Search Results for: brooklyn history

July 1, 2016

Gene Kaufman’s Church-Incorporating Hotel Rises on West 36th Street

Over the past decade, developer Sam Chang and his McSam Hotel Group have built an astonishing number of hotels in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and in the process have built up quite the reputation for pockmarking the city with characterless tower blocks that diminish their surroundings. One of the developer's latest ventures is a 26-story, 566-room hotel beginning excavation work at 334 West 36th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues. Once occupied by the Postgraduate Center for Mental Health, the mid-block English Gothic structure was built as the Christ Church Memorial Building in 1905. The savvy developer purchased the 15,000-square-foot site in 2013 for $50.8 million in anticipation for yet another hotel. Local preservationists connected with Community Board 4 to convince Chang to save the church facade and incorporate it with the new building. Surprisingly, he obliged, but the Gene Kaufman-designed structure is not quite a miracle.
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June 29, 2016

Trump vs. Clinton: How the Design of Their Merchandise Stacks Up

By Dana Schulz

On the political front, Hillary is racking in donation dollars, while Donald Trump's campaign had a mere $1.3 million to its name as of May 31st. But what about their swag? T-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers, tote bags. Sure, online purchases won't sway either campaign significantly, but it's interesting to look at how the polar-opposite presidential candidates are marketing themselves through merchandise. 6sqft compared the goods from both camps, and found that while Hillary's merchandise is much more colorful, playful, and plentiful, and even features designer collabs, the Donald sticks to his message and caters to a very specific audience.
See how the merch stacks up

June 23, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 6/23-6/29

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Celebrate Pride Month with a Rubin Museum tour, by dressing as the Wizard of Oz at the McKittrick Hotel, or by joining Luke Neocamp at TransPecos for his video trilogy release. If you're Hamptons-bound, take in some international art at the annual Art Hamptons Art Fair. Free French Films continue in Greenpoint with Luc Besson's Subway this Friday, and adult storytellers share a little show and tell at Roger Smith Hotel. Finally, come meet me and enjoy Peter Gronquist's work at Joseph Gross Gallery!
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Events & Things To Do

‘Violently’ Ringing Door Bell Served As Home Security in the Early 1900s

Image via Paleofuture

June 22, 2016

‘Violently’ Ringing Door Bell Served As Home Security in the Early 1900s

By Annie Doge

Image via Paleofuture Long before there was technology like Ring with its motion detecting sensors and live streaming videos, New Yorkers and other folks took to keeping their homes safe with much more rudimentary measures like the nickel-plated door alarm seen above. Paleofuture spotted an ad for the nifty little battery- and wire-free device in a 1906 issue of "Literary Digest." Set off by "the slightest bit of pressure," the door stop alarm claims to provide "Absolute protection from burglars and sneak thieves." What more could you ask for for just $1?
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My 1200sqft: Inside Summer Rayne Oakes’ Williamsburg Oasis Filled With 500+ Plants

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Summer Rayne Oakes’ plant-filled Williamsburg loft. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

June 21, 2016

My 1200sqft: Inside Summer Rayne Oakes’ Williamsburg Oasis Filled With 500+ Plants

By Diane Pham

As far as multi-hyphenate models go, Summer Rayne Oakes may be the most impressive we've come across. More than being a cover beauty, Summer is also a writer, businesswoman, activist, chef (she's working on her first cookbook), and an ecologist by training (she graduated from Cornell with degrees in Environmental Science and Entomology). Unsurprisingly, this overachiever's multifaceted talents touch ever corner of her life, including the space she's called home for the past 11 years. On the top floor of an unassuming Williamsburg building is a 1200-square-foot loft that's been transformed into a veritable jungle with over 500 plants (and 150 species) and a handful of exotic insects, including African millipedes and Madagascar hissing cockroaches (they're confined to a terrarium, if you're wondering). While her home at first glance appears to be dominated by plants, Summer's space is also decorated with dreamy touches, carefully curated vignettes, and furniture she's built with her father using wood found on the street. Ahead Summer takes us through her unique loft and gives us some insight into the work she's done, her perspective on her changing neighborhood, as well as some tips for raising plants in the city.
Inside Summer's unbelievable home this way

