Hash Halper, street artist who adorned New York with hearts, dies at 41 The artist Hash Halper in New York, Feb. 6, 2018. Halper, who became a beloved fixture in New York neighborhoods like SoHo and the East Village for bringing positivity to a harsh city with his humble shards of chalk, died on June 11, 2021. He was 41. Kholood Eid/The New York Times. by Alex Vadukul (NYT NEWS SERVICE) .- Sometime around 2014, little hearts drawn in chalk mysteriously began appearing on the streets of downtown Manhattan. Some materialized in clusters on sidewalks, while others cascaded along blocks. The hear...