Fort Gansevoort launched this month as a new type of gallery in New York with a mission of creative experimentation and collaboration. Set in an 1840s Greek revival row house, it is perfectly situated in the heart of the Meatpacking District.
On July 16, founder and curator Adam Shopkorn and Carolyn Tate Angel hosted a private event to celebrate the new cultural hub for art, design, and food. Guests like Adam D. Weinberg, Jessica Joffe, and Alexis Rockman were in attendance, nibbling on freshly smoked pulled pork sandwiches while exploring spaces three floors that boast an art gallery, curated retail space, and even a BBQ take-away window.
The gallery’s inaugural show “That’s My Name Talking,” is an exhibition of intimate still lifes by Bronx-based graffiti artist CES. The collaboration with Fort Gansevoort started when CES started posting his personal illustrations on Instagram. “I noticed through Instagram that more people would identify with my drawings opposed to my graffiti work. Graffiti is its own language. When I just posted graffiti, graffiti kids loved it. When I posted these drawings, the average person and a graffiti kid could meet together and identify with my work,” the artist told Whitewall while touring the gallery.
The illustrations, that range from food to sneakers, started around three years ago, when the artist thought of pushing his then graffiti-based repertoire and drawing capabilities into fine art. He wanted to prove to himself that he could also draw and paint in a technical way. “It is pretty wild to see all these pictures framed and hung together. It is a work that I feel shows my personal side. I think that food is very universal. Not everyone could get into sneakers but everyone likes an apple. I haven’t met anyone that didn’t love an apple,” CES said at the opening.
The exhibition is on view through August 15.
