Murder on Second Avenue

In 1980, I embarked on a unique year-long documentation of the Lower East Side using a 4×5 view camera.1980 was a pivotal moment in the history of New York. While the city teetered on the edge of bankruptcy, artists and musicians flocked to the crumbling Lower East Side with its affordable housing and edgy vibe. I was a witness to that almost mythical time when everything from punk rock to graffiti emerged from the streets of downtown New York. Murder on Second Avenue is a memoir that keys off of an infamous murder at Binibon, a restaurant that once stood at the corner of East 5th Street and 2nd Avenue. My walk begins at St. Mark’s Place, proceeds down 2nd Avenue, and ends on East 4th Street where I lived in 1980. Along the way, I will read from my essay and show pictures from that tumultuous, but creative time.