Gallery Watch: Sei Smith: Portraits of You at Ki Smith Gallery

Text by Clare Gemima 

Photos by Grace Shine Jeon

Portraits of You by Sei Smith

Ki Smith Gallery, 197 E. Fourth St.

I feel lucky to live so close to Ki Smith Gallery — not because of the geographic convenience or their fun and social openings. I visit Ki Smith Gallery for the art and its engaged, intellectual, and fascinating artists.

I would like to applaud this gallery for presenting and committing to an ethos that positions itself within an art historical context. A special thanks to Gallery Director Claire Foussard for offering such support to the artists at Ki Smith and to artist Sei Smith for his enthusiasm and willingness to talk to me about his new show, Portraits of You. 

Smith has created a series of figureless portraits, forcing an audience member to immediately question ideas around contemporary art jargon or any preconceived notion of what a portrait-painter could be today. This wit and finesse at articulating such are consistent throughout the eight works that line the gallery's space. Smith uses an iridescent adhesive film throughout this body of work which acts to obscure identity informing under-paintings. 

Eight works represent Smith's various relationships to eight different friends who range in backgrounds (and statures). Smith has reinforced this concept of diversity in highly creative ways, including height-specific installation techniques, his choice in titling the work and through the materials he chooses to play with. 

The work comes full circle to me conceptually because, by nature, these works are reflective. Seeing yourself within the work teases and tests your impulses to look for things you didn't think were ever there. It wasn't until I read more about the work that I realized the under-coats of acrylic were really the ID of the painting, and deciphering all of them was challenging but in a slow reveal sort of way. 

It was also a beautiful experience because of the tonality of the film coating (think reds, pinks, oranges, ruby, purple, etc.). Having this knowledge was not imperative to the viewing experience. Still, it definitely made me want to go back after reading the artist's viewing instructions to learn more about who his muses were, or at least through their instructions for Sei, who they wanted to be portrayed as. 

There is more than meets the eye in Portraits of You. Because of the iridescent top coating of the paintings, the work changes color depending on your angle. As you move from one piece to another, the light in the gallery hits differently, creating new narratives for each of the works. A live personification happens before your eyes. It is intimate and almost self-indulging. 

The show is fun but also wrapped in intellect that will excite you about the direction of Smith's career. I'm looking forward to seeing more. After the last show I covered at this space, the artist's inquiries and concept handling have already been embraced, updated, upgraded and re-navigated. 

Please read more about Sei's practice here. And follow the most up-to-date events and openings from Ki Smith Gallery here.

Portraits of You is up through Oct. 17 at the gallery, 197 E. Fourth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. Hours: Wednesday-Sunday from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Alternative times available by appointment.info@kismithgallery.com

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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 

To get Corey Johnson's attention, East River Park activists chain themselves to tree at City Hall

Yesterday morning, two local activists, identified as JK Canepa and Jmac, chained themselves to a tree outside City Hall to demand Council Speaker Corey Johnson allow an oversight hearing for East River Park.

Other activists from East River Park Action were also on hand during the day.   

To date, Johnson has refused to hold an emergency hearing on the pending demolition of the park. He has also not provided any comments as to why. 

Per Curbed yesterday afternoon:

Johnson has not yet got in touch with the group, though a representative from the mayor's office has and is mediating between his office and the demonstrators. That's not going to get anyone unlocked though. "We don't want a meeting," Canepa said. "We want an oversight hearing, and we want to hear it from Corey himself."

This fall, workers are expected to start razing the 57.5-acre park and cutting down the 1,000 mature trees, and eventually rebuilding the park atop eight feet of landfill as part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project. 

East River Park Action other advocates say there are better ways to preserve the park and provide flood protection, such as the one mapped out in the years after Sandy. In late 2018, the city surprised community stakeholders by announcing a complete overhaul of a plan discussed over four years of local meetings.

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. 

Photo via @eastriverparkaction

MAJOR changes coming to the aisles of Key Food

Top photo from the collection of EVG; all others by Stacie Joy 

If you've been inside Key Food on Avenue A and Fourth Street in recent days, then you likely noticed some changes... especially on aisle 2, where the non-dairy milk brands moved across the aisle and now featuring seemingly more varieties...

Meanwhile, the apple sauce randomly took over the former nut milk space on the shelf in aisle 2. 

Anyway, Key Food sources tell EVG contributor Stacie Joy that this is JUST the beginning of a renovation that will see some significant changes in how you navigate the aisles.

Here's what we know so far. 

Remember the bulk paper towels randomly placed atop the freezer section in aisle 1? 

MOVED!

