The Passage by 1010

The Passage is a mural in the Seaport by 1010 (pronounced “ten-ten”), a Hamburg-based contemporary artist known for op-art murals that look like portals cut into walls. His illusions suggest holes opening into a dark abyss within the urban landscape. Painted from a dark center outward, layer by layer, toward the lightest colors at the edges, the work appears to burrow into the side of the building.

Born in Poland in 1979, 1010 moved to Germany with his parents at age eight and began painting graffiti in 1994. He has spent more than a decade painting walls and making papercuts, and in recent years has focused on the abstract idea of making “holes on the walls” that draw viewers into a world of graphic illusion and alluring color. His murals appear on walls around the world, and this one is part of the Seaport’s public art.

What to Know

• Look up to see the mural when entering The Paseo from Harbor Way.
• It is also visible before entering the building on Pier Four Boulevard.
• The work is free to view as outdoor public art.