Ideal Glass sign disappears on 2nd Street

Updated: Karma is now open. Here's info (link) on their debut exhibit. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Renovations continue at the Ideal Glass building at 20-22 E. Second St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery... where, as we reported here and here, Karma Gallery is opening a new space.

Unfortunately, as multiple readers pointed out in recent days, the familiar Ideal Glass signage apparently isn't going to be part of the new exterior.

Unable to resist the easy answer, I think it’s bad karma not to have found a way to incorporate the sign. There are few archaeological remains of the neighborhood’s past. Not all are worth saving, I think this was one that was.

— Barry Udoff (@BDYOU) July 8, 2021

Through the years, artists creating murals on the storefront worked around the Ideal Glass signage ...

The Ideal Glass building dates to the 1950s, when used as a glazier's workshop... and the remaining sign was from that era...

Willard Morgan started the Ideal Glass Studios, an artist-run film & TV production studio, in 2004 ... and the Second Street building was in use as a gallery and art collective. Morgan, who still owns the building, runs Ideal Glass Studios from space on West Eighth Street.  (We reached out to Morgan to see if, perhaps, the sign had been preserved.)

As for the new tenant, this is the latest EV expansion for art dealer and publisher Brendan Dugan, who debuted Karma on Second Street between Avenue A and Avenue B in November 2016. (Karma Books opened in April 2018 at 136 E. Third St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.)

According to artnet News, who first reported on this deal, this "latest venue is set to be the crown jewel" for Karma. Why? "The ceiling height alone is enough to make a dealer salivate, and there will no doubt be a number of artists maneuvering for spots on the programming schedule."

A look at the under-renovation Ideal Glass space on 2nd Street

A few readers have asked about the renovations at the Ideal Glass space at 20-22 E. Second St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

As reported last fall, Karma gallery is taking over this space... the latest EV expansion for art dealer and publisher Brendan Dugan, who debuted Karma on Second Street between Avenue A and Avenue B in November 2016. (Karma Books opened in April 2018 at 136 E. Third St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.)

According to artnet News, who first reported on this deal, this "latest venue is set to be the crown jewel" for Karma. Why? "The ceiling height alone is enough to make a dealer salivate, and there will no doubt be a number of artists maneuvering for spots on the programming schedule."

The Ideal Glass building dates to the 1950s, when used as a glazier's workshop.

Now at Ideal Glass, 'Every Mother's Son'

[Photo by EVG reader Daniel]

Ideal Glass is now now featuring a new mural by Brooklyn-based artist Sophia Dawson titled "Every Mother's Son."

According to the Ideal Glass website, the mural features "portraits of mothers who have lost their children to police brutality."


[Image via]

The mural will be up through November. Ideal Glass is at 22 E. Second St. between Second Avenue and The Bowery.

Choco Moo's heartfelt mural at Ideal Glass

The Japanese-based Choco Moo (aka Yuka) is the latest artist to grace the façade at Ideal Glass on East Second Street…



We're sorry that we missed her live painting event last night at Ideal Glass… did anyone go?

Last day to take in 'A Murder of Crows'

[Photo by Fenton Lawless]

Today is the last day to check out local musician-artist Paul Kostabi's mural titled "A Murder of Crows" outside Ideal Glass on East Second Street.

The month-long run is ending ... as new work will be going up tomorrow here outside the gallery between the Bowery and Second Avenue...

You can still find Kostabi's work on two roll-down gates along Second Avenue … here … and here.



Previously on EV Grieve:
'A Murder of Crows' on East 2nd Street

'A Murder of Crows' on East 2nd Street

Yesterday afternoon, local musician-artist-snowball-dodger Paul Kostabi started work on a new mural at Ideal Glass on East Second Street ...





… and he returned today to put the finishing touches on what he is calling "A Murder of Crows."



Back in May, Kostabi created murals on two roll-down gates along Second Avenue … here … and here.

Thanks to Fenton Lawless for the photos.

Updated 8:19 p.m.

And here's a photo via Facebook showing one last touch ... the sign reading "Newer York."