About The Wall
The Wall, also known as Gateway to Soho, is a minimalist work of art in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. Created by Forrest Myers in 1973, it consists of 42 green aluminum rods mounted on a periwinkle background. Standing about eight stories tall, the piece covers three-quarters of the facade of the building at 599 Broadway. Originally commissioned to hide architectural scars left by the widening of Houston Street, the work symbolizes the neighborhood's cultural transformation and recalls the artistic spirit of SoHo's early days. After a controversial debate in 2002 over removing it because of water damage and structural problems, the wall was ultimately restored. A compromise reached in 2007 called for extending the facade so that the artwork could be mounted higher while also creating advertising space at street level. Today, you can see this striking piece of public art as the central visual element of the historic artists' district.
At a glance
- Category
- Sight › Historic sites
- Rating
- no reviews yet · write a review
- Address
- 599 Broadway
10012 New York, USA - District
- Manhattan
- Phone
- —
- Website
- en.wikipedia.org
- —
- Coordinates
- 40.72521° N · -73.99724° E
- Data quality
- confidence 0.76
- Identifier
- ID d27c4ce5-0f1…
Location & surroundings
Toggle layersFAQ about The Wall
quick answersWhat is The Wall in New York?
The Wall, also known as Gateway to Soho, is a minimalist artwork on a building facade in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. The artist Forrest Myers created it in 1973 from 42 green aluminum rods mounted on a periwinkle background. Standing about eight stories tall, the work is now considered a central visual landmark of the historic artists' district.
Where is The Wall located in Manhattan?
The Wall is located on the facade of 599 Broadway in the borough of Manhattan in New York. The artwork covers three quarters of the facade and sits in the SoHo neighborhood, near Houston Street. Because of its location, it is also called Gateway to Soho.
Why was The Wall created in SoHo, and what is its history?
The Wall at 599 Broadway in New York was originally commissioned to conceal architectural scars left by the widening of Houston Street. In 2002, there was a controversial debate over removing the work due to water damage and structural problems, but the wall was ultimately restored. A 2007 compromise called for extending the facade, mounting the artwork higher, and creating advertising space at street level.
What can you see around The Wall in New York?
Around The Wall in SoHo, Manhattan, there are several historic buildings and smaller art venues within walking distance. travelguide195 lists The Cable Building about 75 meters away, the Susan Sheehan Gallery about 116 meters away, the Little Singer Building about 147 meters away, and the Memorial for David Bowie about 166 meters away, among others.
Are there restaurants near The Wall in SoHo?
Yes, around The Wall at 599 Broadway in New York, you'll find a very wide selection of restaurants. travelguide195 lists about 458 restaurants within 500 meters of the artwork in SoHo, Manhattan.
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A 1973 piece of minimalist artwork — actually, ranging for 8 stories, quite large rather than minimal — by Forrest Myers graces the blind wall of the building at 599 Broadway. It has actually been removed and rebuilt in the 2000s because of its impact on the wall it is placed on, placed higher to allow for street-level advertising below it. Because of its prominent location at the intersection of Broadway and Houston Street, it is often referred to as marking the Gateway to Soho .
Source: Wikivoyage, „Manhattan/SoHo“ · authors per page history · CC BY-SA 4.0