Thanks to Lola Sáenz for the photo!
Saturday, January 15, 2022
Saturday's parting shot
Gallery Watch: GAO HANG! at The Hole
Text by Clare Gemima
Photo by Arturo Sanchez, courtesy of the Artist and The Hole (2021)
The Hole, 86 Walker St.
A winding and disorientating green-screen grid tapes the ground of The Hole on Walker Street, trapping you in a lo-res, digi nightmare that is GAO HANG! a self-titled exhibition of 12 terrifying life-size paintings.
In Gao Hang’s first solo show at the gallery, the artist paints his sovereign by relying on a paradoxical 1990s time frame — one that was alive and well not so long ago yet feels already fossilized. Through sharp graphic lines and softer, more airbrushed finishes, Gao Hang has seemingly filled a substitute position for God…his creations just as bizarre as the next millennial’s.
As I scanned the show, my brain subconsciously shifted gears to screenland. A sphere that I was once very underqualified in but had complete autonomy over in my prepubescent heyday nonetheless. I was addicted to Crash Bandicoot (1996), Spyro (1998) and The Sims (2000) growing up and rejoiced in Hang’s insinuated homage to the suffocating graphics each game had produced.
While in their infancy, gaming and digital ecosystems introduced an extremely avant-garde idea to society — a totally abstract and otherworldly identity could be constructed and exist online. Although 8- and 16-bit compositions tried (very hard) initially, the idea lacked anything close to a civilized visual vocabulary. Fast forward to today’s technical triumphs and you’ll find little justification for existing offline at all. Why would you if you could look more stylish and even sexier within the confines of your screen?
Gao Hang’s minimized features, diminished perspectives and fluorescent back-lit net hues deliberately trap the viewer inside several massive stylistic and historical gaps. His deconstructed and naively painted characters not only fill in the cracks of console gaming’s graphic timeline but also in paintings such as Inarguably Beautiful and I Am So Pathetic Copying Donald Judd Like That, they also unveil evolutionary leaps found within a fine arts context.
Hang’s subtle commitment to research re-situates two famous, real-life sculptures — Venus de Milo, created in 130-100 BCE (Hellenistic period), which now sits in the Louvre in Paris, and the minimalist Untitled from 1967, a work currently collecting dust at MoMA’s storage unit in Queens.
In the artist’s other, less figurine paintings such as A Perfectly Beautiful Hand, Go Hug A Tree and Your Mountains Are So Fucking Full of Meaning, my thoughts instantly traveled to Xavier: Renegade Angel (2007), a perverse and problematic animated series that I fell in love with once upon a time. In this cartoon, protagonist Xavier has ocular heterochromia, a beak for a nose, a snake for an arm and backward bending knees. He’s covered in fur but is convinced that he is 100% human.
As if this wasn’t enough, many of his supporting characters are reduced to decorated polygons, looking completely flat from most, if not all angles and are grossly lego-like in design. This flagrant mind-fuck of a TV series is an awkward one to commit to watching, but it is hard to turn away from because of its chaotic artistry. A similar aesthetic to the one employed by production companies such as Adult Swim carries across all three rooms in GAO HANG! The artist’s warped landscapes and nature paintings unapologetically question ideals of beauty, while his characters stare at you almost as quizzically as you do them.
Amalgamating abject approaches to character manipulation, with a sense of humor around how limited his styling options once were, Hang also touches on a much darker side of the net. Beautiful and charismatic avatars masterfully disguise the identity of IRL losers, revealed in Cyber Bully and Losing the Freedom of Shaming People.
Visitors to the gallery are reminded of the creeps that dominate the internet and game space, a community that has become much harder to expose due to technology’s advanced creations of simulated identities.
As I stood in front of my favorite paintings in the show, Angel of The Day and My Photoshop My Choice, I realized that anyone around my age could have created these characters, or perhaps they already had 15 years ago.
In place of yesteryear’s gaming capabilities, Gao Hang has ditched screen-based graphics and chosen the medium of paint to customize the color of his characters’ lips, the cup sizes of their breasts, and the elongation in their purposefully tortured faces instead.
