jen bekman is two today! The first anniversary felt good, this second one feels real. My inaugural exhibtion in 2003 was a three person show: Mara Bodis-Wollner, Dana Miller and Tema Stauffer. Tema and Dana had solo shows this past in September and November, 2004 respectively, Mara's solo exhibition will open this Fall. They got things started and I've worked with a lot of other great artists since then.
Above is a the before picture of gallery... with the help of my very talented and handy designer and architect friends, the tiny space was transformed. Now it's clean and minimal, without being austere.
As I mentioned last week, Eliot Shepard's show Slower opens a week from today - the 20th exhibtion and the 10th solo artist debut since it all started. We're also cooking up a photo competition, Hey, Hot Shot, that will be announced very very very soon.
The second photo here is the after picture, taken during the third show at the gallery Made in New York a group show that didn't get its full due because it opened in the summertime. Swoon did some installations and made cool one of a kind books, Downey & Darius Jones drilled stuff into my walls and ceiling, giving me a breakdown, but it was all good in the end. Aside from street art, there were books + maps + photographs. (Many of which still live on in my inventory.) We even hosted a standing room only screening of a documentary about street art, Public Discourse, at the Pioneer.
I know that I am overly liberal with the hearts here, but I can really and truly say with certainty that I ♥ my gallery and all the fab people who helped me get started and keep going.
TWO! I am very happy.