Whole in the Wall @ Helenbeck

Whole in the Wall
May 29-June 27

Helenbeck Gallery
529-535 West 35th St
New York City
Hours: Tue-Sat 10:30am-6:30pm/ Thu afterhours until 10pm

Masters from the 1970s NYC graf movement (Blade, Crash, Daze, Jonone, Quik , Lee Quinones, Rammellzee, Sharp) and European art starts (Victor Ash, Banksy, Blek le Rat, Ikon, Sozy, Plateus) are among 20 painters, sculptors and photographers who’ve been working non-stop the last six months on new pieces for “Whole In The Wall: 1970 – Now”. It’s an unprecedented, museum-quality, 150-piece exploration of street art’s ongoing transition to, yes, fine art.

It’s not just the scale of the show that’s important. It’s presented in a lavish style only Europeans could pull off — with 17th Century antiques. This juxtaposition of authentic Luis XVI/XV furniture and crystal chandeliers in a two-story, 25,000-sf space on Manhattan’s industrial West Side puts the artists and their work in a setting Paris gallerists Chantal and Brigitte Helenbeck (Helenbeck Gallery) believe is simply approprié.

The fun-loving, art-loving sisters — identical twins no less — staged a similar show in Paris in November, in which ALL pieces sold (explaining why their artists have been so hard at work).

Legendary NYC graf photographers Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant will be among four photographers with featured works, including a new, 40-foot mural. This show also marks the 25th anniversary re-release of Cooper and Chalfant’s roundbreaking photo book of NYC transit masterpieces, “Subway Art.” Be on the look-out for updates, including previews of new works and video interviews, including exclusive clips with Cooper, Chalfant and other artists from this show.