Enjoy a virtual street art tour of Jersey City by scrolling through the @sszochet Instagram post.

My friend Susan of New Jersey is an avid follower of street art. Her latest post (April 24, 2020) caught my eye. In the global pandemic of Covid-19, most of us are in lockdowns. In South Africa, in our lockdown, recreational walking is currently not permitted. Viewing street art is not an option – unless one is on the way to the shops to purchase essentials- and one passes a mural. When lockdown restrictions are lifted, public/street art is, I think going to provide tremendous joy. It is free. One can mitigate exposure to Covid-19 because one is outdoors and social distancing is possible.

Susan’s post follows. It is best to view this on her Instagram feed as the photos are there

“Do you enjoy street art?  New York City is a mecca of  street art but did you know that right across the Hudson, a quick train ride away,  Jersey City offers an incredible array of murals?  They have hundreds, both official and unsanctioned, and some by famous artists.”

✔ The crown of the first mural– by multi-disciplinary artist Beau Stanton, made up of iconic Jersey City buildings

✔ David Bowie mural (2nd pic on post)- by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra is 180 feet tall


✔ Murals by Obama ‘Hope’ artist Shepard Fairey (fifth and seventh pics) – The Blue Wave is 50 x 100 feet and is a tribute to the city’s creative resurgence


✔ Alice Pasquini mural (eighth pic) – part of a series of three murals. The other two are in NYC

Good to know about the area:

✔ Five minutes from lower Manhattan or fifteen minutes from Midtown by PATH train, Jersey City is a mix of historic and modern. Ferry service is also available. 

✔ The waterfront has stunning views of NYC and Liberty State Park offers access to and views of the Statue of Liberty. 

✔ NYC tourists often opt to stay at one of the hotels in the vicinity, including a waterfront Hyatt. 

✔ The city is very walk-able, with restaurants and bars- some with rooftops and skyline views over the water.  I hope they will survive being shut down.


✔ Local art scene with openings and galleries

About Susan: She was born in and grew up in New York.

She muses: “I am a New Yorker through and through and I love all the arts and culture available in the NYC area.  Street art is no exception and I always seek it out both close to home and while traveling.  It can be powerful, political, emotional, fun whimsical or a combination of these things.  Street art can also reflect the personality of a neighborhood or town and spark controversy, imagination and dialogue.”

For many years Susan worked as an account manager in “public relations fulfilment”  and as a book publicist and then in PR consulting.   “Currently I am figuring out my next move while posting from my travels on Instagram and staying home and staying safe.”

The street art post is her first post in three week, she says: “Because I just haven’t felt like it, was unsure what to post.  But art makes me happy and  I have been enjoying all the virtual tours offered by different institutions so I hope your readers will find pleasure in this tour. Stay safe and healthy.”

Follow @sszochet for interesting posts about art in the city, travel options and ideas.

Image credit: Supplied.