Handcrafted wooden Joseph C. Furniture lined the walls of the Cargo Project Gallery (CPG) on its opening night. Created by Brooklyn-based Korean designer Joseph Chun, the furniture featured in the 11-by-17 foot space was inspired by Chun’s background growing up in different cultures. Enamored of Chun’s backstory and how it informs his work, CPG founder Kika Espejo was thrilled that CPG opened with Joseph C. Furniture.

Espejo created CPG to diversify New York’s mainstream art scene by giving underrepresented international artists a platform to showcase their work. CPG draws its name from its industrial surroundings. And it plays off the term “project cargo,” which refers to shipping heavy, complex, or valued cargo. CPG’s exhibitions will be one-night shows, featuring diverse art such as animation, photography, design, illustration, and film. Espejo hopes that CPG will be a space where people can connect with each other through engaging art.