Thomas MacMillan Photo
Briefcase-wielding businessmen beware: A giant baby is on the loose.
The enormous smiling baby has been spotted on the side of 1175 State St. He’s wearing a baby-blue shirt and apparently giggling happily as he hoists a man in a gray suit by his right leg.
It’s the latest work of street art by the mysterious New Haven painter known only as Believe in People (BiP).
For several years, BiP has been putting up murals around town while keeping his identity secret. He usually springs his pieces on unwitting property owners guerrilla-style; this is the second time a building owner has actually invited him in.
BiP’s latest painting appeared Monday on an otherwise blank beige wall at 1175 State St., the former Robby Len industrial building that’s now home to several stores and various fitness programs. BiP put it up with the blessing of the building’s owner, according to Lou Cox, the owner of the Channel 1 store and gallery at 1175 State. Cox extended an invitation to BiP to paint on the building and secured permission from the owner.
Like most of BiP’s work, the painting is presented without explanation. The piece touches familiar themes in his work: a celebration of youth and playfulness, a rejection of drab and conventional life choices.
The artist offered one interpretation in a Monday afternoon tweet, mentioning a personal struggle to live outside of societal norms and expectations.
BiP’s painting is the latest development in a mural program Cox is working on, which will bring more paintings to the side of the building. The first portion went up last summer, shortly after Cox moved Channel 1 from its location farther down State Street, near the corner of Crown.
Around the corner from BiP’s baby is a full-wall piece (pictured below) by the Hi Crew, a group of local graffiti artists. It takes the classic film The Goonies as its theme, weaving scenes from the movie with wild-style pieces by the crew.
“We really want to set an identity for the building,” Cox said. “We got the idea that visually we could add to the beauty of this building.” It’s part of an effort to draw more people to the building, to “create a lasting impression of people who drive by and think nothing’s going on.”
Cox contacted BiP, whom he believes is a group of people, not a single person. “I like Believe in People, what they stand for, what they’re doing,” Cox said. “In the end, BiP himself — herself, itself, whatever it may be — was really cool with us.”
The admiration is mutual, judging from a Monday tweet from BiP: “Lou has been an artist/mentor/patron/ambassador of alt. art since before i touched a can. he’s an unpretentious cornerstone of NHV art.”
Cox needed to assure the building’s owner that BiP’s painting — whatever it was — would be well-received. He ended up with a letter of recommendation from SeeClickFix owner and former Upper State Street Association President Ben Berkowitz. Berkowitz’s letter stated that the only comments about BiP’s artwork on his neighborhood problem-solving site have been positive. Berkowitz “authenticated” BiP’s “cultural significance: People dig his work; there’s been no complaints,” Cox said.
That satisfied the owner. Cox gave BiP the green light and then waited for something to show up. Last week, he noticed a tarp on the side of the building, but figured it was just some routine repair work.
“I came in this morning, the tarp was gone and look what’s there,” Cox said on Monday. “It was awesome.”
Cox offered his interpretation of the piece: “I have two kids, a 3‑year-old and a 7‑year old. I watch the world through their eyes. The world is a wonderful place, with no evil. … To me, I look at that painting and I see the power of innocence. How great it is to be free of thoughts of conforming.”
The new painting is visible from the highway and from State Street. Cox said he hopes it draws more people to the building. He said 1175 State St. will have an open house on May 31, with artists projecting videos inside and outside.
BiP has taken a couple of other steps recently to raise his visibility. His new public relations volunteer, Elizabeth Bolster, recently sent out a press kit with articles, photos, and videos. On April 23, BiP announced his new website, which includes images of his work.
You forgot to mention more coverage in the Independent...by far...than any other New Haven artist, when you listed BiP's attempts to raise his visibility in the final paragraph.