A view at the epicenter of Bushwick’s creative community, Bogart and Grattan, though some may say this is really East Williamsburg but whatevs. (all photos by the author for Hyperallergic)
So much to see, but here’s my short list of things you should most definitely check out today, the last day of Bushwick Open Studios.
1. Transmissions at Airplane
This basement gallery at 70 Jefferson Street is engaged in an artistic exchange exhibition with 3331 Arts Chiyoda gallery in Tokyo. The show is about artistic transmissions and communication, and each project is carefully considered. Take your time here, since there’s a lot to absorb, and it’s changing daily. Make sure to speak to the gallery owners because there may be layers that aren’t obvious at first. Expect a longer review of this show soon.
2. Psychic Birth by David Pappaceno at English Kills
This show at 114 Forrest Street can come off as confusing. Arranged with the colorful and superficial flash of Pop Art, you’d be wrong to dismiss Pappaceno’s work without giving each object your careful attention. While I’m not sure why English Kills chose Pappaceno for a second year in a row as their BOS show, the artist did another great installation job and, like last year, transformed the space into something new. The art works themselves — not to mention their podiums — are quietly inspired and jarringly fresh.
3. Silent Barn and the Studios Above
The Silent Barn at 603 Bushwick Avenue may not be your first stop for art, but I suggest you tour the studios downstairs and see the detailed drawings of Chris Russell, the wacky video installations of Babycastles, or the manic installation by Raul de Nieves. But don’t stop there … make sure to go upstairs and experience the remixed videos of SPCL NTRST, the low-res videos of Corinne Warren, and “Composition 0” by Michael Sheffield. It’s a great spot to explore new visual, audio, and video art.
4. H8 Crime TV
This is a clusterfuck of a show at 64 Jefferson Street with 25+ artists, but it represents exactly what a BOS show should be … experimental and untidy. Step on the “ugly” people taped to the floor, while the “beautiful people” look down on you from above, enter their version of hell in the alley, or experience a performance in the backyard. If you think it feels a little like a college dorm with a hangover, well, I think that’s the point.
5. 17-17 Troutman
As I’ve said before, the Mathiew Lefevre show at Regina Rex is great, the What I Like About You exhibition at Parallel Art Space is rich, and Bushwick Print Lab is having a large print show that’s a must-see. If you don’t find at least one thing you love among the galleries or studios in this Ridgewood building then you should immediately leave Bushwick and never come back.
