Over There

The man on the left thought he could just lean a painting on any old railing at Union Square Park and offer it for sale. One of the "Pep Boys" (as I'm now calling them) approached him and politely said that if he wished to sell his art that he should position himself behind one of the 18 green markers that denote designated spots for artists to sell on days that the farmer's market was in the park (such as this day, two Saturdays ago):


I watched the man with the painting disappear around the corner to investigate whether there were any spots available to him. I didn't follow, since I already knew on a sunny Saturday afternoon he'd have no chance to legally sell his work (I don't even know if it was his work or someone else's, not that that matters). The spots had long been occupied.

That's the way it's going in the park now. As people have gotten over the shock of the new regime, the spots are now getting filled earlier and earlier, especially now that the weather is a little cooler and a lot less humid. And this is in July and August, which I'm told are slow months in the world of selling art on the streets. It really picks up in the fall (so I'm told), and then things are going to get even more cutthroat.

Thank you Mayor Bloomberg, for this Brave New World New York you've given us.