After 8 years in the East Village, Fortnight Institute has closed its doors

Fortnight Institute, an art gallery that billed itself as a public salon, closed on Tuesday. 

Founders Fabiola Alondra and Jane Harmon made the announcement on Instagram: 

We deeply appreciate and are thankful to our gallery team, to the artists, supporters, visitors, curators, collectors, writers, and interns throughout the years, for their contributions and involvement in Fortnight Institute's life. Fortnight Institute was established in 2016, and now, eight years later, its journey has completed its full circle with its closure in 2024, reminiscent of the cyclic nature of the ouroboros. 

At the heart of our gallery's inception was the desire to experiment and collaborate closely with artists. Keeping this priority in mind, we, as advocates for creative expression, engaged in numerous discussions. We questioned whether we would need to adopt a more market-oriented approach and further expand the gallery to support our artists. Amidst these conversations, we reflected on the most enjoyable and valuable aspects of running this space. 

Ultimately, these discussions led us to reaffirm our commitment to a mission centered on creativity and artist-driven endeavors — a mission that resonates deeply within us and one that we aspire to nurture in our future endeavors. With this pursuit in mind, after eight fulfilling years, Fortnight Institute is concluding this chapter of our lives with gratitude and fulfillment. 

What turned out to be Fortnight's final exhibition featured paintings by Cheri Smith. It had been scheduled to run through April 20. 

Per artnet: "The gallery was instrumental in launching and supporting the careers of numerous figures who went on to fame, such as the London-based figurative painter Somaya Critchlow and New York's Chris Oh, a creator of beguiling sculptural paintings."

Fortnight Institute opened on Fourth Street Second Avenue and the Bowery in April 2016 ... before relocating a block away to 31 E. Third St.