Art #1: 04.02.2014, The Art INDUSTRY?

Balloon Dog (Orange) Jeff Koons (image stolen from: http://bit.ly/R8fC40)
Balloon Dog (Orange) Jeff Koons (image stolen from: http://bit.ly/R8fC40)

 

“Alternative Spaces” used to exist in New York City. Artists could show in them via open calls or casual conversations that often led to fun/cobbled together group shows that were accessible and idea oriented. In 1990, when I first came to New York, it seemed as if there was no real barrier to entry to exhibiting without ever stepping into a commercial gallery.

 

There have been a few articles of late that discuss the birth of the “art industrial complex.” I’m not sure there are any articles on the “death of the alternative space.”

1. Patti Smith To Artists: Don't Come To New York: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/patti-smith-to-artists-do_n_560794.html

2. Saltz on the Death of the Gallery Show, Jerry Saltz: http://www.vulture.com/2013/03/saltz-on-the-death-of-art-gallery-shows.html

3. Lost in the Gallery-Industrial Complex, Holland Cotter Looks at Money in Art: http://nyti.ms/1cAFR6m

 

It feels like we’ve lost a lot without a funeral or ceremony to mark the cultural space. My question is how can we promote artists work along the lines of ideas in their work outside the market place without the spaces? Are there new alternative spaces I’m missing out on? Is Bushwick the new art epicenter? What are you thinking? Do you agree with my ideas about these institutions and their focus? Would you like to add any institutions or ideas (obviously my list is non-exhaustive)? I’ll gladly incorporate your ideas as a quotation or anonymously. Please email me liberally with thoughts.

 

Please see the list below:

 

 

Institution

Status

Institutional Exhibition Focus 1990s

Institutional Exhibition Focus 21st Century

1.       

ABC No Rio

Closed

Emerging artists & political art

N/A

2.       

The Alternative Museum

Closed

Emerging artists, Artists of Color/Diversity & political art

N/A

3.       

Apexart

Open

Emerging artists, open calls, Artists of Color/Diversity, studio/residency program & political art

Emerging artists, open calls, Artists of Color/Diversity, studio/residency program & political art

4.       

Art in General

Open

Emerging artists, group shows, mid-career solos & political art

Emerging artists, group shows & mid-career solos

5.       

Artists Space

Open

 

Mid-career European conceptual / Established (under-recognized) solos

6.       

Chasama

Open

Performance Art, Emerging artists, studio program

Studio program, Emerging artists & Performance Art

7.       

Creative Time

Open

Public mid-career solo projects, emerging artists & open calls

Public mid-career solo projects & Established solo projects

8.       

Den of Thieves

Closed

Emerging artists

N/A

9.       

Drawing Center

Open

Emerging artists, Drawing Program & mid-career solos

Emerging artists, Drawing Program & mid-career solos

10.    

Dumbo Arts Center

Closed

 

N/A

11.    

Exit Art

Closed

Emerging artists, Artists of Color/Diversity & political art

N/A

12.    

Eyebeam

Open

New Media Art, Emerging artists, mid-career solos

New Media Art, Residencies, Emerging artists & DIY Labs

13.    

Franklin Furnace

Open

Emerging artists & political art

N/A (digital & performance project support via open call)

14.    

Gigantic Artspace

Closed

Emerging artists & political art

N/A

15.    

Harvestworks

Open

New Media Art, Emerging artists, mid-career solos

New Media Art, Emerging artists, mid-career solos

16.    

Henry Street Settlement

Open

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

17.    

Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning

Open

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity

18.    

Just Above Midtown

Closed

Emerging artists, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

N/A

19.    

Kenkeleba Gallery

Open

Emerging artists, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

 

20.    

The Kitchen

Open

Performance Art, New Media Art (video art), Emerging artists, mid-career solos

Performance Art, Video art, Emerging artists, mid-career solos

21.    

Longwood Arts Project

Open

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

22.    

Momenta Art

Open

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

23.    

The New Museum

Open

Emerging artists, mid-career solos & temporary permanent collection

Mid-career solos, Established (under-recognized) solos & temporary permanent collection

24.    

Public Art Fund

Open

Public mid-career solo projects, emerging artists & open calls

Public mid-career solo projects & Established solo projects

25.    

PS1

Open

Emerging artists, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

Mid-career / Established (under-recognized) solos

26.    

The Remote Lounge

Closed

 

N/A

27.    

Sculpture Center

Open

Emerging artists, mid-career solos

Mid-career solos

28.    

Smack Mellon

Open

Emerging artists, studio program & mid-career solos

Emerging artists, studio program & mid-career solos

29.    

Socrates Sculpture Park

Open

Emerging artists, open calls, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

Emerging artists, open calls, mid-career solos, Artist of Color/Diversity

30.    

Studio Museum in Harlem

Open

Studio Program, Emerging artists, Artist of Color/Diversity & political art

Studio Program, Emerging artists, Artist of Color/Diversity

31.    

Threadwaxing Space

Closed

Emerging artists

N/A

32.    

White Columns

Open

Emerging artists, group shows, mid-career solos & political art

Emerging artists, group shows & mid-career solos

33.    