Those bulk items are now across from the milk/eggs/dairy section, where shoppers may actually be able to reach them...

But what about the nuts, Pringles and rando candy that used to be here? 

AISLE 2!

And as if aisle 2 could hold any more new items, crackers and cookies are here now too...

There are other shelving switcheroos underway that we have yet to track...

Arguably the biggest change is coming to aisle 1... and the freezer section (ice cream, pizza, etc.)

Key Food sources tell us that the freezers are being moved AWAY from aisle 1, which will eventually feature an expanded produce area. Also gone from this aisle: those random middle tables offering up potatoes and onions and stuff.

It's not immediately clear where the aisle 1 freezers will go. (Our source didn't even know.) Many things are being moved, added, subtracted.

All work is scheduled to be completed by Thanksgiving. No word yet if any of these moves will necessitate altering the grocery's 24/7 schedule. 

To be continued... 

Afternoon bringing Korean hot dogs, mochi doughnuts and croffles to St. Mark's Place

Afternoon is setting up a one-stop trendy-food eating destination at 34 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue (thanks to Steven for the photos)...

Here's more about Afternoon via their website:

Anytime is the right time to visit Afternoon, the ultimate one-stop destination for what you're craving. Our well-curated selection of the hottest food and beverage brands allows you to enjoy multiple drinking and dining destinations all under one roof. There's something for everyone at Afternoon…what are you in the mood for today?

Brands under this roof will include Jongro Rice Hotdog, Machi Machi (bubble teas, etc.), Mochi Mochi Donut, Brooklyn Roasting Company and Croffle Haus (croissant dough baked in a waffle iron).

Afternoon currently has outposts out in Bayside and in Koreatown. Five more area locations (including St. Mark's Place) are in the works.

Meanwhile, the like-minded Mochinut, the quickly expanding California-born chain known for its mochi doughnuts and Korean-style hot dogs, just opened around the corner on Second Avenue.

Afternoon is taking over half of the former Khyber Pass space. (The other half is Lucky Star, the recently opened 1950s-style ice-cream shop.)  Khyber Pass, which dated to the mid-1980s, quietly closed during the pandemic. 

The new-look SW corner of 1st Avenue and 3rd Street

From the EVG tipline... the plywood came down yesterday on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Third Street... providing a look at the renovated storefront.

As previously reported here, a cafe "specializing in small, handmade wines" is in the works for the space from the owners of Urban Wine & Spirits a few storefronts away. 

Old-timer Exquisite Cleaners shut down here in the summer of 2020 as the pandemic wreaked havoc on the dry-cleaner business.

Desi Stop Deli signage arrives on 2nd Avenue

Two weeks ago, we mentioned that a new Indian restaurant called Desi Stop was coming to 75 Second Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. 

The signage is now up... and it's actually going by Desi Stop Deli...

Signage points to a 100-percent vegetarian establishment... though we don't know if this will be a quick-serve place (as the Deli name implies) or a restaurant with a dining room. Or maybe both! We should find out quickly enough with the promise of an "opening soon" sign on the door. 

Desi Stop takes over for Nostro Ristorante, which debuted in October 2019. The Italian restaurant reopened briefly late in the spring of 2020 for pandemic-era takeout and delivery but closed soon after.

Thanks to Steven for the photos! 

The Mayfly debuts on East Houston

The Mayfly debuted yesterday at 269 E. Houston St. 

As previously reported, the bar-restaurant is from the team behind Gael Pub, Trinity Pub and Juke Bar, among others. This place has been in the works dating back to the fall of 2019. (There was previously an April 2020 opening date, though the pandemic put all that on hold.)

You can follow them on Instagram for updates. (Checking on hours of operation. They opened yesterday at 4 p.m.)

The space on the southeast corner of Houston and Suffolk has seen its share of bars come and go through the years. It has sat empty since Suffolk Arms shuttered in 2018 after two-plus years. 

Thanks to Vinny & O for the photo!

Scone mania: At Mary O's, an Irish blessing and 20,000 pounds of self-raising flour

Photos by Stacie Joy

As you may recall, Humans of New York featured Mary O'Halloran, the proprietor of Mary O's, the 11-year-old Irish pub at 32 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street, in early August. (Here's her story, courtesy of Brandon Stanton, about trying to keep her business alive while also caring for her six children.)

On a Thursday evening in August, Stanton followed up with a special promotion — the limited edition Mary O's "HONY" Irish soda bread scones. Stanton shared the deal with his more than 20 million social media followers worldwide. According to an Instagram post from Stanton, they took in more than $1 million in orders for scones by the end of the night.

Impressive, but there were some immediate logistical concerns. Such as! How to bake roughly 200,000 scones from Mary O's small kitchen.

