The Same Old Gallery, curated by Adrian Wilson and Brian Shevlin, featuring an exhibit of old and new work by Al Diaz, ends its run at 57 Great Jones St. on Saturday evening.
Wilson was originally hopeful that he could use the space through the end of December.
As previously reported, the front part of No. 57 west of the Bowery had been sitting unused. The back of the building houses Bohemian, an exclusive (referral-only) Japanese restaurant. They will be expanding in January, and gave Wilson access to the space rent-free.
"Unfortunately, as the space was donated for free by the leaseholders, this was always going to be a temporary gallery," Wilson told me. "It was always guaranteed for Al's show, and I hoped they would then let me keep it open until they start renovation on January, but [the landlord] liked what we did so much they have rented the space for a Christmas market, selling gifts.
"It's kind of sad but also very perfect that the one and only exhibition there will be Al."
[Al Diaz and friends via Adrian Wilson]
Diaz, who grew up in the Jacob Riis Houses on Avenue D, started writing graffiti at age 12. As a teen in the late 1970s, he and Jean-Michel Basquiat collaborated on a series of cryptic messages seen around the city signed from SAMO©.
The gallery is inside the building once owned by Andy Warhol. Jean-Michel Basquiat lived and worked here at the time of his death in 1988.
The gallery hours are from 2-7 p.m. through Saturday.
Meanwhile, you can listen to my recent podcast with Diaz right here (or download it for later)...
2 comments:
Next door to that gallery is a preposterous japanese meat market shop that sells their product for $60 a pound. There was no way that gallery was going to last, which sucks because I was hoping to check it out. I guess the landlord wants some other high end market rate bullshit occupying that space.
I'm amazed that the landlord gave them the space for FREE in this day and age. Thanks to whomever that was
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