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Through an unassuming metal door on a back alley beneath an overpass lies a wondrous world. A world where you can drink. A world where you can smoke. A world where you can get your creative fix be it visual or aural. This is the world of the Greenpoint Gallery.
An art space and venue for hire the Greenpoint Gallery was set up in 2005 by Shawn James to 'facilitate creativity in all disciplines by providing the perfect solution for NYC artists seeking an affordable and flexible performance/exhibition space in which to fulfill their visions'. And that's exactly what it did this Friday night as it hosted Shawn & Ted's Excellent Art Adventure - a 5 hour fun-fest of music, art and all the good stuff in between. There were paintings, there were sculptures, there were bands, there were dogs, there were birds - everything was possible.
The 2 story space is a wonder to behold as far as exhibition spaces go, the lower floor consisting of a small stage shrouded in greenery (and said bird, somewhere…) with an Aztec-themed lounge area and works on display by none other than curator himself Shawn James. His style is macabre yet kaleidescopic, combining the strong human form with equally strong slashes of color and light. He captures the pain and intensity of man well, without presenting it as such.
Moving upstairs we were treated to a simple but fulfilling bar area (complete with aforementioned dog) and another small stage, this time almost too well lit due to the artworks on display. Ted Stanke was the main feature, taking over the space with his life-size metallic sculptures and ode's to popular culture. Most impressive were the 1 Billion Cent Piece - a large mock sculpture of a penny made of pennies, Long Live Steve Jobs - a collusion of metal pieces and coins brought together to form a human heart, all placed within the confines of an old Apple Mac screen, and my favorite, The American Dream - a small sculpture of a toilet made of Matchbox cars. His works were daring yet tongue-in-cheek, and extremely well crafted considering the innovative materials he had chosen.
All this was set amongst a backdrop of about 10 local musical acts who suited the event well. The stand out was Colorform, a simple act featuring a female singer with band including an excellent cellist, who sang catchy songs whilst a friend of their's created a piece from scratch in front of the stage using pastels. A creative and inventive idea that suited the event to a tee.
Greenpoint Gallery put on a great night that not only highlighted the artistic side of the gallery but the musical side as well, perfectly capturing their diversity as a venue. A great space featuring great works that are well worth a look in.
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