Inside Out New York City: Artist JR Decorates Duffy Square Ground With Black-And-White Portraits

The French street artist known as JR launched a new project called "Inside Out New York City." JR installed a photo booth truck in Times Square where anyone can create poster-sized self-portraits that people can keep or paste on the ground in Duffy Square. In this latest installation in Times Square, the first set of black-and-white portraits were taken ahead of time in the roaming photo booth truck in neighborhoods affected by Hurricane Sandy. The aim of this project is to show an inclusive image of New York City. The project runs through May 10.

Duct Tape Pop-Up Store

A duct tape pop-up store set up shop at 1411 Broadway between 39th and 40th streets for 10 days recently. The store sold Duck Tape printed with dozens of patterns, from local sports teams to One Direction, SpongeBob SquarePants, and tie-dye and floral prints.  The store also displayed duct tape flowers, purses, shoes, as well as dresses constructed from duct tape by "Project Runway" contestants. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Autism Speaks' "Light it Up Blue" initiative.

Tulips In Bloom At The Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Annual Border

Tulips are in full bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Annual Border, two long beds located on the western side of Lily Pool Terrace. Each year, in April, the Annual Border offers a display of thousands of tulips lining the pools and a burst of beautiful colors in this area of the garden. Above are photos of some of my favorite blooms captured yesterday.

She Hearts NY

She's one of the countless buskers in Times Square who poses for photos with tourists. And she loves New York.

NYC Expands Subway Wireless Access, Michael Bublé Sings In Subway Station

Video from MichaelBubleTV

New York City subway commuters can now make calls and access the Internet on mobile devices in 36 underground subway stations. The first phase of the city project brings wireless access to some of the busiest travel hubs, including stations at Rockefeller Center and Times Square. Transit officials hope to expand the access to 40 additional stations in Manhattan and other boroughs by the first quarter of next year. The project will be funded entirely through fees paid by wireless carriers. 

Meanwhile, singer Michael Bublé brightened up a morning commute today when he performed "Who's Lovin You" with the a capella group Naturally 7 in the subway station below Lincoln Center. The song is from his newly released album.

Colossal Stone Figures Against Modern Architectural Structures: Ugo Rondinone's Human Nature at Rockefeller Center

The newest outdoor art exhibition, "Human Nature" by Swiss-born, New York-based artist Ugo Rondinone, was unveiled recently at the iconic Rockefeller Center. The exhibition features nine 16- to 20-foot tall, human-shaped stone figures at the plaza between 49th and 50th Streets. The stone sculptures are on view through June 7, 2013. Presented by Nespresso, the free exhibition is organized by Public Art Fund and Tishman Speyer. 

“The stone figure is the most archetypal representation of the human form; an elemental symbol of the human spirit, connected to the earth yet mythic in the imagination. The image of the figure belongs to nobody, is timeless, and universal,” said artist Ugo Rondinone.

Mural in Harlem by the Creative Arts Workshops for Kids

These beautiful murals in Harlem are creations of the Creative Arts Workshops for Kids (CAW), a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the lives of underserved Northern Manhattan youth through the use of visual, performing, and technology arts. Youth in Northern Manhattan neighborhoods including East Harlem, Central Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood learn job and developmental skills through CAW’s various programs. CAW also collaborates with institutions such as Teach for America, Fordham University, and St. Aloysius. 

Tim Hetherington's Photographic Installation, SLEEPING SOLDIERS at the School of the International Center of Photography

Sleeping Soldiers is a new photographic installation at the School of  the International Center of Photography (ICP) from April 4–May 13, 2013. The photographs were taken by Tim Hetherington (1970–2011), an ICP faculty member and guest artist. He photographed the experience of war from the perspective of the individual, mostly in West Africa and the Middle East. On April 20, 2011, Hetherington was killed by Libyan forces in a mortar attack.

The International Center of Photography school is located at 1114 6th Avenue (or Avenue of the Americas) and 43rd Street in midtown Manhattan, diagonally across the street from the ICP Museum. Pictured above is one of the building's architectural highlights, a striking glass pavilion entrance on the building's plaza. Below ground is a 27,000-square-foot facility featuring state-of-the-art classroom and black-and-white and color lab spaces, digital labs with resources for multimedia, digital photography, video editing and production, and a professional shooting studio.