The artists of Gowanus will open their doors to the public this weekend, inviting Brooklynites to explore their studios, their work, and their community at Gowanus Open Studios.
Rapidly-changing Gowanus has long been an artists haven, frequently decked out with public art displays and gallery shows, but the creators themselves often work behind closed doors, tucked away in converted industrial buildings and studio collectives. Open Studios is an annual celebration of local artists, and a chance for residents to truly get to know them.
“Gowanus is shifting, and all of our advocacy and everything we do is sort of centered around visibility for the artists, and keeping artists in the neighborhood,” said Johnny Thornton, executive director of Arts Gowanus. “Our whole tagline ‘Keep Gowanus Creative’ is to make sure Gowanus stays an arts and culture neighborhood.”
From noon to 6 p.m on Oct. 18 and 19, hundreds of artists at dozens of locations across the nabe will welcome visitors to their individual studios or to group shows and exhibitions. A full list of participating artists and locations is available online, and paper maps will be free at select Open Studios locations on Oct. 18 and 19.
Thornton is particularly excited to show off Gowanus’ first subsidized, affordable artist studios at The Shop BK and Society Brooklyn. As part of the Community Benefits Agreement for the 2021 Gowanus rezoning, Arts Gowanus secured about 120 affordable studios in new buildings constructed as a result of the rezoning, an effort to prevent local artists from being priced out of the neighborhood.
About 22 of those studios opened this year, and most will be open all weekend.
“That’s really exciting, because the public hasn’t had a chance to see them, because they just opened,” Thornton said.
The public also hasn’t had a chance to meet the newly arrived artists, like Mayowa Nwadike, who has one of the new studios at The Shop.
Nwadike, a painter whose work pushes back on gender roles and toxic masculinity and tackles societal issues in both Nigeria and New York City, was overjoyed when he won the affordable studio lottery. He couldn’t afford his own space previously, he said, and did all his painting in his small Manhattan apartment.
“I would wake up and knock into my easel,” he laughed. “I’ve always wanted to have a studio, but the cost has been a major deterrent.”
Taking part in Open Studios is exciting and nerve-wracking, Nwadike said. He loves to talk to people and get feedback on his work, has never invited people to see his works-in-progress, his supplies, and his setup.
“It’s vulnerable, but I think it’s the best step in the right direction,” he said.
Nwadike has embraced the community he’s found in Gowanus — and said it has embraced him right back.
“If there’s one community that even before I moved here, embraced me, embraced my work and showed support for it, it’s Gowanus,” he said. “I just want to give flowers to the Gowanus community at large, and to Arts Gowanus for making it possible. There are so many artists who need opportunities like this, but they are not able to access them.”
Elsewhere, artists have come together to show their work in groups — and elevate the work of artists no longer around to exhibit themselves.
Arts Gowanus will have two featured exhibits at Gowanus Wharf at 240 Third Ave. “Add/Subtract,” a group show curated by Tegan Brozyna, and “A Retrospective of Samuel Heller.”
“Samuel is an artist who is the grandfather of someone in the community who was a prolific artist and died in the 90s,” Thornton said. “We were able to put up a bunch of his work. It’s really old work that he created throughout his career, I’m super excited about that.”
The celebration will continue beyond well past sunset, even once most of the studios have locked up for the night. TI Art Studios, which is exhibiting the work of nearly 50 artists, will once again host the late-night “Gowanus Open Studios After Dark” on Saturday from 6-9 p.m.
At the Open Studios After Party at Gowanus Wharf on Oct. 19, a 15-foot puppet DJ will spin tunes through the night, with help from surprise guest performers.
Gowanus Open Studios runs from noon-6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18 and Sunday, Oct. 19. Admission is free, and locations vary — check gowanusarts.org for a full list of studio locations and events.
