A Tony Soprano mural collides with a Simpsons landscape at Lackawanna Station in Montclair, a space that just reopened this summer after a major renovation. The piece is a collaboration between Jeks One, a North Carolina-based artist known for hyper-realistic aerosol portraits, and New York artist Jerkface, who devised a bold Simpsons backdrop reimagined in a Sopranos vibe. The result is a large-scale tribute to The Sopranos and its New Jersey roots, paired with classic cartoon chaos.
In the main portrait, Tony Soprano’s weathered face peers out from behind a crowd of bright yellow Simpsons characters. The realism of the Tony likeness, including his furrowed brow and tense expression, is the work of Jeks One, while the surrounding cartoony scene was planned and designed by Jerkface. The mural places Marge, Homer, Lisa, Bart and their family in front of a Moe’s Tavern setting that has been swapped for Holsten’s, the Bloomfield ice cream parlor famous for Tony Soprano’s final scene with his family in the series finale. Small touches amplify the crossover: Fat Tony and his crew appear just outside Satriale’s, and Spider-Pig sits on the roof, weaving together two iconic worlds.
A second wall features Walter White from Breaking Bad, surrounded by Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. In this scene, the relentless cartoon chase adds a counterpoint to the Tony portrait, creating a mixed-media panorama that spans the 36,000-square-foot room at the renovated Lackawanna Plaza. The juxtaposition marks a broader collaboration between Jeks One and Jerkface, with Jeks painting the faces and Jerkface shaping the dynamic, humor-filled background.
Finding a home for Tony was a key goal for the project. Jerkface had long envisioned bringing Sopranos-themed art into New Jersey, and Lackawanna offered the perfect canvas. “We gave him the opportunity and location to do it,” explains Michael Dubin, senior director of arts, culture and lifestyle at Montclair’s BDP Holdings, the real estate firm behind the property. Jeks adds that the mural was designed to reveal more than a tough-guy image; he wanted to capture the “anxious gangster with a little more vulnerability” at the core of Tony Soprano.
The two artists began painting in January, while Lackawanna was closed for renovations, and the work on the Tony Soprano and Walter White murals continued into the early phases of the space’s reimagining. Jeks, who started tagging at 11 and later found his voice in hyper-realism, had previously painted Tony Soprano in Greensboro for a cigar company campaign, a project that also highlighted other New Jersey icons like Frank Sinatra. The pair’s collaboration on Lackawanna’s walls is the first of several murals in a larger project announced by Dubin.
The Lackawanna transformation is more than a mural project. The former Lackawanna Terminal, which operated from 1913 to 1981, later became a shopping plaza and, after years of vacancy and litigation, is now a vibrant arts and community hub. The renovation introduced small shops, a bar, a flea market, food vendors, live music, and more. Dubin emphasizes that the artists are given wide latitude to express themselves in this space, reinforcing Lackawanna’s mission to nurture creativity and incubate small business.
As the project unfolds, the goal remains to turn the eight-acre site into a thriving cultural space that invites residents and visitors to engage with art on a large scale. “If it inspires a kid to pick up something and start making art from seeing this space, that feels like a win,” Dubin says.
Lackawanna Station is located at One Lackawanna Plaza in Montclair and welcomes visitors daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Summary
A major summer reopening of Lackawanna Plaza in Montclair has turned a once-idle space into a vivid public art destination, pairing Tony Soprano and The Simpsons with Walter White and Wile E. Coyote in a sprawling mural that celebrates New Jersey culture and a thriving artist-run hub.
Additional value and context
– The Tony Soprano piece places a real New Jersey icon in a local geography, alongside Holsten’s and Satriale’s motifs that fans recognize from the show’s iconic scenes.
– The collaboration underscores a growing trend of repurposing vacant retail and transit spaces into community-centered art hubs that can spur local business and social activity.
– For visitors, the murals offer photo-worthy moments and a talking-point mix of pop culture nostalgia and contemporary street-art technique.
– If you’re planning a visit, check Lackawanna Plaza’s posted hours and look for both the Tony Soprano-Walter White pair and the complementary Simpsons and Road Runner pieces, which together create a playful, cross-generational mural landscape.