ASTRODUB 2015 DESK CALENDAR | FREEDOM TUNNEL

Freedom Tunnel (a three-mile-long active train tunnel) got its name from the graffiti artist Chris "Freedom" Pape who created some of his most notable artwork on its walls. Built by Robert Moses in the 30s, it eventually seized operations in the 80's and subsequently became a haven for NYC's homeless. At its height in 1994, nearly a hundred people lived there. In 1991 the tunnel was reopened for Amtrak trains and the shantytowns evicted. To this day, with trains zooming-by at 80 miles per hour, graffiti artists and urban explorers continue to visit the tunnel, while the homeless population has dwindled.

The tunnel's unique lighting poring through the sidewalk grates of Riverside Park allows artwork to be lit from above, as if in a gallery. Notable graffiti artists who left their mark on the tunnel include Smith and his brother Sane (who died in 1991), Ghost, Twist, Cost, and Revs. The images in this calendar were taken in mid 2014 with an iPhone 5s.              All images ©Angeliki Jackson