There is a solution: Over the next two months, O'Halloran and some helpers will use the large ovens in the basement kitchen of St. Francis Xavier Church on West 16th Street to create these orders.

Fast forward to early last week, when 20,000 pounds of self-raising Irish flour was delivered (via Dublin) to Mary O's. To start the project, "the flour was infused with an Irish blessing by Mary herself, in an ancient ceremony featuring electric candles," as Stanton wrote in a Facebook post. (You can watch a video of the ceremony on Facebook.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by Mary O's to watch part of the flour-blessing ceremony...

The next steps will include packing up boxes of scones for delivery and preparing the 7,000 pounds of homemade blackberry jam to accompany them...

Airbnb strike: Authorities impound vans used for overnight stays in the East Village

You may have noticed fewer vans parked on East Village streets. 

Late last week, the city Sheriff's office and the NYPD Document Fraud Unit discovered an "operation of alleged fraudulent and illegally registered vehicles being used as Airbnb rentals," Sheriff Joseph Fucito told the New York Post. 

Five of the seven vans, which reportedly had New Jersey plates and expired tags, were parked in the East Village.

Sheriff's Road Patrol Deputies were busy this week impounding seven alleged fraudulent and illegally registered vans being used as Airbnb rentals on various streets in Manhattan. 🛑🚦🚔 pic.twitter.com/rBZ1TBZ2xt

— NYC SHERIFF (@NYCSHERIFF) September 25, 2021

California-based journalist/video creator Uptin Saiidi recently slept in a 1999 Ford Econoline parked on Second Street — for $97 a night. 

Spoiler: He was glad he did this for a night but would never do it again...

   

As for the recently confiscated vans, it wasn't clear if the same person owned all of them. 

Back to the Post:

Sleeping overnight in a van is legal, according to the city's Department of Transportation — provided it’s not parked in the same spot for 24 hours in restricted areas. 

When parking is not otherwise restricted, no person shall park any vehicle in any area, including a residential area, in excess of seven consecutive days, the agency's rules note. 

Fines typically start at $115, the NYPD has said. The Sheriff’s office did not comment further except to say the "investigation in this matter is ongoing."

The van listings have since been removed from Airbnb, per CBS 2. 

A few weeks back, EVG contributor Stacie Joy spoke with this traveler from Toronto who rented a van on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B for $85 a night. (Not sure if the authorities confiscated this van.)

According to Stacie, the guest was excited about this Airbnb adventure. He was not worried about the lack of a bathroom or shower. (The Airbnb host leaves suggestions for nearby businesses to use the restroom and options for showers.)

Stacie climbed in for a moment and noted that it was clean but hot and stuffy. The front seats were empty — and drapes were partitioning them from the bed in the back. The keys also did not work in the ignition.

As ABC-7 noted, authorities dubbed this impounding as — no kidding — "Operation Room Service." 

Thanks to all the readers who shared these links. Top photo via @NYCSHERIFF.

Thinking about Blue & Gold Tavern

Updated 10/1: The bar is now OPEN as of tonight!

Blue & Gold Tavern remains closed here at 79 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

The old-timer (circa 1958) shut down in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic ... and there hasn't been any word about its status. (The bar does not have a website or any social media. Yelp and Google both list it as temporarily closed.) 

EVG regular Paul Gale shared these photos and this observation over the weekend: "After 18 months, finally some signs they're not definitely gone for good. Looks like some work is being done, but the bar and the furniture remain intact."

As we understand it, the family who runs the bar also owns the building and has so for generations. (Some history here.) 

Blue & Gold is also one of the few remaining businesses whose status is unknown... others include Prune on First Street and Crocodile Lounge on 14th Street (that bar looks permanently closed, but there hasn't been any official notice). 

Top photo from the archives via @picturesofdives

Fall at the Tompkins Square Park mini pool

Outdoor city pools, including the mini pool in Tompkins Square Park, closed for the season back on Sept. 12. (Top photo from June by Steven.) 

EVG reader MP shared this photo... as you can see, a large branch recently fell into the now-empty pool in Tompkins Square Park...

Thankfully, the Parks Department has roughly nine months to remove this before the pool reopens for the 2022 season.

Checking in on the sunshiny sinkhole on 1st Avenue

Checking up on the sinkhole here on First Avenue at Fifth Street (last post here)... definitely gaining conversation-starter status...

The Wild Son plans for daytime expansion with a lunch counter next door on 1st Avenue

The Wild Son is taking over its neighboring space at 130 First Ave. here by St. Mark's Place. 

 

Robert Ceraso, the cafe's co-owner and creative director, provided details. 

