Iena Cruz leads a virtual tour of Brooklyn's street art scene

Italian street artist Federico Massa, known as Iena Cruz, guides a virtual walk through Brooklyn's street art hotspots, focusing on Bushwick and Williamsburg. He moved from Milan to New York ten years ago and has gained recognition for large-format murals depicting animals and oceans, including Europe's largest smog-eating mural in Rome. The tour starts at the Jefferson L train stop in Bushwick, home to the Bushwick Collective founded by Joe Ficalora, which revitalized the industrial area. Cruz highlights works by D*Face, Case Maclaim, and Ron English, noting that murals typically last about four months. He shares personal stories, including his first New York mural at Graphite Gallery, a calavera riding an iguana on Scholes Street, and a lost piece at JMZ Walls. Other stops include Morgan Avenue, Montrose, and Williamsburg, where his 'Super Heroes' mural remains at Williamsburg Cinemas. Cruz reflects on the community aspect of street art and notes a resurgence of illegal graffiti during the pandemic lockdown.