Entry No. 25 — the New York City file — filed under: art-immersive

Jim Power's Mosaic Trail

Since 1985 the self-styled Mosaic Man, Jim Power, has wrapped East Village lampposts in tiled mosaics celebrating neighborhood and city history, with dozens scattered along St. Marks Place and nearby blocks. Some poles have been lost or repainted over the years, but a restoration effort removes and repairs them, and the surviving ones are visible day or night. Power, a Vietnam veteran who has weathered homelessness, sometimes works on the trail in person.

The move: Start near Astor Place and follow the tiled lampposts down St. Marks together, reading the city history embedded in each pole.

📍 Before you go It's a free, self-guided outdoor trail; individual poles occasionally come down for restoration, so the exact lineup shifts over time.

• 📍 East Village, Manhattan
• 💸 $$
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: St. Marks Place and surrounding East Village streets, New York, NY 10003

Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-23