June 20, 2016

Historic Prospect Heights Rowhouse, Asking $12,500/Month, Has All Its Woodwork Intact

By Emily Nonko

William H. Reynolds may not be a recognizable name in New York City history today, but back in his day he was known as an influential real estate developer, politician, and entrepreneur who developed much of Prospect Heights. He is responsible for this lovely townhouse at 323 Sterling Place, located right off Grand Army Plaza. Over the years much of the interior has been preserved, so the home feels like a time machine taking you back to the days Reynolds was building up the neighborhood.
Take an interior tour

Distinctive Homes

June 16, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 6/16-6/22

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Get sexy with art twice this week, with House of Yes's LUST event where art, erotica, performance and food combine, or bust out your best clam shell bra for the 34th annual Mermaid Day Parade in Coney Island. Get schooled by some of the world's best creatives during the Awwwards Festival, learn how to focus your career with Hope McGrath, then get into the mind of threeASFOUR's Ange for an artist talk at Untitled. The International Print Center gears up for their Summer Show, and Williams Carmona reflects on Cuba at HG Contemporary. With summer here, the French Films on the Green are back, with free screenings each week in parks across the 5 boroughs.
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Events & Things To Do

June 15, 2016

Developer Wants to Erect the World’s Tallest Free-Fall Ride Atop Penn Station

By Diane Pham

Observation decks boasting panoramic city views have been to date the way to add a "thrill-seeking" element to new developments, but here's a new proposal that really wants visitors to throw their arms up in excitement. As the Daily News first reports, two Brooklyn developers want to turn the top of Penn Station into the world's tallest free-fall tower ride, an idea that would be developed alongside all the renovations planned for the outdated transit hub. "Halo," as it would be called, is the work of AE Superlab and would rise an incredible 1,200 feet from the roof of Madison Square, or be tacked onto the back of the adjacent Farley Post Office, which is slated to be converted into a waiting hall to support expanding station. And in addition to Halo's towering height (to put that 1,200 feet in perspective, the Empire State Building is 1,250 feet at its parapet), the ride's 11 cars would boast adjustable speeds. Cars could be modified to move as quickly as 100 miles per hour giving it a top-to-base free fall of about six seconds.
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June 15, 2016

Historic Home Upgraded by High-End Furniture Designer Asks $2.995M in Bed-Stuy

By Emily Nonko

588 Madison Street is a French Neo-Grec brownstone built in 1889 by the architect William Godfrey. While the single-family, Bed-Stuy home is steeped in history, a recent owner has brought it stylishly into modern day. The owner/developer, a principle at the design firm KGBL, specializes in designing high-end furniture. Here, they played off the existing historic details to add some unique, modern touches. And the mashup of historic and modern is asking nearly $3 million.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

June 4, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

By Dana Schulz

Lottery Opens for 36 Middle-Income Apartments Across Harlem, Starting at $1,156/Month Bruce Springsteen’s Former NJ Farmhouse and Rehearsal Space Asks $3.2M Norman Foster’s First Brooklyn Project Revealed, A 7.7-Acre Red Hook Office Development The NYC Subway Accounts for 100-Percent of the Nation’s Transit Growth, Says New Study Spend July in Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s Decked-Out Former […]

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Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 6/2-6/8

FIGMENT 2015, Billion Oyster Pavilion

June 1, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 6/2-6/8

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! After a relaxing long weekend of picnics and barbecues, jump back into your culture addiction. The power of female sex is illuminated, literally, at Catinca Tabacaru Gallery with Sophia Wallace's neon show. Brian Leo gives his tiny paintings a big voice at Amy Li Projects, while Martí Cormand sticks to the medium size of 5x7 for a postcard-themed show. Hop on a ferry and celebrate the tenth FIGMENT art festival at Governors Island all weekend long for free. Experience the visual stylings of musical act Baby Alpaca or the musical stylings of Australia with Anna Copa Cabanna. Cap it off by giving back at the Amref African Health gala or the wacky Times Square-fueled Chashama gala at the former offices of Vogue.
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Events & Things To Do

