Taking early morning walk, Jersey City artist is beaten and robbed - by Charles Hack/Jersey Journal

JERSEY CITY — A Jersey City artist is recovering today after he was beaten by three robbers early Friday morning [July 6, 2012]. Alex Lutomirski-Kolacz, 46, struggled to talk about the attack by phone from his Tonnele Avenue home Sunday, two days after three men robbed him around 2:30 a.m., on Summit Avenue and Astor Place, while taking an early morning stroll, he and police reports said. He said the attackers repeatedly punched him in the face, knocked him to the ground and repeatedly kicked him, before stealing his iPhone. "I have been taking walks every night. ... It helps me clearing my head and is a source of inspiration for my art," said Lutomirski-Kolacz, who writes and photographs under the name Alukotron the Artist. "I felt safe and I don't anymore."

Lutomirski-Kolacz said his assailants asked if he wanted to buy some cocaine and when he told them he wasn't interested, they attacked him, grabbed his iPhone, and fled. Lutomirski-Kolacz, who was treated at Jersey City Medical Center, said he suffered a broken nose, and scrapes and bruises to his face, the back of his head and ears. Lutomirski-Kolacz, who moved to Jersey City in 1997, said he feels as though part of him has "shut down" as he tries to recover emotionally and physically from the beating. But Lutomirski-Kolacz does not blame the muggers for the attack. Instead he puts responsibility at the feet of unemployment and poverty caused by economic recession.

"We are in a critical situation and people become desperate. It seems that hunger and the economic situation will push young people to take desperate measures," Lutomirski-Kolacz said. "Times are bad and they were looking for some money for survival, which is very sad, but it is not an excuse for anyone to be treated that way."

Lutomirski-Kolacz, who was born in Poland, said he recently emerged from a nearly seven-year depression that was brought on by the death of father in 2005.

The day of the mugging, Lutomirski-Kolacz's work was featured in The Jersey Journal. He dedicated an exhibition called, "Honoring Our Fathers," to his father at the Pride Connections Center at 32 Jones St. in Jersey City. His work will be on display until July 13.

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