Don’t get us wrong, we love the big NYC museums, but sometimes we just need a break from the touristy milieu that those museums frequently offer, especially in the summer. So for this week’s installment of “Summer Series Favorites,” we asked Jason Peters for his favorite hole-in-the-wall gallery spaces in Bushwick to help you when you just want to escape the cacophony of Manhattan. Peters has lived and worked in Bushwick for just under 20 years, so we’re getting the inside scoop on the local art scene. Here’s a little more about him and his Top 6 spaces:
Full name: Jason Peters
Position: Artist and Fabricator
History: I hold a BFA from the Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore. Within my practice, I utilize mass-produced found objects to construct large-scale installations which reflect upon or make reference to their surroundings. I attempt to evoke emotional and intellectual reactions to these objects, often utilizing light to manipulate perception. I have exhibited locally and internationally, including featured displays at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Katonah Museum, Center for Contemporary Arts Santa Fe, Mattress Factory, among others, and my work is represented in public and private collections.
1. Orgy Park
About: Orgy Park is an artist run initiative curating contemporary artists into a gallery space located in the basement of a Bushwick apartment. Founded in 2012 by Steve Mykietyn, the space hosts thoughtfully curated shows of local and international names.
Location: 237 Jefferson St, (between Knickerbocker and Wilson), Apartment 1b.
Gallery Hours: Open by appointment.
About: SECRET DUNGEON is located in a storage unit, inside a garage, across the road from Roberta’s Pizza. With programming determined by a collective of artists and curators, work varies from solo to group shows, encompassing photography, film, sculpture, painting, and multimedia work.
Location: 250 Moore Street #101, Brooklyn, NY, entry through the garage door on White Street.
Gallery Hours: Saturdays 12 pm – 6 pm, Wednesday – Sunday by Appointment.
3. Koenig & Clinton’s Century Pictures
About: Koenig & Clinton is a well-established name in Manhattan. However, their new Bushwick location houses a project space called Century Pictures, focusing on artists that the gallery doesn’t represent. This project will be Leo Koenig’s own venture, and we are so excited to see what’s on the roster.
Location: 1329 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Hours of operation: Thursday – Sunday, 11 am – 6 pm
4. Present Co.
About: Present Company was founded in 2012 and bills itself as an exhibition and social space. Operated by Vince Contarino, Brian Balderston, Chad Stayrook, and José Ruiz, their program highlights artists and projects in a curated atmosphere of experimentation and collaboration.
Location: 254 Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Opening Hours: Saturdays & Sundays 1pm – 6pm
5. Signal
About: SIGNAL stages exhibitions by emerging artists, as well as projects and performances. SIGNAL is run by Kyle Jacques and Alexander Johns, who founded the company along with Mckenzie Ursch in 2012.
Location: 260 Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Opening hours: Saturday & Sunday 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
6. Brilliant Champions Gallery
About: Brilliant Champions Gallery exhibits work from artists exploring various mediums. Very much a neighborhood gallery, Brilliant Champions sets itself apart from the surrounding storefronts and warehouses with an airy 10-foot-tall front door.
Location: 5 Central Ave. in Brooklyn, New York.
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11 am – 5 pm & by appointment or chance
Top Photo // courtesy of @_jason_peters_
