Mosaic Man Honored at Official Unveiling of Restored Astor Place Light Poles

East Village residents gathered at Astor Place late Thursday afternoon to honor the artist Jim Power, also known as the Mosaic Man, and officially unveil the restored mosaic lamp posts created by Power that were recently reinstalled in Astor Place. 

Power, who has decorated lamp posts and planters with bits of ceramic, glass and tile in the East Village for over 30 years, was honored by speakers including William Kelley of the Village Alliance, Wendy Feuer ‎of the NYC Department of Transportation, artist and historian Clayton Patterson, City Lore founder Steve Zeitlin, Harry Bubbins of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, poet Bob Holman, and City Council Member Rosie Mendez, who remarked that the only topic that came up more often than the return of the Cube in her recent discussions with constituents was the return of Power’s mosaic lamp posts.

Power himself was the final speaker, and he thanked his colleague Julie Powell for her assistance in restoring the light poles. “It’s been an interesting 30 years,” he said. “It’s not over. I’m very happy that I had a chance to actually do this down here… It’s been a great adventure, to say the least.”

“I remember it it all very vividly, once in a while,” he said with a laugh.