may be lost from a "legitimate" mural of street art, "But," he says, "we tried to put it together in such a way that it wasn't quite as tidy as a gallery. Many decisions were made by the artists on the spot based on space constraints, some guys went over others -- like what happens on the street -- and in some cases feathers were ruffled. But in the end everybody realized that's the way it goes with street art."

Next time you are in Central, swing by its pretty cool.

The Wall at Central Square
567 Mass Ave, Cambridge MA

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