For 1 night, DIY art show took over former Isaac T. Hopper Home on 2nd Avenue

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

A one-night, DIY group show that took place over the weekend inside the vacant former Women's Prison Association/Isaac T. Hopper Home on Second Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. 

The flyer instructions for the show warned: "DON'T STAND OUTSIDE." Inside, a woman shouted "NO LIGHTS" at anyone who tried to use a phone flashlight. 

In the back, though, the makeshift gallery opened up to reveal the "Bring Your Own Art" exhibition featuring a handful of young artists. 

Here's a look...

The Women's Prison Association (WPA) had owned the property since 1874. The 8,372-square-foot property is a designated New York City Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

In the spring of 2024, Self Reliance New York Federal Credit, which owns the building next door, bought the property for $7.4 million. The credit union, which provides financial services to the Ukrainian American community, plans to renovate and adapt the building for administrative and community needs.