By Katarina Hybenova
It’s summer, the fire hydrants are blasting and it’s ART overload in Bushwick this week. Many of the 41 galleries in Bushwick (41, can you believe that?) are having openings this week. We focused on the brand new places around town and since we also know that every art opening requires an after party, we added a list of after party tips for you. Simply because we love you, the galleries, and the bars 🙂
Thursday
Weldon Arts: 6-9pm: Cassius Fouler: Four Borough
The gallery week starts early! On Thursday, dear friends head to Weldon Arts, a brand new gallery on the Bushwick art map. Located at 181R Irving Avenue, Weldon Arts focuses “on emerging artists and street artists with an aim of advancing the culture and creating a dialogue with the public.” Their new show features Cassius Fouler in a show titled Four Borough. Fouler uses a mixture of expressionist and illustrational techniques to paint a timeless graffiti iconography with a folk art sensibility.
After party: Weldon Arts has drinks sponsored by 1-800-Tequila and music by DJ Graze, so the after party will take place right there, in the gallery!
Friday
Sunset Surf Club: Justin Hunt Sloane: The Patio, the Small Room, the Long Walk
Have you heard a better name for a gallery than Sunset Surf Club? I haven’t! On Friday they are showing Justin Hunt Sloane and his collection of charcoal drawings. In connection with the exhibition, a book will be released “as a catalog of the drawings as well as a non-linear narrative taken from a dream.” Sweet!
Afterparty: Sunset surfers like to get lost in the steam of Tandem after their openings. You can find me there as well. Or not (because of the steam!).
At The Active Space
Weeknights: 7pm: Friends of Friends (art opening)
Weeknights is an interesting project by Jen Hitchings (yes, Jen who also contributes to Bushwick Daily). Jen works at Pierogi, and she has always dreamt about having her own gallery. It’s pretty hard these days, but nothing is impossible if you really want it. And so Jen decided to give up a part of her studio at The Active Space and start…a gallery! She will be open on weeknights, hence the name. The inaugural show at Weeknights will feature a group show of 21 artists including Theresa Dadezio, Andrew Birk or Nick Greenwald. The only question left is whether The Active Space will follow the 56 Bogart model and turn into a gallery hub for Jefferson stop.
The Active Space: 7-10pm: On the Way Home
While at The Active Space, check out the new show at their main huge gallery (opened in February 2012). On the Way Home is an exhibition of new paintings Gretchen Scherer. And I am excited to see the artist to follow tremendous solo show of Deborah Brown in the space…
After party: Every after party of The Active Space takes place at Cain’s Tavern! In this bar order Highline, play Mystery Shot and check out their cool juke box!
At 56 Bogart
Robert Henry Contemporary: 6-9pm: Mapping the Equivocal
Robert Henry Contemporary (formerly RHV Fine Art) relocated to Bushwick from Park Slope as of June 1, 2012. Ran by artist duo Henry Chung and Robert Walden, the gallery at 56 Bogart immediately won us over by showing beautiful art and by their pristine space. Mapping the Equivocal is a group show of three artists (Phillip Buntin, Derek Lerner and Robert Walden) that explores a map as a representation of space.
Slag: 6-9: Claudia Chaselink: Infiltration
Slag, founded in 2008 by lovely Romanian-born Irina Protopopescu has relocated to Bushwick in 2012 from Chelsea. Originally, Slag was focusing on under-represented Eastern European artists; today they are showing a variety of international artists. On Friday, they will open an exhibition of German artist Claudia Chaselink titled Infiltration.
After party: An opening night at 56 Bogart is dense, mostly because there are so many galleries! Thus, you will need a drink! Get it at The Narrows. Did you know that they expanded their space, they now also offer food and their backyard is amazing!?
Saturday
At 1717 Troutman
Parallel Art Space: 7-10pm: Pressing Matter
Here at Bushwick Daily, we are very fond of the industrial monster building 1717 Troutman. Even more so that now it is a home to two galleries: Regina Rex (since 2008) and Parallel Art Space (since April 2012). The latter is having an opening on Saturday. Pressing Matter, a three-person art exhibition featuring Judith Braun, Antonia Perez, and Hilda Shen.
The Living Gallery: 5-8pm: PERSPECTIVES
The Living Gallery at The Loom is great. Run by energetic community supporter Nyssa Frank, the gallery prepared an exhibition featuring the works of students of Academy of Urban Planning High School in Bushwick and their families. The students and their families are part of a “Graduate, Prepare, Succeed” partnership program with HAI, a non-profit arts organization. The goal of the exhibition is to foster the community and give these talented students from Bushwick necessary exposure. The Living Gallery opened in 2012.
After party: Wreck Room it is for The Living Gallery. Cheap drinks, pool, craziness! (And rice balls if worse comes to worse and you feel the sudden need to snack.)
Sunday
Brooklyn Wayfarers: 6-9pm: Two Become One
Brooklyn Wayfarers is a new artist studio/gallery space on Dekalb Avenue in Bushwick (we wrote about these guys yesterday). Two Become One is a group exhibition from RISD MFA program curated by Wayfarers’ board members, Jesse Arnold and Joshua Edwards.
After party: Location of Brooklyn Wayfarers underneath the JMZ tracks makes it convenient to visit some of the cool bars on Broadway. In a close proximity is Lone Wolf – once illegal music venue, now a vibey dive bar. Because Lone Wolf, in the words of George S. on Yelp is…RAD! (“hell yea lone wolf the bartenders are wicked slow but it”s chill cause this place is rad”).
