Giving Back to the "Picasso of Harlem"

Mr. Franco Gaskin, aka "Franco the Great" and the "Picasso of Harlem", is a world-famous artist internationally known for his artistic work on the streets of Harlem. In 1978 following Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Franco took it upon himself to turn a negative into a positive, and transformed the dreary looking storefront steel gates into beautiful pieces of art.

Every Sunday, when the stores were closed, you could find Franco painting steel gates up and down 125th street. To date, the Picasso of Harlem has revitalized over 200 gates from the West to the East Side of 125th street. These amazing steel gates are internationally recognized artwork and Harlem’s 125th street is unofficially deemed “Franco’s Blvd”.

Franco loves being on 125th street greeting tourists, sharing his passion for art, and finding joy in bringing smiles to his community. As Franco has aged, mobility has been challenging and he hasn’t been able to move about Harlem like he is so well known for.

We are asking for your donations to help us raise funds to provide the necessary medical equipment and necessities for Franco the Great so that we can help him get back the freedom and mobility to freely move through 125th street, connect with tourists, and continue to share his breathtaking artwork.

To learn more about him and see more of his artwork please visit: Franco The Great