GAO HANG! is at The Hole’s Walker Street gallery until Jan. 29. Gallery hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Clare Gemima is a visual artist and arts writer from New Zealand, now based in the East Village of New York. You can find her work here: claregemima.com
[Updated]: Man shot dead inside the Lillian Wald Houses
Police and published reports listed the victim as Davon Venable.
As amNY reported:
According to law enforcement sources, Venable and his father were at the residence when they heard a knock on the door, followed by an unknown individual outside asking, “Did someone call for an Uber?”
Police said Venable then walked over and opened the door. He met an unknown man wearing all-black clothing, who then pulled the trigger on Venable.
The NYPD has not yet released further information or description of the shooter.
Police say that the suspect posed as a food delivery worker ... arriving and departing the Lillian Wald Houses on an e-bike ... the NYPD released this footage...
Anonymously post a tip on the crime stoppers website https://t.co/TRPPY5zHV2
— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) January 17, 2022
ADDITIONAL IMAGE: pic.twitter.com/oJCSdlS3ol
A winter clothing drive this weekend at First Street Green Art Park
First Street Green Art Park is hosting its second annual winter clothing driving ... a two-day event that also features a group of local artists creating new murals for the outdoor space.
FSG volunteers are collecting winter clothes (jackets, hoodies, sweaters, etc.) today (Saturday!) and tomorrow (Sunday!) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ... all donations will go to the Catholic Worker St. Joseph's House across from the Park on First Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
You may enter FSG on the northeast corner of Houston at Second Avenue (or on First Street just east of Second Avenue).
Saturday's opening shot
Friday, January 14, 2022
Friday's parting shot
A fine mess!
Local band Clovis, who we've happily seen a few times, has a new video out for their single "Clutter." The trio is on a bill at the Mercury Lounge on Feb. 11. Meanwhile, you can check them out on Bandcamp.
Signage alert on the SW corner of Avenue A and 6th Street
Workers are installing the signage on the new market coming to the SW corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street — say hi to (if we're reading this correctly) Healthy Choice Foods Market. (Perhaps they will be just Healthy Choice for short?)
The market — featuring an ooh la la chandelier inside — is tentatively set to open this month.
As noted, Benny's Burritos closed here on Nov. 29, 2014, after 27 years in business. The storefront remained empty in the years since then.
Breaking! (so to speak): City finally repairing 6th Street sinkhole
Well!
A city crew is on the scene this morning to make repairs on the tree-pit sinkhole outside 338 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
Goggla shared the above photo and noted the work in progress.
As we've noted many times previously: The sinkhole formed during the drenching rains from Tropical Storm Ida on Sept. 1.
Since then, a makeshift barrier including parts of Awash's outdoor dining space and other found objects have been guarding/blocking the sidewalk. Pedestrians had to walk on Sixth Street on the south side of the street to bypass the sinkhole. The sinkhole claimed the tree here in early December.
No word on why it took four-plus months to have this repaired ... even with numerous residents calling this in to 311 and other various city agencies.
Today in freebies on 3rd Avenue
The March Hare is closing so the owners can focus on health and family
Photo from November 2020 by Steven
After a little more than a year in business at 321 E. Ninth St., The March Hare will be closing in the days ahead.
As we previously reported, Karen McDermott, who runs the whimsical toy shop with her husband Jason McGroarty, was diagnosed with colon cancer last fall.
Running a business and navigating the challenges of chemotherapy was too much, and they decided to close down the shop here between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... with the hopes that someone may have an interest in taking it over.
Here's part of an email to EVG from last evening:
As you may be aware my wife and co owner of The March Hare was diagnosed with colon cancer in October last year. We have been amazed by the outpouring of love and support from everyone in the village since then. However we have made the decision to close our little store in order to focus on our battle with cancer.
I would love to say it wasn't an easy decision to make but it was easy, for health and family should always come first. It has been a wonder to own and operate a store on the very block we live on. The need for a quirky little village toy store focusing on creativity, early development and good ol' classic wonder is alive and well.
So, if anyone would like to carry on the legacy much like we did after Dinosaur Hill, we are open to offers. I believe it would be a shame to let the story end with us but our part, much like a chapter in your favorite book, has come to an end. This is a great turnkey retail opportunity for the right person, if you feel the calling much like we did (and still do), get in touch.
Until that day comes we will be selling our remaining stock. Pop by and grab a few goodies while they last. Remember, things never really end, they simply change. You will still see us strolling around the village as usual so feel free to wave or stop for a chit chat.
