Gallery Watch: 'Once, Twice' and 'Memories are Weapons' at the Hole

Text and photos by Clare Gemima 

Once, Twice, Hanna Hansdotter and Ry David Bradley

Memories are Weapons, Kevin Christy

The Hole, 312 Bowery

 

The Hole, once again, presents a fresh, new and cutting-edge show. The three artists in the space work across multi-disciplinary arenas that include glass blowing, tapestry making and painting. 

While the art world begins to go absolutely crazy for NFTs (non-fungible tokens) as the newest cryptocurrency darling in the blockchain, (a .jpg made by Beeple just sold for nearly $70 million at an auction), it is fascinating to understand that Ry David Bradley's tapestries in Once Twice will be available for purchase both in-person and online, in USD and in Ethereum. 

This may all sound way too confusing, but the Hole is jumping on the bandwagon proudly here, along with some other galleries in the East Village who are preparing to embrace this super bizarre digital market. Smart. 

Bradley's tapestries are created in rebuttal to the contemporary notion of visibility and surveillance, forming unique bio-morphic bodies and faces that are flat, and thus, unidentifiable through the use of woven thread. 

The work is created digitally in grayscale but physically created in the color mode of RGB, this only became apparent when you are up close to the pieces. The interaction with the work and the methodology incorporated by that of the artist presents a body of work that is literally Once Twice, existing both as tokens and as real-life objects. 

The tapestries are complemented by the show's collaborator Hanna Hansdotter and her incredibly sensual and erotic hand-blown sculptures. Screaming with highly saturated hues and reflective tones, the five works of hers test your eyes' ability to process color, as you look across fine threads on the wall,  to curvaceous, mirror-plated glass glorified on pink-painted plinths. I haven't been able to stop looking at photos of new works Quilted, Tiffany, Baby Baroque, Incommodious and Kiss My Lips.

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The solo-show in the back room of the Hole features 19 new oil paintings by one of my new favorite artists, Kevin Christy. His paintings are dark and haunting, grappling with ideas of memory and how details diminish over time in our ability to recall events and happenings as a symptom of the human experience. 

The paintings echo isolated memories that the artist has visually recalled during the beginnings of the pandemic — dream-like and vague while being intricately and laboriously detailed. His tenacious survey in Memories are Weapons has produced recurring motifs, beautifully painted hands and a stunning technical take on surrealism. 

Both Once Twice and Memories are Weapons will be on view until March 28. 

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Clare Gemima is a visual artist from New Zealand. New-ish to the East Village, she spends her time as an artist assistant and gallery go-er, hungry to explore what's happening in her local art world. You can find her work here: claregemima.com 

Report: Lowest bids for East River Park construction are $73 million over budget

The lowest construction bids for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) will cost $73 million more than the $1.45 billion budget — and they’ve barely started, according to the latest mailing from advocacy group East River Park Action. 

The group breaks down the bids, which they say doesn't include the new "parallel conveyance" for the enhanced sewer system, or other major components of the plan: 

• Project Area 1 (PA1). It includes East River Park, below 14th Street. This is the section that the city intends to raze and then bury under eight feet of fill. There were only two construction bids for this massive, presumably lucrative, job. Both bids exceeded the city’s estimate. The contract has not yet been awarded, but the low bid, from IPC Resiliency Partners, is $1.272 billion. 

• Project Area 2 (PA2), the waterfront area from 14th Street to 25th Street. The low bid for this section was over $163 million, and the contract was awarded to Perfetto Contracting Company. Work is already underway. Asser Levy Park is being torn up and trees have been removed. The Northern section of the greenway has been closed, leaving cyclists and runners without a safe alternative. 

The bids for PA1 and PA2 total $1,435,287,143. In addition, the city has already spent more than $90 million in "planning." That comes to $1,525,287,143, which is $73 million over budget and doesn't include key components. 

As East River Park Action points out, the ESCR plan was scheduled to start in the spring of 2020. The bid deadlines for PA1 were extended six times. Questions remain: Why? What are the problems? Where will the city find these additional funds, and how will the growing price tag affect NYC’s other coastal neighborhoods?

Per the group: "The wildly unrealistic budget is just one of the reasons we argue that the East Side Coastal Resiliency plan is not workable in its present form."

As previously reported, the group's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request and an appeal finally unearthed the three-year-old value engineering study. However, the study — the oft-cited factor behind the city's change of plans in September 2018 to bury/elevate East River Park by eight feet — is heavily redacted. 

On March 2, the group's attorney, Jack L. Lester, appealed to the Department of Design and Construction, the Office of Management and Budget and NYC Parks to see the entire value engineering study, not the mostly blacked-out version.

The city's current plan, which has been met with outrage by community members, will raze the 57.5-acre East River Park, bulldozing 1,000 mature trees and rebuilding the park atop eight feet of landfill meant to protect the Lower East Side and surrounding neighborhoods from a 100-year-flood event and sea-level rise. 

