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Graffiti artist set to complete largest mural in New Jersey

<p>A mural said to be the largest in the entire state of New Jersey will be completed later this month in Jersey City.</p>

News 12 Staff

Aug 10, 2017, 10:18 AM

Updated 2,659 days ago

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A mural said to be the largest in the entire state of New Jersey will be completed later this month in Jersey City.
As of Thursday, graffiti artist Distort had spent 40 days working on the mural that will cover the side of the 100-year-old Mecca and Son's Trucking building outside the Holland Tunnel on Marin Boulevard. About 15 million people pass by the building each year.
Distort, who was born and raised in New Jersey, said he’s using his classical art background and passion for graffiti on his largest canvas yet that will cover 200 feet by 80 feet of space.
The mural tells the industrial history of Jersey City, paying homage to the Bergen Arches, the Pulaski Skyway and more. The building itself is the last industrial building standing on the waterfront.
"To me, it represents Jersey City and the energy of it,” he said.
The piece is expected to be completed within two weeks.
The mural was organized by local art gallery Green Villain and funded by the Jersey City Mural Arts Program, making this graffiti legal.
Distort said he's grateful to work on a sanctioned project of such a large scale.
"I've always made it a priority to put paint on walls, and now that I have all the resources to do it, I feel like I can finally have the voice that I want to have,” he said.
Greg Edgell, Green Villain’s founder, said the group has organized some 40 murals in the city with artists from Jersey City's art scene.
“The talent . . . is some bar none best in the world,” Edgell said.
He said Green Villain aims to make Jersey City a mural mecca.
“The goal of Green Villain is to continue to create one-of-a-kind art projects similar to this that help put Jersey City on the map as opposed to being a pass through for commuters into New York,” Edgell said.