Lately it seems everything I read - magazines, blogs, newspapers, bathroom graffiti, whatever - seems to be slamming the "new" New York. Or reminiscing about the "old" New York.....it seems no one is happy with the way this city is evolving and they're not afraid to tell you, especially if you have the audacity to say you Heart this city.
Admittedly, I "missed" New York....I did not live here during the height of its modern grittiness, in a time when this place was broke and tough and unforgiving and wild and pulsing with the energy of the underground. From all that I've heard, the late '70's and '80's MADE New York - I missed the era of sex and drugs and art and music and more drugs....and I really do wish I hadn't - I wish I'd been able to be here and experience THAT New York. I think it would have kicked my ass and I would have loved it.
But I'd like to believe - despite all the yuppies and money and Gaps that further clog the arteries of this city every day - that there is still some grit and coolness left in New York...even if its harder to find, even if its wedged somewhere painful, like in between a luxury condo and a Starbucks on the Lower East Side....And as evidence to my hope I ran, literally, across a cool new art space that in its small space represents what I think was- and still IS - cool about this city. HONEY SPACE is an art space that opened up this year on the faaar west side of Chelsea (the West Side Highway). I saw it a few weeks ago when I was out for a run - the doors were rolled up in this abandoned warehouse space and there was an exhibition inside - and someone at a folding table reading a book who may have been the artists but who showed no interest in anyone milling around in there. I stopped running and went in to look around - weird, edgy, likely controversial contemporary art was on display in all forms (I'd have taken more time to figure out what it meant but I was sweaty and panting so I only stayed for a few minutes).
I ran by again yesterday and saw another exhibition showing....I stopped again and stayed longer this time - more than the art itself I just really appreciated the fact that a random, weird little space like this still exists in my city - the "new" New York - that really can still be filled with character if you seek it out....
For now anyway.
http://www.honey-space.com/about.html
