5Pointz Building Owner Defends Whitewashing Decision

Either by perusing the news or simply reading a Facebook news feed, you might’ve heard that the iconic 5Pointz building was whitewashed overnight yesterday. The news may come as a surprise to many, yet the historic graffiti site has been the subject of intense quarrel between the New York art scene and, of course, developers for the past few years. The owner of the building, longtime scene enemy Jerry Wolkoff, commissioned the surprise midnight change, using the night – and recruiting police protection – to shield himself from any “confrontation.” Wolkoff spoke to New York Magazine about his decision, how he plans to console street art’s “misguided” stalwarts, and what he plans to do with the space. Enjoy key excerpts below, then head over to New York Magazine for the full feature.