A Gallery Like No Other

Photo Credit: Azriel James Relph

By Azriel James Relph
The ground floor of The Century, the double-towered art deco prewar classic at 25 Central Park West, is playing host to a troupe of young artists.

On the corner at 62nd Street where a Gristedes market once stood, ten International Center for Photography-Bard MFA graduates recently started a gallery called 25CPW. Their inaugural show opened Thursday, Nov. 19. At the opening, art-seekers from around the city and curious locals mingled, enjoying the new space as much as art on the walls.

But the new space may not be there for long. The day before their opening, signs were put in the windows saying “Retail Space Available.”

The show, 10 from 25: Emerging Artists Using Photography was a collaboration by the ten founders. A mix of photos, videos and sculpture graced the white walls of the gallery and led down to the untouched basement below. The brick walls and rusty conveyor belt left behind became canvases for video projections.

One of the most popular pieces appeared to be a video by artist Adam Ward. In it, Ward filmed himself drinking a beer an hour for twenty-four hours. At one point he got sick on camera.

Photo Credit: Azriel James Relph

Shirley Kennedy has lived in the building for 30 years. She said she never liked to shop at the old market.

“It’s exciting to have something artistic on the street of our building,” said Kennedy. “There’s very good energy. I’ll definitely be a viewer here for sure.”

The space was donated to 25CPW after the market left. Bess Greenberg, executive director and artist at the space, said they would stay until a tenant takes over the space. The group is funded by the non-profit arts service organization Fractured Atlas. Greenberg was doubtful that they would be able to receive the amount of donations necessary to take over the lease.

Christine de Laihacar, who has lived upstairs for twelve years, came across the show while walking her dog. She liked what she saw, but was pessimistic about the future. “It’s so expensive, that’s the problem,” said de Laihacar, a comparative literature professor from Zurich. “I wish there could be less banks and more galleries around here. It’s so much more inspiring.”