In October 2019, the city announced that they would phase in the construction so only portions of the park are closed to the public at any given time. According to various reports, the city has committed to leaving a minimum of 42 percent of East River Park open to the public. It is projected to be complete in 2025. 

The start of the long-delayed construction is slated to commence this spring, according to a recent presentation the city made.

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You can donate to the East River Park Action legal fund here.

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For further reading: East Village-based musician Matt Sweeney wrote an essay on Medium. "I wrote this in the hopes that NYC journalists will investigate the proposed plan to destroy NYC’s best park." You can read the piece at this link. 

[Updated] Reopenings: Ladybird, Lucy's, Phebe's; Josie's, Mona's and Sophie's return on Friday

This is an update to a post that we first published on March 7.

Several more bars-restaurants have reopened after a winter break ... several of the places closed in December when Gov. Cuomo ended indoor dining (at 25 percent) on Dec. 13. Indoor capacity will move to 50 percent on Friday.

The recent reopenings include: 

• The Ainsworth, 64 Third Ave. 

• Avant Garden, 130 E. Seventh St. 

• Barcade, 6 St. Mark's Place

• Cherry Tavern,  441 E. Sixth St.

• Empellón Al Pastor, 132 St. Mark's Place at Avenue A 

• Huertas, 107 First Ave.

• KGB Bar,  85 E. Fourth St.

• Ladybird, 111 E. Seventh St.

• Lucky, 168 Avenue B

• Lucy's, 135 Avenue A (photo of Lucy below by Lola Saénz)

• Mary O's, 32 Avenue A (open for a traditional St. Patrick's Day feast)

• The Penny Farthing, 103 Third Ave.

• Phebe's, 361 Bowery at Fourth Street

• Proletariat, 102 St. Mark's Place

• Ruffian, 125 E. Seventh St.

• San Marzano, 117 Second Ave.

• Saramsam, 111 E. Seventh St. 

• Superiority Burger, 430 E. Ninth St.

• Tarallucci e Vino, 163 First Ave.

• Tile Bar, 115 First Ave.

... and upcoming: 

• Indochine, 430 Lafayette — March 30

• Josie's, 520 E. Sixth St. — March 19

• Kindred, 642 E. Sixth St. — April 7

• Mister Paradise,  105 First Ave. — March 18

• Mona's, 224 Avenue B — March 19

• Sophies, 507 E. Fifth St. — March 19

• Van Da, 234 E. Fourth St. — April 1

... and San Loco just debuted new socially distant outdoor seating over at 111 Avenue C at Seventh Street...

Pitch in for this community cleanup on Saturday

A community cleanup is on the books for this Saturday (March 20!) from noon to 2 p.m. 

Per the flyer, residents will be focusing on Avenue B and Tompkins Square Park. 

Interested participants (RSVP to lucy@goles.org) are meeting at 171 Avenue B outside GOLES at 11th Street. Organizers are providing gloves, masks, sanitizer... and free coffee from sponsor The Roost.

Sisterly Love in Tompkins Square Park

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

Billed as Sisterly Love, a "ritual to promote community, togetherness, and self-love" to "fight the isolation and bitterness of winter" and "rekindle the flames of love, self-worth, belonging and inner warmth," the NYC (dis)Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence hosted a gathering this past Sunday in Tompkins Square Park. 

Abbess Sister Jewdi Clench officiated at the ceremony that ordained a novice Sister, welcomed spring and sprinkled glitter in an aspersion blessing.

I spoke with organizer Sister Gladiola Gladrags (top photo) who said, "Our mission as Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt. We spread that message by 'manifesting' (appearing in habit) in our community, and holding various kinds of events, fundraisers, protests, rituals, etc. to raise awareness and help where it’s needed."

And why Tompkins Square Park as the site for this ritual event?

We have a long "sistory" with the community, especially the annual Drag March that begins in Tompkins. Along with the Church Ladies for Choice, we have been organizing, facilitating, and participating in the march since its inception during Stonewall 25 in 1994. So, it's natural that we would hold this ritual here. Many people in our community have been suffering so much pain and strife in the last year, we feel that by bringing people together, even if at a social distance, it will help and give hope to those needing it.

A sign of spring in Tompkins Square Park

While it may not feel like spring out there today... there are some signs of warmer weather ahead... Goggla shares these photos from Tompkins Square Park... showing the arrival of crocuses (above!) ... and irises ...

Zooming in on the iconic work of East Village-based photographer Roberta Bayley

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East Village-based photographer Roberta Bayley is the guest tomorrow night (March 17!) for the Coney Island Museum's Ask The Experts on Zoom series.

