Storefront

As the world becomes more crowded and technology becomes more advanced, our spaces, places and things become smaller. Waste and efficiencies are critical issues, particularly in a city like New York.
Add our economic environment to the mix and one can see why lavish indulgence is nearly a mortal sin. So what better icons for our time than the Ipod Nano or a micro gallery like the Storefront for Art and Architecture?
Storefront was founded in 1982 by Kyong Park as a nonprofit organization committed to the advancement of innovative positions in architecture, art and design with a program of exhibitions, artists talks, film screenings, conferences and publications.
This place is easy to miss - it is not only small but also off the beaten path. Storefront is located in a unique triangular ground-level space on Kenmare Street at a nexus three very different cultural neighborhoods: Chinatown, Little Italy and Soho. The space is nearly 100 feet long and tapers from 20 feet to 3 feet. Its most striking feature is the unique exterior wall with articulating panels which are rotated to open the space to the street.

In 1993, Storefront commissioned a collaborative building project by artist Vito Acconci and architect Steven Holl. The project replaced the existing facade with a series of twelve panels that pivot vertically or horizontally to open the entire length of the gallery directly onto the street. The project blurs the boundary between interior and exterior and, by placing the panels in different configurations, creates a multitude of different possible facades. Now regarded as a contemporary architectural landmark, Storefront is visited by artists, architects and students from around the world.

The Storefront has received many accolades from the media and art community. See my posting here, Performance Z-A, a celebration of Storefront's 25th anniversary in 2007 which was set in the Ring Dome Pavilion ...