May 26, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 5/26-6/1

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! If you're not heading out of town for the big holiday weekend, there's still plenty to keep you busy and cultured. Jeffrey Deitch's Coney Island Walls continue for a second season, with new murals starting this weekend. Arthelix will stay open for 72 hours for a tireless performative festival, while Williamsburg's former Cinders Gallery resurrects for a month at Brilliant Champions in Bushwick. Governors Island opens up for the season, with a free Kids festival, joined by a Classical Music festival for adults. If you're headed to the Hamptons for the weekend, be sure to check out Agathe Snow's curatorial project with Eric Firestone, or a rousing art talk with Annika Connor at the library. And while you scoot from one place to the next, be sure to check out Leah Oates' new exhibition for MTA Arts & Design, giving a burst of nature underneath Bryant Park.
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Events & Things To Do

May 19, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 5/19-5/25

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! There's a new Martin Puryear sculpture to enjoy during your lunch hour outside at Madison Square Park, debuting this week through January. Also this week, check out the Surrealist paintings of Eric Helvie at the High Line Loft, Ian Strange's takeover of suburban Ohio homes on the Bowery, or the late Kirk Magnus' epic sculpture at James Cohan. Head to the Bronx on Saturday for the graffiti-meets-Scandinavian sensibility of Rubin415, or join the art crowd in Soho for a photoshoot that will become a massive mural by stencil artist Logan Hicks. Cap it all off by treating yourself to the Spring Fling at the beautiful Bowery Hotel, which will benefit the Lower East Side Girls Club.
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Events & Things To Do

May 16, 2016

Not Tall Enough! On the World’s Stage, New York’s Supertalls Are Ungraceful Runts

By Carter B. Horsley

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s latest development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. Ahead, Carter brings us his ninth and final installment of “Skyline Wars,” a series that examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city’s silhouette. In this post Carter takes at aim the quality of design of those towers rising around the city right now, and how they fail to inspire when compared to those found internationally. The explosive transformation of the New York City skyline now underway is occurring without any plan in a very haphazard fashion. Some of the new towers are not ugly but compared to many new ones elsewhere, especially those that are free-standing, they’re not going to win many top honors. Many are very thin, mid-block incursions. Others arrogantly abut and loom over landmarks with nary a thought to context. Some clearly are aimed at one-percenters and offer lavish amenities and layouts. But many others are squeezing potential residents like sardines into very small apartments in attempts to set new “density” records.
The towers that got it wrong, and right

Architecture And Design

May 14, 2016

Weekly Highlights: Top Picks From the 6sqft Staff

By Dana Schulz

7,500-Name Waitlist Opens for 975 Affordable Units at Harlem’s Riverton Complex Rafael Viñoly Admits 432 Park ‘Has a Couple of Screw-Ups’ Behind This $1.25M Greenpoint Duplex Is a Barefoot Backyard Paradise Forgotten Four Acres of Central Park Reopens to Visitors After Almost 90 Years Williamsburg Unsurprisingly Tops List of NYC’s 15 Fastest Gentrifying Neighborhoods Preserved […]

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May 13, 2016

Spotlight: BioBus’ Sarah Weisberg Helps NYC Students Find Their Inner Scientist

By Susan Cohen

An early appreciation for science can lead to a lifelong passion for the subject, but it can be a challenge to get elementary, middle and high school students excited about the sciences from inside the classroom, which is where the BioBus comes in. The mobile science lab was founded in 2008 by Ben Dubin-Thaler, who has a PhD in Biology from Columbia University. The bus began “as an experiment to test his hypothesis that, given the opportunity to use research-microscopes to perform live experiments, anyone would be excited about science.” To test his hypothesis, he purchased a bus on Craigslist and transformed it into a mobile laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art microscopes that could travel to students. The bus now serves thousands of New York City students and has a sister in the BioBase, located at the Lower East Side Girls Club, a hub created so that bus's lessons can be expanded upon through additional programming. BioBus’s Chief Scientist Sarah Weisberg is a great example of what's possible with careers in science. While she originally envisioned working in academia as a researcher, she found her passion for science programming and advocacy through BioBus. She is now hard at work growing the organization and its mission of presenting science in a fun, accessible way to children. 6sqft recently spoke with Sarah to learn more about the BioBus and how it's helping young New Yorkers discover their inner scientists.
Read the interview with Sarah here

