10 Artists Who Captured NYC’s 1970s Squalor and Grungy Glamour

A feature on TheCollector highlights ten photographers and street artists who documented New York City's decay and resilience during the 1970s. Thomas Struth arrived in 1977 and shot deserted streets like Crosby Street, SoHo, with a 5x7 camera. David Wojnarowicz created the series 'Rimbaud in New York' (1978-79), placing a masked figure in Times Square and other gritty locales. Camilo Jose Vergara, a Chilean immigrant, began his 'Old New York' series (1970-73) capturing the South Bronx and Lower East Side. Tseng Kwong Chi, who moved to NYC in 1978, posed in a Mao suit before landmarks like the Empire State Building in his 'East Meets West' series. Christy Rupp, a self-described eco-artist, pasted rat posters during the 1979 sanitation strike to mark infested areas. Fab Five Freddy, born in Brooklyn, painted the Campbell's Soup subway train in 1980 with Lee Quinones. Peter Hujar photographed the crumbling West Side piers, including 'Hallway, Canal Street Pier' (1983). Perla de Leon's 'South Bronx Spirit' (1979-80) focused on residents' resilience rather than fires. Alvin Baltrop documented Pier 52 from 1975 to 1986, capturing gay cruising and decay. Hiram Maristany chronicled East Harlem's everyday life as a Young Lords Party member and director of El Museo del Barrio.