The evening includes a screening of the 33-minute documentary "Roberta Bayley: She Just Takes Pictures," which highlights her iconic punk-era photography from 1975 to 1986 (like the shot of Debbie Harry above!) ... and a Q&A session with Bayley and Beth Lasch, the film's director. 

Tickets are $5 and support the Museum and its arts programming. The session starts at 7 p.m. Find viewing details here. 

Dian Kitchen has closed on 9th Street

After nearly three years at 435 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, Dian Kitchen announced it was closing at the end of service last evening. (H/T VV!) 

The quick-serve restaurant specialized in rice noodles and other small dishes from China's Yunnan province. 

The Instagram message from the owners is below... they say they are moving out of NYC and hope to reopen Dian Kitchen where they land...

 

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Photo from 2018 by Steven

36 St. Mark's Place for rent again as Joe's Steam Rice Roll closes

Last week we reported that workers had emptied out Joe's Steam Rice Roll at 36 St. Mark's Place.

It wasn't immediately clear if this meant a closure — or renovation. After all, the quick-serve shop between Second Avenue and Third Avenue closed for seven weeks without any public notice in the fall of 2019.

Unfortunately, it looks like a permanent closure — the address is now on the RIPCO website. The rent is available upon request. 

Joe's debuted in the East Village in June 2019 ... and it seemed poised to break the curse of concepts that couldn't make it work in this space. This was the first standalone location for the business, described as a "cult favorite" by Eater, which got its start in a tiny storefront in Flushing.

No. 36 has seen a variety of openings and closings in recent years, including Cheers Cut, the Taiwanese mini-chain of fried foods ... Friterie Belgian Fries ... Fasta ("Pasta Your Way") ... and the $1.50 branch of 2 Bros. Pizza.

Photo by Steven; H/T Upper West Sider!

Hot dogs? How about Korean-style corn dogs for 147 Avenue A

Last week we mentioned that a new quick-serve restaurant was in the works for 147 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street. The work permits listed the business as a "hot dog store." 

Well! That's sorta accurate. Turns out "corn dog store" would have been an even better descriptor.

As Steven points out, there's now a QR code out front ... taking you to the website for Two Hands — "Seoul fresh corn dogs" ...

This looks to be the first NYC location for the expanding company that has franchises in California, Arizona and Nevada.

Here's a look at what to expect with their varieties of corn dogs...

... and here's some fetish promo footage via the Two Hands Instagram account...

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A post shared by Two Hands Corn Dogs - Lakewood (@twohands_lakewood)

Monday's parting shot

The Gov. Cuomo wheatpaste as seen on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street...

An open window at the former P.S. 64

An EVG reader shared these photos... showing an open window on the top floor of the former (and long-empty) P.S. 64 building — on the 10th Street side between Avenue B and Avenue C...

The reader, who reports seeing people on the roof here fairly often, believes yesterday's gale-force winds KO'd the window.

Developer Gregg Singer, who bought the property from the city during an auction in 1998, has wanted to turn the building into a dorm called University Square. The DOB continues to maintain a Stop Work Order — dating to August 2015 — on the property. 

In years past several local elected officials, community activists and residents have asked for the return of the building for community use. The building became the Charas/El Bohio Community Center after the school left in 1977. The group was eventually evicted when Singer took over as the landlord. It has sat empty these past 20-plus years, causing locals to be concerned about its crumbling façade. 

Report of a roof fire at 170 E. 2nd St.

There were some dramatic moments this morning as the FDNY quickly extinguished a rooftop fire at 170 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

FDNY on the scene of the rooftop fire at Ave A @ 2nd @evgrieve pic.twitter.com/yfQaH35swV

— Alice Bodemyr-Dunaway (@alicedunaway) March 15, 2021

Witnesses reported seeing "intense flames" coming from the roof.

No word at the moment what caused the blaze or the extent of the damage. 

Here's a view of the FDNY on the building's roof via @alicedunaway ...

Vinny & O shared images from Avenue A and Second Street...

Top photo via the Citizen app

Owners of Tribeca's Khe-Yo plan to bring Laotian cuisine to 12th Street

The owners of Khe-Yo, which serves Laotian cuisine down on Duane Street in Tribeca, have designs on opening a bar-restaurant at 503-505 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

They'll be appearing before CB3's SLA committee tonight for a new liquor license for the space...

The questionnaire on file at the CB3 website shows that the restaurant will hold 74 people inside and another 19 in the backyard... with proposed (post-pandemic) hours of 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. (with a 2 a.m. close on Sunday and Monday).

The virtual committee meeting starts tonight at 6:30. The Zoom link is here.

Until late last summer, this space was home to Mace, the high-end cocktail bar... which moved on to West Eighth Street. Mace relocated from Ninth Street to this larger space in early 2019. 