"We're going to be doing a Wild Son lunch counter in that space — extending the daytime service that we currently only offer on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to all weekdays," he said in an email. "It's going to be breakfast and lunch service only." 

When the new space opens (projected for mid-October now), patrons can expect to find favorites from the current Wild Son menu as well as some throwbacks to when he ran the sandwich shop Animals adjacent to The Wayland on Avenue C. 

"Animals was actually the precursor to The Wild Son concept that we eventually opened on the west side and then moved here," said Ceraso, whose other East Village establishments include The Wayland and Good Night Sonny. "So it feels good. It feels like it's coming full circle." 

Hours for The Wild Son annex are expected to be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Despite opening during the pandemic (May 2020), The Wild Son, which relocated to the East Village from Little West 12th Street, has become a popular destination.

No. 130 was previously the pop-up restaurant called Nudibranch and Nightmarket.

Thanks to Steven for the photo and EVG reader Alyssa for the initial tip.

Good news-bad news for fans of Pouring Ribbons on Avenue B

Pouring Ribbons returned to in-person cocktail service back on Wednesday from the second floor at 225 Avenue B.

In the past 18 months, the bar had only offered to-go cocktail options from time to time. For now, Pouring Ribbons is open starting at 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays here between 13th Street and 14th Street. Walk-ins only; there aren't any reservations at this time. (This Instagram post has details on the vaccination entry process.)

Meanwhile, Joaquín Simó, partner and bartender at Pouring Ribbons, announced in an Instagram post that their lease is up in April, so this marks the last six months at this location.

We've missed our regulars, our industry friends, and our neighbors more than anything. Not being a COVID casualty like so many beloved bars and restaurants is something we are extremely grateful for. We're not taking this opportunity to say a proper goodbye for granted, so please join us sometime soon!

The bar from Alchemy Consulting opened here in September 2012. 

Thank you to Vinny & O for the tip about the reopening and upcoming lease expiration. Pic from the archives.

Looking at the new mosaics inside the 1st Avenue L stop

Back on Thursday, the MTA unveiled a mosaic series by local artist Katherine Bradford throughout the First Avenue (and Avenue A!) L stop. 

Per the MTA: "Reflecting the community of people who use the 1 Av-14 St station, vibrant compositions totaling about 400 sq ft of glass mosaic ... are installed throughout the station."

Here's more via @mtaartsdesign:

The intriguing, ethereal figures seen in the mosaic panels represent the riders of the L train, which transports creative folk pursuing their dreams and the real-life heroes who provide essential services. 

In New York, these riders are dressed most often in black, which the artist believes is "merely a cloak over an inner life that is wildly colorful and unconventional." This group of figures expresses the energy of camaraderie when people are gathered together and inspires viewers to consider the outward expression of one’s own interior vivacity.

Artist Marcel Dzama created a series for the Bedford stop. This post at 6sqft has more photos of the mosaics at the First Avenue and Bedford stations.

Art pics via @mtaartsdesign

MSCHF on the Bowery

We fielded a few queries about the faux 7-Eleven storefront that arrived Friday at 306 Bowery between Bleecker and Houston (thanks, Robert Miner, for these pics!)...

Today and tomorrow, the storefront is serving as a pop-up space for MSCHF (primer article here), the Brooklyn-based art collective, and sales of their Boosted Packs V2 (aka drop 56). 

What might be inside these collectible packs?

   

Anyway, the pop-up status of the space apparently signals the end of the New Stand's upscale and tech-driven take on the convenience store.

Sunday's parting shot

😱😱😱😱 

Snowplow practice today on Avenue A and Ninth Street... thanks (maybe!) to Derek Berg for the photo...

RIP Faith Laugier

Faith Laugier, a prominent presence in the East Village and NYC activist community, died unexpectedly this past week. She was 42. A cause of death was not revealed. 

Here's more on Laugier from the Daily News, which first reported on her passing.

“She was a sensational woman who had an enormous amount of potential and it’s a huge loss for the activist movement and a huge loss for the city,” said Aton Edwards, a friend. 

Laugier became a prominent activist when Occupy Wall Street formed in September 2011 and protesters set up an encampment in Zuccotti Park in the Financial District. 

Laugier slept in the park the first night of Occupy Wall Street protests, said John Penley, a friend. "There weren't that many people who stayed there the first night," Penley recalled. 

The number of protesters in the park grew, and Laugier emerged as one of the movement's leading organizers.

Laugier's friends and family created a website to commemorate her accomplishments. News about a memorial will also be posted on this site. Her family also initiated a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for funeral expenses. 

Photo courtesy of John Penley