May 12, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 5/12-5/18

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Design week is here, with enough trade-show events to make your head spin. Not to miss is the massive ICFF and Dwell on Design, two places to hit for the absolute latest and greatest in contemporary design. Take advantage of the nice weather and enjoy a cocktail al fresco while viewing the new Ivan Argote sculpture at the Standard High Line, or head out to Sunset Park and meander through the massive Industry City's open studios. The Judd Foundation creates a dialogue with James Rosenquist's work, and Swizz Beats' ex puts on her curatorial hat for an all-female show at Joseph Gross Gallery. Visit LA artist Marc Horowitz's New York debut at Johannes Vogt, and discover your inner adventurist in a one-night pop up by NY Adventure Club, featuring their members' death-defying photos of our beloved city.
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Events & Things To Do

May 11, 2016

Skyline Wars: Accounting for New York’s Stray Supertalls

By Carter B. Horsley

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s latest development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. Ahead, Carter brings us his eighth installment of “Skyline Wars,” a series that examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city’s silhouette. In this post Carter looks at the "stray" supertalls rising in low slung neighborhoods. Most of the city’s recent supertall developments have occurred in traditional high-rise commercial districts such as the Financial District, the Plaza District, downtown Brooklyn and Long Island City. Some are also sprouting in new districts such as the Hudson Yards in far West Midtown. There are, however, some isolated "stray" supertalls that are rising up in relatively virgin tall territories, such as next to the Manhattan Bridge on the Lower East Side and Sutton Place.
read more from carter here

Architecture And Design

May 11, 2016

That Time a NYC Bus Driver Said %#$# It, I’m Driving This Bus to Florida

By Michelle Cohen

If you’ve ever fantasized about leaving work at lunchtime and heading for a faraway beach, you probably know you’re not alone. Though many dream, the afternoon more likely finds us stifling a yawn in that meeting instead of watching the runway grow smaller in the distance. But collectively we love the idea enough that there are few who wouldn’t make a hero of New York City bus driver William Cimillo, a 37-year-old married father of three from the Bronx who, in 1947, drove into the pages of history by taking life by the you-know-whats and giving himself a “busman’s holiday.” The term refers to a vacation where you’re basically doing the same stuff you’d be doing at work anyway, which is just what Cimillo, a driver on the BX15 bus route, did when he drove all the way to Florida.
We hope this story ends well

History

May 9, 2016

Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Brownstone Purchase LLC Tells of Escaped Slaves’ Brave Journey

By Michelle Cohen

Atlantic Writer, National Book Award winner and MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant recipient Ta-Nehisi Coates recently made an appearance in real estate news; Coates, who is among today's most prominent writers on African-American issues, and his wife recently purchased a landmarked five-bedroom townhouse in Prospect-Lefferts Garden for $2.1 million. Not one to miss an opportunity to explore a facet of cultural history, the couple worked an interesting story into the LLC they used to purchase the property, DNAinfo tells us. Buyers commonly register Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) to purchase property in order to conceal their identities (celebrities, for example, or when making a big-ticket buy), and LLC names are often mundane, using the name of the property itself. But the Coateses LLC, "Ellen and William Craft Excursions LLC” has an inspiring tale behind it: The Crafts were an escaped slave couple from Georgia in the 19th century. Disguised as a white male slave owner and his slave, they escaped to Philadelphia in 1868.
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May 5, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 5/4-5/11

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Another week of art fairs is upon us, with Frieze New York taking the lead (and the advantage of warmer weather). Spend the weekend hopping between Frieze, NADA, CONTEXT, Art New York and 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fairs, and their many, many affiliated events. If the whole ordeal is just too much for you, no worries. Marina Abramovic's former lover and partner ULAY will perform in New York for the first time since 1986, Martin Creed's giant neon sculpture will illuminate Brooklyn Bridge Park for the Public Art Fund, and Duke Riley will entice Creative Time fans with a flock of LED equipped pigeons that will fly over the East River in a special performance.
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Events & Things To Do

