475kent Blog

Cara Buckley’s article in today’s New York Times describes 475ers return to the building.  As usual, Steve Harrington (5th FL) was first to pass on the link. Meanwhile, here are a few pictures of re-entry events, cleanup, and celebrations. Thanks to Ralf (6th FL) and Eliza (10th FL) for photos.

At 3pm the sprinklers passed the hydrostatic test mandated by DOB and FDNY. The vacate is lifted as of 4pm. Hooray! We are back thanks not only to the huge amount of work by building residents and owners but by city agencies and electeds especially Councilman David Yassky, Assemblymen Joe Lentol and Vito Lopez, Senator Martin Connor and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. Thank you everyone!

Mark your calendar for Friday night, as 475’s 5th FL superstars Steve and Jaime celebrate with book launch/benefit/dance-party for their new book Brooklyn Street Art. Many artists featured in the book will attend and donate work for sale to benefit the creative arts and mentoring programs of Free Arts NYC. Multitalented Eric Deutsch (5th FL) will take a break from his tour with Charlie Hunter to perform with DJ Radamakers at the event. This is the second party, and word is that last week’s event was pretty amazing. Don’t miss it.

The inspection has been postponed for a couple of days while all loose ends are tied, t’s crossed and i’s dotted.  More soon!

Keep your fingers crossed for us, Internet!

Here are some photos from the 475 Lives exhibition at the QMA’s Bulova Galleries. Thanks to Lisa Mordhorst, Jessica Dell, and Kirsten Hassenfeld for the photos!

Building owners and residents are working to have everything ready for an inspection on 4/28. The preparations were highlighted yesterday on AM New York’s Urbanite Blog. Lillian Mauer (8th FL) and Deborah Masters (7th FL) are featured in the article.  Thanks to Steve Harrington (5th FL) for the link.

Friday’s opening at the Queens Museum of Art’s Bulova Galleries was a wonderful celebration of visual art, performance, good friends.  The exhibit was organized by independent curator Kuan-Jeff Baysa, and coordinated by artist Lisa Mordhorst (both 475 Kent residents) and the Queens Museum of Art.   The show is up through July 13th, so don’t worry if you missed the opening.  Our friends at 1717 Troutman also pulled off a great benefit at Exit art on Sunday. Stay tuned for pictures.

Meanwhile, Steve Harrington and Jaime Rojo (5th FL) have collaborated on a book, Brooklyn Street Art, which was profiled in today’s Metro. Read the article here.

THOUGHTFUL EXHIBITION CELEBRATES THE CREATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF THE VIBRANT COMMUNITY OF DISPLACED ARTISTS

(New York, NY) April 1, 2008:  The residents of Williamsburg’s 475 Kent Avenue announced today 475 KENT Lives, an exhibition with Bulova Corporate Center, a satellite gallery of the Queens Museum of Arts. The collection of creative works runs from April 9 and continues through July 13 in Jackson Heights, Brooklyn.

On a cold January night, residents of 475 Kent Avenue, artist lofts and studios on the south waterfront of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, were evacuated from their home by the FDNY.  A thriving arts community, 475 Kent Avenue is home to over 200 artists, curators, musicians and other creative professionals who are at the heart of the city’s creative pulse. 475 KENT Lives, a group exhibition of 22 artists at the Bulova Corporate Center (a Satellite Gallery of the Queens Museum of Art) celebrates the vital contributions of these artists as they battle to return to their homes and workplaces while calling attention to the increasing vulnerability of New York City’s creative communities. 475 KENT Lives was organized by independent curator Kuan-Jeff Baysa, and coordinated by artist Lisa Mordhorst (both 475 Kent residents) and the Queens Museum of Art.

An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on April 11 from 6-9 pm with performances by 475 Kent resident musicians Connie Crothers and Richard Tabnik, Melvin Gibbs, Erik Deutsch and artist GGrippo.

475 KENT Lives participating artists include:

Kanoa Baysa, Lee Boroson, Jennifer Byxbee, Melissa Clarke, Jeremy Dean, Alison Dell, Emma Dewing, GGrippo, Kirsten Hassenfeld, Hollis Jeffcoat, Vibeke Jensen, Betsy Kelleher, Simon Lee, Deborah Masters, McDavid Moore, Lisa Mordhorst, Cecilia Rodhe, Eve Sussman, Rob Swainston, Shimpei Takeda, Michael Weintrob, Markus Wetzel and sa Elzn.

QMA AT BULOVA CORPORATE CENTER

75-20 Astoria Boulevard

Jackson Heights, NY 11370

A satellite gallery of the Queens Museum of Art is located in the west and south Concourse galleries of the Bulova Corporate Center. The works of individual artists or a group of artists are presented in three exhibitions each year. 475 KENT Lives is made possible by Blumenfeld Development, Ltd.

Gallery Hours

Monday-Friday  7am-7pm

Saturday 10am-4pm

Opening Reception: Friday April 11th 6-9 PM

For directions please visit www.queensmuseum.org.

Deborah Masters (7^th FL) acts as a panelist tonight at a discussion on housing and artists space, hosted by The Fractured Atlas organization and the CPR - Center for Performance Research. Thanks to Lisa (9th) and Drew (5th) for the links.

Here is a summary of the event from Gothamist:

EVENT: Artist space is quickly diminishing in the city, and tonight a talk about the crisis is going down in Williamsburg — home of the recently shuttered 475 Kent lofts. Panelists include John Jasperse and Jonah Bokaer (Founders for the Center for Performance Research, a new affordable space in Williamsburg for rehearsal and performance); Guy Buckles (Founder & President of the Art Building a new company dedicated to real estate solutions for artists); and Luis Garden Acosta (Founder and President of El Puente, A community human rights institution). After the chatter, films illustrating Williamsburg’s changing landscape will be screened as well as clips from Abel Ferrera’s Chelsea on the Rocks, which Ed Hamilton will introduce and be on hand to discuss. This all takes place at Brooklyn’s Greenbelt condos.