Photos By Gail

Argentine-born Luis Frangella landed in New York City in 1976 and soon became a recognized figure of the East Village art scene. As a painter, he moved beyond traditional canvases, producing murals throughout the city at unexpected sites like nightclubs and construction zones. His work evokes downtown New York’s artist and queer communities, who congregated and created in public spaces in resistance to the city’s deindustrialization.

Originally displayed within Pier 34 dilapidated interiors, Frangella’s colossal cardboard heads and torsos were painted in his signature expressionist figurative style. This 3D work from 1984 depicts his friend and collaborator, artist and activist David Wojnarowicz. Read more about Wojnarowicz’ life and work here.

Photographed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.