Bushwick's Bohemia

Book excerpt: Viewed as a symbol of urban blight and decline in the late 1970s and 1980s, Bushwick today is bustling and bursting with color, creativity, and commerce. Cozy and cool cafes, small boutiques, trendy restaurants, vibrant street murals, and art galleries now adorn the neighborhood in the northern part of Brooklyn, stoking its growing reputation as one of the more desirable places to live, work in, and visit. In this book, Mario Hernandez paints a precise picture that portrays the redevelopment, evolution, and ensuing gentrification of the Brooklyn neighborhood over recent decades. Drawing on interviews, developer reports, and historical and civic records, the author focuses closely on the artists and creative industries that moved to Bushwick and, over time, shaped the Bohemian art scene in the neighborhood and contributed to the growth of its vibrant urban economy. The book connects the emergence and ongoing development of the neighborhood’s art scene to neoliberal policies and city planning efforts that have also facilitated and led to the increasing displacement of long-time Black and Latinx residents. It also documents community efforts to counteract forces of displacement and development, revealing the complex, competing, and collective efforts to shape Bushwick and its future. Culture and capital collide, converge, and contribute to rapid and radical change in Bushwick’s bohemia, making this an important read for those interested in urban life, gentrification, and social issues.