If you happen to be strolling through New York City’s East Village you may be surprised at what you see when you look up at the corner of East 11th St. and 1st Avenue. A large, colorful mural has appeared above the street corner depicting the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, with an interesting twist. The right half of the face on the mural depicts a young Jackson with an innocent smile and a recognizable afro, while the left half of the face depicts an older Jackson with long black hair and keenly alert eyes.
The mural was reportedly designed by famous Brazilian artist, Eduardo Kobra, who has been credited for over 500 multi-color murals in 17 different countries around the world. If you recall, in 2016 Kobra created an eccentric mural of the late David Bowie on Jersey Avenue in Jersey City, NJ. Kobra grew up in a poor neighborhood on the south side of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and made it his mission to spread his message through colorful murals and street art.
The celebration of Michael Jackson doesn’t stop there, as the famed film producer Spike Lee will be hosting the 8th annual Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson Block Party, on August 25th, just a few days before what would have been Jackson’s 60th birthday. The event will take place on Stuyvesant Avenue between Lexington Avenue and Quincy Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn—the block officially renamed “Do The Right Thing Way” in 2015 after Spike’s Academy Award-nominated 1989 film of the same name, which centered on rising racial tensions in the Brooklyn neighborhood. The 2018 Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson Block Party will take place from noon to 7 p.m. on the 25th, and is free and open to the public.
[H/T OkayPlayer]