It is the art of the unknown!
A group of artists from a mysterious area known as “The Bronx,” apparently located somewhere in upstate New York, will present the best of their indigenous artwork at a Bushwick art gallery. “Bronx Now,” opening on April 30, will showcase 30 artists from the obscure borough, giving them a chance to shine in Brooklyn, the promised land of the arts community, says one of the show’s curators.
“It’s no secret, this is the epicenter of the art world in New York City right now,” said Eileen Walsh, a Bronx gallerist.
The provocative art pieces may have a different impact on viewers from outside the group’s native territory, said Walsh, and she cannot wait to see how the pieces affect sophisticated Bushwickians.
“The artists that have created these pieces are just starting to deal with gentrification, and to bring the work to a place that has in essence already been gentrified, is very exciting,” she said.
Featured artist Melanie Gonzalez will present the portrait “Ghetto Mary,” part of her “Discount Saints” series depicting religious figures attired as members of black and Latin cultures, which may play differently in increasingly-white Bushwick. Other works in the show include paintings, photography, sculpture, and performance pieces. Some of the work is in-your-face and political, said Walsh, with artists focusing on police brutality and highly contentious issues like the rezoning of a Bronx neighborhood by the DeBlasio administration. Others, like Rebecca Allan’s abstract paintings inspired by river tributaries, pay homage to environmental concerns.
The exhibit aims to draw attention to a growing number of artist based in this “Bronx,” and to encourage viewers to discover what else the borough has to offer in terms of arts and culture, said the show’s other curator.
“We want people to know this is the tip of the iceberg,” said Laura James, co-founder of the group BX200, which showcases Bronx artists. “There is so much more to see.”
“Bronx Now” at Brooklyn Fire Proof [119 Ingraham St. between Knickerbocker and Porter avenues, (718) 456–7570, www.brook
