“NEW YORK IS DEAD. DON’T COME BACK” is a saying that has been printed on many images. During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, many people left New York City. The statement by Williamsburg-based art collective The Locker Room mocked those who left the city.
     
There were other slogans, as reported in TimeOut New York on February 2, 2021:
   
“But the final leg of the campaign starts in NYC this week with posters on the street across Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan as well as subway posters in the Second Avenue/Bowery F train subway station that say: ‘There’s no Broadway, but there are plenty of characters;’ ‘Moving to L.A. isn’t going to solve your problems;’ ‘It’s just you and me here now;’ and ‘New York’s Not Dead. It’s just underground.’”
   
“new york is not dead, it just went underground…” had been posted on Twitter by rapture3169 on October 23, 2020. “New York is not dead, is just underground” was posted on Twitter by Oscar Lopez on February 20, 2021. “New York’s not dead. It’s just underground” was posted on Twitter by Stewie on March 4, 2021.
 
   
Twitter
rapture3169
@rapture3169
new york is not dead, it just went underground…
nycgo.com
Yellow Rat Bastard | The Official Guide to New York City
This mecca of punky street fashion has been dressing skaters, graffiti taggers, hip-hop heads, club kids and every other urban style subculture under the…
5:54 PM · Oct 23, 2020·Twitter Web App
 
TimeOut New York 
NYC artists launch a full-scale creative response to “New York is Dead”
They’re spinning the oft-repeated phrase on its head.
Written by Shaye Weaver Tuesday February 2 2021
(...)
But the final leg of the campaign starts in NYC this week with posters on the street across Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan as well as subway posters in the Second Avenue/Bowery F train subway station that say: “There’s no Broadway, but there are plenty of characters;” “Moving to L.A. isn’t going to solve your problems;” “It’s just you and me here now;” and “New York’s Not Dead. It’s just underground.”
     
Twitter
Oscar Lopez
@oscrlopo
New York is not dead, is just underground
8:07 PM · Feb 20, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
   
Twitter
Stewie
@StewardPlays
New York’s not dead. It’s just underground” … ““No Broadway. Still plenty of character.”
3:51 PM · Mar 4, 2021·Twitter for iPhone
 
Twitter
the calms.
@kpierrephoto
New York’s not dead.
It’s just underground.
1:58 AM · Oct 17, 2021·Twitter for iPhone