There's also a crowdfunding campaign to help the couple pay for medical and living expenses. (McDermott just started her fifth round of chemotherapy.) You can find that link here.
The March Hare opened in November 2020. The shop was carrying on for Dinosaur Hill, the 37-year-old toy store on the block where McDermott had worked. Dinosaur Hill closed in 2020 after owner Pamela Pier retired.
We wish all the best to Karen and Jason!
Thursday, January 13, 2022
DiGiorno Pizza Rat debuts in Tompkins Square Park
Meanwhile, as seen this afternoon from Tompkins Square Park. Hello DiGiorno Pizza Rat!
(And thanks to Goggla for the clip!)
Exit9 reopens on Avenue A after fire next door
Photos by Stacie Joy
Exit9 Gift Emporium reopened yesterday — just two days after the two-alarm fire destroyed neighboring business Essex Card Shop late Monday afternoon here on Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the shop yesterday, where she found a thankful co-owner Charles Branstool in the retail space in the base of the 13-floor Ageloff Towers... 
"I feel incredibly grateful and lucky to have been spared such an unthinkable tragedy. It was difficult to comprehend the surreal events as they unfolded....watching Exit9 remain virtually untouched while witnessing the destruction of my neighbor's family business," he said. "Thanks to the solid construction of the Ageloff Towers, the fire could not spread so easily. The outpouring of love and support from this community has been both humbling and heartwarming."
However pleased Branstool was to be back open, his thoughts remained with his neighbor to the south. Essex Card Shop relocated next door at 47 Avenue A in June 2020. However, like Exit9, the Card Shop has been an Avenue A mainstay for more than 20 years.
"Let's not forget the real tragedy here is the loss of Essex Card Shop. My heart goes out to Muhammed and Jay and their family. I can't imagine what trauma they must be experiencing at this moment," Branstool said. "If there's one thing this community has taught me is that we know how to be resilient. Let's help them rebuild." (He then mentioned their GoFundMe effort. "Every little bit helps during times like this.")
Given the dramatic photos at the scene on Monday, it's incredible that Exit9 remained intact, free of any water damage. A faint odor of smoke hung in the air. (There's an air purifier running in the shop.) A fire official told Stacie that the solid cement ceiling and brick walls in the storefronts served as a firebreak and prevented further damage to the building.
"As for Exit9, she is a survivor. We just needed one day to rest and freshen up. We've cleaned up our floors and shelves, and a HEPA air filter is scrubbing the air," he said. "New Valentine's Day windows have already been installed. A fluffy feather baby cradled in a giant white heart, so things are already looking up for us."
Exit9, now in its 27th year, is at 51 Avenue A. Store hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with Sunday hours of noon to 6 p.m.
For further reading on EVG:
Downtown Yarns hopes to reopen in a week
Photos by Stacie Joy
Late Monday afternoon, Leti Ruiz stood on the east side of Avenue A below Third Street, anxiously watching the FDNY battle the two-alarm blaze that started inside Essex Card Shop across the street.
Downtown Yarns, housed in a sliver of a storefront, is next door to the south of the Card Shop, where thick smoke was billowing skyward.
She thought that the fire would destroy the homey shop she's owned for three-plus years.
Miraculously, Downtown Yarns — like Exit9, the Card Shop's neighbor to the north — escaped any significant damage. As previously noted, the stout cement ceiling and brick walls in the storefronts of the 13-floor Ageloff Towers served as a firebreak and prevented further damage to the building and adjacent businesses.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by yesterday as a rep from Servpro, which provides fire and water cleanup, finished his space assessment. Thankfully, there wasn't any harm caused by water.
He said that it would take about a week to thoroughly remove the smoke odor so Ruiz could reopen. Right now, Ruiz is using Febreeze, which she doesn't like, baking soda, and the industrial air scrubbers that the building has supplied.
Ruiz is grateful for the outpouring of support, including homemade signs of encouragement that students at the Neighborhood School around the corner placed on her storefront.
In a further show of support, she noted that "so many people stopped by offering to buy the stinky yarn, but I don't want to sell smelly yarn to them."
You can follow Downtown Yarns on Instagram here for reopening information.