May 3, 2016

Skyline Wars: New Jersey’s Waterfront Transforms With a Tall Tower Boom

By Carter B. Horsley

Carter Uncut brings New York City’s latest development news under the critical eye of resident architecture critic Carter B. Horsley. Here, Carter brings us his seventh installment of “Skyline Wars,” a series that examines the explosive and unprecedented supertall phenomenon that is transforming the city’s silhouette. In this post Carter looks at the new New Jersey skyline. The hulking, 781-foot-high Goldman Sachs tower at 30 Hudson Street in Jersey City is like the Rock of Gilbraltar to Lower Manhattan’s famed skyline: massive and impressive. To some, perhaps, it conjures a Monty Python catapult or a very steep cliff on which to mount the Guns of Navarone for an assault on Lower Manhattan. It dominates the Jersey City skyline, which is a bit Spartan, especially in comparison with Brooklyn’s. Most of the skyscrapers in Brooklyn, however, are not directly on the waterfront and the Goldman tower is very much “in your face” on the water. Furthermore, all of a relative sudden, Jersey City is about to explode with three taller towers, which I can only describe as delirious, dancing, shimmy-shimmy-shake buildings with drop-dead vistas of Manhattan and the Hudson.
read more from carter here

May 3, 2016

Late Portrait Artist Aaron Shikler’s UWS Co-op in the Iconic Studio Building Asks $7.8M

By Michelle Cohen

Late portraitist Aaron Shikler is best known for his classically gorgeous paintings of the American elite, most notably an official White House portrait of Jacqueline (then) Kennedy as First Lady and (posthumously) President John F. Kennedy as well as paintings of notables like Lady Bird Johnson, the Duchess of Windsor and the portrait of Ronald Reagan that appeared on Time magazine’s Man of the Year cover in January 1981. The Brooklyn-born artist and his wife, who died in 1998, lived at the standout Studio Building cooperative at 44 West 77th Street overlooking Central Park for over 50 years with their family. Shikler passed away last year at 93, and since ownership appears to have been transferred to the couple's two children in 2013, we'll assume they're the ones who have just put this classically grand three-bedroom Upper West Side co-op on the market for $7.795 million. Among the most thrilling of its many assets is the light-filled, enormous art studio where Shikler worked. The artist's fascinating paintings are visible throughout the apartment (though we doubt they're part of the deal).
Take a look around this creative co-op

A New York Minute With Tribeca Gallery Owner and Preservationist Hal Bromm

6sqft’s new mini-series A New York Minute features influential New Yorkers answering spitfire (and sometimes very random) questions about their life in the big city. Want to nominate yourself or someone you know? Get in touch!

May 1, 2016

A New York Minute With Tribeca Gallery Owner and Preservationist Hal Bromm

By Dana Schulz

Hal Bromm landed in Tribeca in the early '70s. He started out working for an architecture firm, but eventually returned to his fine art roots, opening the neighborhood's first contemporary art gallery. It was here in 1981 that Keith Haring had his first solo exhibition, an event that's often credited with his rise to fame. In the '80s, Hal also became involved in historic preservation, successfully advocating for the designation of four Tribeca historic districts and helping to form the Tribeca Trust. The Hal Bromm Gallery is still operating on West Broadway and Chambers Street and now that the hype surrounding its 40th anniversary exhibition has subsided, 6sqft had the chance to chat with Hal about his love for the city past and present.
Hal's NY Minute this way

Where I Work

April 28, 2016

Art Nerd New York’s Top Event Picks for the Week – 4/28-5/4

By Lori Zimmer

In a city where hundreds of interesting happenings occur each week, it can be hard to pick and choose your way to a fulfilling life. Art Nerd‘s philosophy is a combination of observation, participation, education and of course a party to create the ultimate well-rounded week. Jump ahead for Art Nerd founder Lori Zimmer’s top picks for 6sqft readers! Spring has finally arrived and with it comes another dose of stimulating art events, starting with an eye-opening photo exhibit of artists along the U.S.-Mexican Border, as well as the much-anticipated spring edition of Greenpoint Open Studios. If you're looking for a more interactive experience, check out the Mad Hatters Ball at the McKittrick Hotel on Saturday or the Art into Action later on in the week. From the gallery side of things, Jenn Singer Gallery will be exhibiting an unconventional body of work from Brooklyn-based artist Emily Weiskopf, and the Booth Gallery will be debuting several works from the controversial Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum. In addition to these thought-provoking solo shows, Brooklyn's Center for Performance Research will host a group show entitled Beaver, challenging the role of female sexuality in mainstream media.
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Events & Things To Do

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