By Katarina Hybenova
As of lately, we have been experiencing an influx of new galleries, bars and restaurants in Bushwick. This post however, traces back four exceptional galleries that closed down recently. We would like pay homage to the places that helped to shape and form the art scene in Bushwick, and highlight their greatest moments.
In the basement of Gates Avenue building, a duo of visionary artists and curators, Ellen Letcher and Kevin Regan opened Famous Accountants in 2009. With the intention to create a place for artistic discourse, it was also the first outpost of the Bushwick art scene in Ridgewood. Today we can boldly state that Famous Accountants was nothing less then a legendary art space that influenced the esthetics followed by the neighborhood and the way artists work and think in Bushwick. The gallery also managed to bring in the America’s most influential art press, and to throw really awesome chill parties in their backyard.
The last show: Phenomenal group show View of Outer Space from an Aquarium closed on November 6, 2012, and we haven’t heard from Kevin and Ellen since. Currently, Ellen Letcher uses the Famous Accountants space as her expanded studio, and it remains unclear whether the duo will ever continue the operation of the gallery. It seems like there was no particular reason to close down besides that the duo grew tired of constant flow of shows and decided to focus more on their own work.
The highlight moment: Basically any opening at Famous Accountants, but mostly Matthew Miller‘s solo painting show and Meg Hitchcock‘s Koran installation.
Who will miss them the most: Collage artists, painters, conceptual and video artists with excellent taste.
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A year and a half of the existence of 950 Hart gallery was marked by great art, community experience and the encounters with people just a little bit more edgy than the Bushwick average… 950 Hart gallery was created of two adjacent lofts and of group enthusiasm of the loft dwellers. Unfortunately, it was the loft law that became fatal for the gallery, and resulted into premature end of 950 Hart. “When we received a bill for $4,000 from our landlord, we said this is it. We fought as long as we could.” said one of the founders, Michael Kronenberg. However, the gallery team doesn’t despair, and takes the end of 950 Hart as an opportunity to focus on their new ideas.
The last show: C’est La Vie for BOS 2012
The highlight moment: Worm Carnevale‘s solo show and also SMUT!
Who will miss them the most: All the folks who like to wear leather, dye their hair pink and wear platform shoes.
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Paul M. Nicholson started the gallery only in October 2011 originally as a pop up space. The space was donated by the neighboring Vinos en Wyckoff but in late March it stopped being available to the gallery. Botanic has been looking for a new space, without any luck so far.
The last show: The Commons, an installations by Sarah Butler & Julie Tremblay closed on April 1, 2012.
The highlight moment: The Commons was an awesome show where the gallery was transformed into an artificial green space.
Who will miss them at the most: All those looking for unexpected twists in art…
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