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Street Art and Horse Racing Merge at Aqueduct

What do horse racing and street art have in common?

That's the question 14 international artists hope to tackle, in a new exhibition opening at the Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens Saturday.

Artist Joe Iurato organized the show. He said much of the work is inspired by the past, including memories the artists have of racing, as well as hundreds of vintage horse racing photos taken at the track. He said he wanted to make sure the artwork had an authentic feel that pays reverence to the history of the track.

"It's gritty, it's bare, it never tried to be something that it wasn't, in all these years," he said. "I can only explain it as, you can feel the years gone by...and it really reminds me of the urban environment."

The group decorating the space at the track include street artists from South Africa, Italy and Sweden.

Fourteen street artists are decorating Aqueduct Racetrack with large-scale murals.
Fourteen street artists are decorating Aqueduct Racetrack with large-scale murals. (NYRA/Adam Coglianese)
Artists are working with hundreds of vintage photographs taken at the track to incorporate the theme of horseracing into their work.
Artists are working with hundreds of vintage photographs taken at the track to incorporate the theme of horseracing into their work. (Courtesy NYRA)
Artist Shai Duran working on a mural at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Artist Shai Duran working on a mural at Aqueduct Racetrack. (Courtesy NYRA)
The group includes street artists from South Africa, Italy and Sweden.
The group includes street artists from South Africa, Italy and Sweden. (Courtesy NYRA)
Each mural will remain on display at Aqueduct indefinitely.
Each mural will remain on display at Aqueduct indefinitely. (Courtesy NYRA)
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