About 100 artists protested new limits on "expressive matter vendors" yesterday in a rally at Union Square.
The Parks Department has issued new regulations on where the vendors may do their business and has set a maximum of 169 at any one time in the restricted locations in Central Park, Battery Park, the High Line Park and Union Square.
According to an article in today's edition of The New York Post by Tom Topousis and Michael Blaustein normally almost "double that number used to sell their work" in the four parks."
The new rules went into effect after a decision Friday by Federal Judge Richard Sullivan upheld the city's regulations.
The city has marked the spot of permitted sale by the "expressive matter vendors" with small green medallions in the pavement. The medallions look a bit like just thrown-away and just stepped-upon green chewing gum. Only one such vendor at a time can post at each medallion and according to the article "the city policy is that whoever snags the spots first every morning wins them."
The article maintained that the Parks Department "insists the intent is not to stifle art or starve artists, but to better manage crowded park space," although some artists, it continued, "were furious about the choice of locations, some facing busy streets."
"Expressive matter vendors" covers anyone selling art, photography, reading material or sculpture.
"We love artists, and all park users. Our goal is to make sure everyone can use the park. We just want balance. It's not the end of vending, it's not the end of art," Vickie Karp, a spokesperson for the Parks Department, told The Post.
Maybe it's just the end of capitalism.
The Parks Department has issued new regulations on where the vendors may do their business and has set a maximum of 169 at any one time in the restricted locations in Central Park, Battery Park, the High Line Park and Union Square.
According to an article in today's edition of The New York Post by Tom Topousis and Michael Blaustein normally almost "double that number used to sell their work" in the four parks."
The new rules went into effect after a decision Friday by Federal Judge Richard Sullivan upheld the city's regulations.
The city has marked the spot of permitted sale by the "expressive matter vendors" with small green medallions in the pavement. The medallions look a bit like just thrown-away and just stepped-upon green chewing gum. Only one such vendor at a time can post at each medallion and according to the article "the city policy is that whoever snags the spots first every morning wins them."
The article maintained that the Parks Department "insists the intent is not to stifle art or starve artists, but to better manage crowded park space," although some artists, it continued, "were furious about the choice of locations, some facing busy streets."
"Expressive matter vendors" covers anyone selling art, photography, reading material or sculpture.
"We love artists, and all park users. Our goal is to make sure everyone can use the park. We just want balance. It's not the end of vending, it's not the end of art," Vickie Karp, a spokesperson for the Parks Department, told The Post.
Maybe it's just the end of capitalism.
Architecture Critic
Carter Horsley
Since 1997, Carter B. Horsley has been the editorial director of CityRealty. He began his journalistic career at The New York Times in 1961 where he spent 26 years as a reporter specializing in real estate & architectural news. In 1987, he became the architecture critic and real estate editor of The New York Post.
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