The Underbelly Project, an illegal show of street art, curated by street artists PAC and Workhorse, fills the inside of an abandoned Brooklyn subway station. The project began in 2009. Artists, 103 in all, were escorted into the space individually to create their works. According to the project’s Web site, “Unobstructed by the pressures of commercial sales, e-mail or daily routines, each artist painted one full night.” (There’s definitely no e-mail, since four stories belowground in the century-old station, there’s no WiFi.) It’s one of the largest shows of such pieces ever mounted in one place. Many of the contributors are significant figures in both the street-art world and the commercial trade that now revolves around it. Following the space’s opening to select viewers earlier this month, police have made at least 20 arrests of people sneaking in or out. It’s not that surprising — given that the old station is located underneath a police precinct. Police have said there are no plans to remove the artwork.