For further reading on EVG:
Assessing the fire damage at Essex Card Shop
Photos by Stacie Joy
A fire destroyed the Essex Card Shop at 47 Avenue A late Monday afternoon. Thankfully there weren't any injuries.
And we're starting to get an idea how badly the fire damaged the storefront here between Third Street and Fourth Street.
FDNY officials returned to inspect the space yesterday. EVG contributor Stacie Joy was also there...
Owner Muhammad Aslam and his oldest daughter Mehnaz Noreen, the shop's retail sales manager, were on hand.
The two are awaiting the fire marshal's report to submit to the insurance company to begin the process of reopening. (Longtime manager Jayant "Jay" Patel previously said that he smelled smoke coming from the bathroom in the rear of the store and immediately called the FDNY.)
The father and daughter wished to express their gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community. (The GoFundMe launched Monday night has exceeded $50,000 to help the family pay for additional expenses and lost income.)
They were particularly heartened by the handmade signs that students from room 205 at the Neighborhood School left for them on the storefront's rolldown gate...
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
Solving the Great Santa Claus Mystery of Tompkins Square Park
At one point, Santa was standing proudly... other times, he was flat on his back, per hijinks.
And through some detective work (our fee: $200 per day plus expenses) and some reader comments, we learned how Santa came to town to the park. (Early reports that Santa was nabbed from a lobby turned out to be incorrect.)
This Santa had been holding forth outside East Village Social on St. Mark's Place this past holiday season.
On Sunday night, someone from the bar transported SC to his new resting place... here's a video via Instagram showing Santa on the move (to the gentle strains of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord."
Lights out: Bulb Concepts has closed on 7th Street
EVG regular Salim shared these photos... showing that the small shop's exterior has been cleaned out.
There wasn't any mention of a closure on their lightly used social media properties.
Jessie Lee and Anthony Wong opened Bulb Concepts in October 2013 (read our feature here), offering a nice variety of light bulbs, commercial and residential light fixtures, lamp parts and more. They also had many hard-to-find items and always provided friendly and attentive service.
The couple sold the business at some point, though the service remained the same.
Bulb Concepts was one of those little specialty shops we'd love to see more of in the neighborhood. They will be missed.
Key Food is no longer open 24/7
You will now need to rethink your spontaneous 3 a.m. excursions to Key Food on Avenue A at Fourth Street.
We heard rumblings from employees about a late-night shoplifting problem. Plus, unrelated or not, as we understand it, the self-service kiosks stop working for system updates at 1 a.m., so all the people trying to buy, say, beer and chips at that hour have to wait in a solitary line at the only available checkout with the cashier who looks stressed out.
In other gossipy Key news, we're told that those updates to the aisles (detailed here and here) are on hold for the time being due to the uptick in positive COVID-19 cases in NYC.
H/T Stacie Joy!
A call to revamp ABC Playground at P.S. 20 on Houston and Essex
As you may know, PBNYC enables NYC residents to propose, evaluate and vote on projects in their districts. Successful projects will be funded by Council Member discretionary funds.
Several EVG readers are championing a revamp of the ABC Playground at Houston and Essex outside P.S. 20 Anna Silver.
Here's what is proposed:
ABC Playground, an expansive 0.45-acre space at the prime Lower East Side intersection of Houston and Essex streets, has outstanding, untapped potential to better serve its diverse, multi-generational public. Built in 1934 and last renovated in 1998, the severely under-resourced park has unresolved violations.
The two outdated metal play structures are often in disrepair, and the large fields of cracked, uneven pavement are hazardous. All materials are dilapidated or structurally deteriorating. Drainage issues and failing plumbing infrastructure frequently create large puddles that render the center of the park unusable. ABC Playground requires significant upgrades to improve safety, satisfy building code, and realize its mission as a recreational space for education and community building.
Requested upgrades include: two new play structures with rubber safety surfacing for ages 1-4 and 5-12; a water element for all ages; one set of adult and child drinking fountains; an asphalt track; a multi-purpose asphalt field with markings for baseball, hopscotch, and other games; a basketball court with new hoops; 15 concrete park benches to enhance accessibility and create inviting meeting areas; and 8 trash receptacles.You can leave comments and endorse this project here.
There are dozens of proposed projects for District 1, and find those at this link.
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