Double Wide closed at No. 503-505 in March 2018 (much to the relief of some neighbors). Noise issues have been persistent here dating back to the Mundial and Totem days.

H/T to the reader who shared these photos!

The Wafels & Dinges outpost on Avenue B has closed

The Wafels & Dinges cafe has closed on Avenue B and Second Street. Workers were spotted clearing out the corner space this past week. 

This was the first brick-and-mortar cafe — opening in July 2013 — for the popular food trucks serving Belgian waffles that have been in circulation around the city dating to 2007.

W&D founder Thomas DeGeest, who lived with his family in the neighborhood, confirmed the closure to EVG contributor Stacie Joy. (All photos from Friday by Stacie.)

"We are in the process of moving out. The store is closed and won't reopen," he said. "It's been many years of great memories, of meeting interesting neighbors and wonderful customers. We always considered it a privilege to serve everyone. People came to spend their time with us, they came to enjoy our food and our cafe, and that's something to be grateful for.

"For the East Village, unfortunately, it's gonna be another empty storefront," he continued. "But for many New Yorkers and tourists over the past 14 years, Wafels & Dinges has become part of their New York experience."

Although this outpost has closed, he said his family business is here to stay. "We'll heat up our irons again, we'll bake and we will thrive."

The W&D trucks are still in circulation and they still have their permanent kiosks at Bryant Park and Herald Square. They're also now selling their wares online.  

"When the COVID crisis forced us to close all brick and mortar locations last year, we were able to pivot, thanks to many customer donations, and we shipped over 12,000 waffles out to frontline workers in New York, Baltimore, New Orleans and Chicago," DeGeest said. "That was the launching pad to start our online shop."  

Jian Bing Man coming to 1st Avenue

An outpost of Jian Bing Man will be opening later this year at 120 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

The quick-serve restaurant that specializes in Chinese crêpes recently signed a lease for the vacant space. This will be the third outpost in the city, joining the ones in Food Gallery 32 on West 32nd Street and at the Gansevoort Market on West 14th Street.

As for their signature dish, here's a description via the Jian Bing Man website:

This savory crisp-fried crêpe is all about bold contrasts of flavor and texture: eggs, spread over the surface of the wheat and mung bean flour pancake as it cooks. Each one is cooked fresh to order on a circular cast-iron grill, just the way you want it.

They'll also offer a variety of rice and noodle dishes.

The previous tenant here, Doma Food and Drinks, a Korean bistro, didn't have much of a chance, opening in February 2020 — about six weeks before the PAUSE ... this was a new concept from the owners of the Tang, which opened in this space in July 2016. 

H/T Upper West Sider!

Sunshine Cinema-replacing office building reaches the top on Houston

The steel structure is complete at 141 E. Houston St. ... and workers this past week planted the American flag atop the 9-story building here between Eldridge and Forsyth to mark the occasion... 

Some marketing background:

From acclaimed architect Roger Ferris, the only new development of its type on the Lower East Side, 141 East Houston is a new frame for viewing the neighborhood. Column-free and unbounded by walls, it reinterprets the area through a bold geometric perimeter of cladding and glass. State-of- the-art workspaces and private terraces reframe expectations, while a well-connected location recasts perspectives. 

With its glass frame and dynamic courtyard running the length of its eastern side, doubling as a second facade, 141 East Houston challenges the distinction between indoors and out.

East End Capital and K Property Group bought the property for $31.5 million in the spring of 2017. The links below provide more background on what has transpired on the site of the former Sunshine Cinema (RIP January 2018).

Previously on EV Grieve: 
• Sunshine Cinema-replacing office building moving forward; demolition watch back on

• Discarded theater seats and goodbyes at the Sunshine Cinema

• The 9-story boutique office building coming to the former Sunshine Cinema space

• A celebratory ad on the purchase of 139 E. Houston St., current home of the Sunshine Cinema

• The boutique office building replacing the Sunshine Cinema will be 'unbounded by walls' with an outdoor space called Houston Alley

2 new plant-based restaurants arrive for takeout and delivery on 1st Street

58 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue is now home to two plant-based restaurants — VistroBurger and PurpleThai...

The restaurants, offering takeout and delivery, popped up here last week.

Vistro offers several varieties of burgers, including the CHICKpea, the Shroom'n, the Beanoa (black beans and quinoa) and the Sexy SeiTAN. The menu is here. You can find the PurpleThai menu here.

Both establishments are from Ross Glick, the founder of Vegan Warrior Project. 

The new businesses must mean the end of Km1, short for Kilometro Uno, the Caribbean restaurant that debuted late in the summer of 2020 and only lasted a few months before going dark.

This address has seen several quality restaurants come and go in recent years. Esperanto Fonda lasted nine months, closing in May 2017. Before that, this was home to BARA for two years and Prima for three years. The Elephant, a Thai restaurant, was previously here for 17 years.