Whitebox Art Center

Open

Emerging artists, New Media Art, video art, political art, mid-career solos & group exhibtions

Emerging artists, New Media Art, video art, political art, mid-career solos & group exhibtions

34.    

Whitney, Philip Morris (Altria)

Closed

mid-career solo projects

N/A

 

 

 

 

Art Industry? Respondent Emails: March 2014

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03.17.14

Hello Kenseth,

 

There are galleries you did not mention NO Se NO, an alterative venue for performances on Rivingington St, Lower East Side (no longer exists). NOW gallery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now_Gallery) in the East Village (no longer exists), Storefront for Art and Architecture, which used to be much more open to a variety of exhibitions on Prince St, now it is difficult to show there (still around different location), Fashion Moda, Bronx, El Borica, East Village & etc,….

I do agree with you Kenseth. I will send something else to comment in a later email.
There were many more venues like the ones above in the 1980's and 1990's but many disappeared.


Need to look through my files to remember their names.  Many of them I”ve shown at. Good project!!

 

Galeria El Bohio, East Village (not Borica, no longer exists)

Longwood Art Project, Bronx (in a different form)

P.S.1/ClockTower, when it was in Chinatown area, NYC (Only PS1, Queens now)

Neither/Nor Gallery, East Village  (no longer exists)

450 Broadway Gallery, NYC (no longer exists)

494 Gallery, NYC (no longer exists)


Todd
Ayoung

http://toddayoung.com

 

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03.10.14

Hi K -

 

Sadly I don't really have the bandwidth to fully expand on this, but from my point of view, and the thesis we came up with at Cleopatra's and Vox Populi in Philly is that there is a new model - it's self-organized and a bit more professionalized than the artist-initiated group shows of yesteryear but the projects are looser and more free and untethered than the arguably tricky non-profit status of today’s institutions on your list…

Your list feels a bit dated and excludes a lot of new forms that seem relevant today; I would also argue a bit with all the instances of 'political art' dropping off as that could be contested, particularly White Columns stands out as showing politically minded art, to me, but it's not on your docket.

Introduced here:
http://www.pcah.us/grants/self_organized_spaces_on_their_own_terms
discussed a bit further here:
http://www.pcah.us/posts/considering_the_alternatives_talking_with_andrew_suggs_of_vox_populi

 

Bridget Donahue

http://www.cleopatras.us

 

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03.09.14

Hi Kenseth,

 

Interesting effort to summarize shifts in the artworld.  I would add a couple of things and make a couple of corrections.  And have an overarching question which I / you may want to chew on.

Adds:

  • Bronx Museum.  In the 90s it was an important venue for many artists, even more than Phillip Morris.
  • Rush Arts Gallery (and Corridor Gallery) Rush and White Box are the only two viable alternative spaces in Manhattan that I know of at the moment
  • White Box
  • Artist Space
  • PS122

The next few may not be worth listing, but perhaps

  • Bronx River Art Gallery ???
  • COLAB ???
  • Bullet Space ???
  • Kenkeleba ???


New spaces to adds (I think that many younger artists are getting started in these spaces and older artists like you and me still show there—they’re just not in Soho, Chelsea or LES):

  • Aljira
  • Gallery Aferro
  • Location One (already closed)
  • Momenta
  • Nurture Art
  • Performa

Corrections:
Longwood Art Gallery (not Long Wood, […] and I think that though it is Project of Bronx Council, the gallery space is actually called a Gallery)

Two things to think about:

1) With the extreme rise of the commercial side of the artworld, the alternative ship sailed.  There are some and I’m glad that they are there. But I think that in NY many young and emerging artists are showing in commercial galleries.  So I’m not sure that trying to rebuild the scene of Exit Art, Franklin Furnace and Threadwaxing space is all that viable.

2) Who cares about NY? Internationally many cities have interesting and important art scenes. And this is true in the US as well. Several artists have left NYC (for Philly, Newark, Houston…) cause it’s too damn expensive and many aren’t coming and there are good and interesting art things happening around the US.  Houston, Chicago, Philly, Miami, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Charlotte all have really interesting things going on. And that is having national impact—just check this year’s Biennial. And LA has cool things too, but I think that this is changing as some of the vibrancy that existed 10 years ago is being sucked into the same commercial vortex that ate NY.

 

Dread Scott

http://dreadscott.net

 

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03.11.14

Hi Kenseth,

 

Oh yeah and yes, it's all in Bushwick now. You haven't mentioned Brooklyn spaces, Momenta Art, for instance… very important.

 

hey! Been working on a catalog for Momenta where an essay will appear by Maureen Conner. Thought you might be interested as its on the topic on alternative spaces.

 

Franklin Furnace is not closed!


some new spaces/efforts
http://www.chashama.org/locations/current
http://nolongerempty.org/

 

 04.08.14

Just looking at your list again. I wonder about your inclusion of museums which do NOT have an open curatorial/submission for artists?. . .

Also this list is missing APEX and White Box. Maybe others will come to mind too...

 

Sarah Vogwill

http://www.sarahvogwill.com