Sneak peek: Still in Love street art to be explored in new documentary, art exhibit
A new documentary, currently in production, as well as an upcoming exhibit at the Northport Historical Society, explore the history of the decades-old Still in Love street art on Bayview Avenue in Northport Village. Image via stillinlovefilm.com.
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The Northport Historical Society is inviting community members to honor the “love month” of February with the opening reception for its Still in Love exhibit, a collection inspired by an upcoming documentary film from Northport High School graduate, filmmaker, photographer and visual artist Storm Choi and produced by fellow Northport High School alumnus Fred Beteille.
On a website dedicated to the documentary, Choi writes: “When I was a child, my family left Queens and moved to the small, coastal village of Northport, Long Island. It was the summer before I started the 4th grade, and on my first bike ride into this picturesque town I was surprised to find three words spray-painted on the sidewalk: STILL IN LOVE.
“I was fascinated. Who painted them? What was the love story behind the words? The graffiti seemed out of place but was also somehow so moving. For the rest of my childhood, I shouted out the name of the girl I had a crush on whenever I passed the words. As an adult, I brought my fiancé there before I proposed and again after our 20th wedding anniversary.
What I didn’t know was that these words were allegedly first painted on the sidewalk back in 1964. The identity of the artist still remains a mystery.”
Social media accounts offer a few different origin stories for the Bayview Avenue graffiti, including one reported on by the Journal in 2022, which credits a newlywed celebrating his first wedding anniversary as the first to scrawl his feelings on the concrete walkway. Another account gives credit to a female jogger who, while on the route she often jogged with her husband, memorialized the words in wet concrete.
“Adding even more intrigue is that over the past 60 years, the message has been repainted every few weeks keeping it bright and fresh. The words have captured the hearts of this small village,” Choi wrote. The three words even enjoy a special protection: According to a 2012 article in Newsday, the Highway Department was told if there’s ever a need to do maintenance on the sidewalk, “they’re not allowed to remove that slab,” said then-Mayor George Doll.
The Still in Love opening exhibit reception will take place on Friday, February 7 at 6pm, at the Northport Historical Society (215 Main Street, Northport). This exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming documentary film will explore the Still in Love street art, as well as items from the museum’s collection that highlight love in all its forms. Both Choi and Beteille will be present, and guests will be invited to leave their own mark on Northport history by signing their name to a Valentine for Northport that will be added to the museum’s collection.
Register for the free event here.
