Lower East Side Heroines by Lexi Bella

Lexi Bella is a NYC-based artist who works in paint, collage and installation. She recently created this series of murals that cover a trailer located on East 1st St. between 2nd Ave. & Ave. A, on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

This project was done through Centre-Fuge, an organization that transforms construction sites and transitional spaces into public art sites. Above, Debbie Harry of Blondie. Below, a view of one side of the trailer, which is covered with portraits of important women in LES history:

Ellen Stewart, founder of LaMaMa Experimental Theater:

Hellcat Maggie was the daughter of Irish immigrants and, as a member of the Dead Rabbits, the first female gang member during the notorious 5 Points era of the 1850s:

Hattie, Anne and Ida, the “daughters” of area institution Russ and Daughters:

Neighborhood girl-turned-star Rosario Dawson:

The artist’s daughter Roxy, born in the neighborhood and representing the next generation of strong women:

The murals are up through mid-July, and they’re worth checking out in person. As a bonus, the trailer is across the street from City Lore, which is currently hosting the excellent exhibit Moving Murals: Henry Chalfant & Martha Cooper’s All-City Graffiti Archive.

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