The
Freedom Tunnel is a legendary series of
graffiti murals painted in an
Amtrak tunnel under
riverside park in
Manhattan.
The tunnel is named after an artist called "
Freedom Chris" who painted "
Coca-Cola" mural.
The tunnel was not used by Amtrak during the 70s and 80s. During this time
homeless people built small shacks and dwellings in the tunnel. It also became a haven for
graffiti artists from all over the city.
Since the tunnel was isolated they could take their time and create ambitious
pieces. The tunnel also had unique lighting provided by the ventilation ducts (when you walk through riverside park you'll pass over many of these grates)
The
shafts of light created a
gallery space for
illegal artwork.
In
1996 Amtrak finally decided to start using the tunnel again and cleared most of the homeless people out-- though a few held on.
There is still a lot of the original
graffiti there and if you are an
urban explorer it's not hard to find an opening. (start around
72nd st for the best results)
Be careful, though. You may be
arrested.