Benefit Show Gives a Leg Up to Artist Who Lost an Arm in Subway Accident

Back in February, David Nordine, a mainstay on the street art scene of his native Lower East Side, lost part of his left arm after being struck be a subway train in Brighton Beach. Since then he’s been receiving support from his friends and exhibitors via a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $27,000 and a benefit show last month at Bushwick’s Head Too Heavy Gallery.

On Friday, David’s good friend Michaelangelo Aurello hosted a benefit party at Studio 929 in Bushwick. “For any that know David personally, you know that he is the sweetest guy, and an incredibly talented artist,” Aurello wrote on Facebook, posting a photo of Nordine’s “Bad Pussies” mural on the side of Mama’s Bar. “You can see his handpainted signs at restaurants all over the city, and if you have been lucky enough to see any of his work in person, you know what a genius he is.”

Friday, the walls of the cavernous fourth floor were lined with paintings up for silent auction by artists Claw Money, Mr. Nerds, Cash4, Levon Meserlian, and URNEWYORK. There was live music from The Slackers, Alex Levine from So So Glos, Stringer, The Hair and The Music, Miffed and Consumata Sonidera while guests spray-painted their signatures on a mural in Davids honor.

Every cent of the art sales and admission went to David, but he still has a long road ahead as he adjusts to life with a prosthetic arm. After a month-long hospital stay he’s recovering with family members in New Jersey but on Friday he made the trek out to Brooklyn to thank his friends for everything they’ve done. The love that these partygoers felt for Dave was literally in the air; there were cheers as someone spray-painted ‘we f*****g love you’ on the wall.

Correction: The original captions were revised to correct David Nordine’s first name.