A Night on Lexington Ave

This nighttime painting of Lexington Avenue in East Harlem evokes both the quiet pulse of the present and the powerful echoes of its past. Known as part of the spine of El Barrio, Lexington has long been more than just a thoroughfare—it’s been a stage for resilience, protest, and cultural pride. Once a corridor of Jewish and Italian immigrants in the early 20th century, it later became a stronghold of Puerto Rican life, earning East Harlem its nickname as “El Barrio.” Through the decades, Lexington Avenue has witnessed community struggles for housing, education, and justice—from the Young Lords' garbage offensive and clinic takeovers to ongoing fights against displacement and over-policing.

More than a nighttime cityscape, this painting honors Lexington Avenue as a symbol of endurance. The quiet scene pulses with memory—of marches, resistance, and communal care. Even in darkness, the avenue tells its story: of a community that refuses to disappear, whose fight for dignity and belonging has always been part of the landscape. In El Barrio, every brick holds a memory, and every night carries the promise that the struggle continues.