Kayrock Screenprinting

Monster Island Moving On Up

Monster Island’s “closing” may have neighborhood art fans’ collective undergarments in a bunch, but that’s not the case for the inhabitants of the Brooklyn-based arts collective, who are now dispersing, at least physically. (They’ll continue partnerships with one another from their new respective places.) “It’s not as shocking to us as it is to the rest of the neighborhood because when we got the lease we knew it was a seven-year lease and that it was never going to be renewed. So, it’s traumatic to everybody else, but we’ve all been preparing,” Rachel Nelson of Secret Project Robot, one of the forces that made up Monster Island, said. “And of course it’s sad, but it’s also really good to change and move on.”

For those unfamiliar with the multi-tiered arts space, located on Kent and Metropolitan Avenues for the past seven years, the nearly block-long Monster Island consisted of several separate (but collaborative) entities including art gallery Live With Animals, Mollusk Surf Shop, and possibly the two best-known of the lot (and Monster Island’s original tenants and lease holders), Kayrock Screenprinting and art-music-performance space Secret Project.

With Monster Island’s lease up, their landlord wants to develop the building. According to Kayrock (of Kayrock Screenprinting), their landlord was never interested in discussing a buyout or a second-term-lease. “Clearly it’s more interesting to develop than to rent to some crazy art people. [That is], if you’re a financially motivated landlord, and not an arts organization,” Kayrock said. As September 30th, their official closing date, looms near, each entity prepares to go their separate ways. But don’t shed a tear for them—instead, go visit them in their new spaces.

Secret Project Robot, who had their last Monster Island show this past Saturday, the 24th are in the process of moving to 389 Melrose Street in Bushwick. The first event at the new space will take place October 20th. It’s a continuation of a project begun at the Kent space, “Year of the Knyfe,” an eleven-month-long residency for the band Knyfe Hyts, who perform at the space on the twentieth of each month. “It should be fun. Nothing’s really changing except for the space—it’s not like we have a new mission statement or anything,” Nelson said. Along with SPR goes Oneida—their practice and recording space; and the members of Live With Animals will have a studio there, as well. While the space will be officially Secret Project Robot’s, Live With Animals will curate shows there from time to time too. Mollusk Surf Shop is moving to North 3rd and Wythe, and most of the artists have found new studios.

As for Kayrock Screenprinting—who started out producing local Brooklyn band T-shirts and posters but have broadened to fine art editions, merchandise for local businesses, handmade wedding invitations and the like—this will be their fourth space in total, but first in Greenpoint. Their new spot is located in the GMDC building at the corner of Manhattan Avenue and Commercial Street. Kayrock, who has been in Williamsburg since the mid-nineties, is elated to be moving to Greenpoint—one, for the pretty bike ride to work from his apartment; and two, because of the heavier equipment they will now be able to get upstairs, having an elevator in the new building, a luxury they didn’t have in the old space. “I’m excited to be moving to Greenpoint. And we have a ten-year-lease on that space, so we’re not worried about having to move again too soon,” he said.

Rumors abound regarding the Monster Island space’s next use. One suggests a Whole Foods, but apparently the landlord has denied this allegation. Another guess is one more high-rise. Along with the fleeing tenants, the neighborhood will have to wait and see. “We used to see the Old Dutch Mustard factory out of our window, and now we have this really ugly condo there. I kind of don’t mind moving out of the center of condo-land, although I think it was nice that we were a little oasis of art stuff going on here. There’s not too much left on Kent anymore,” Kayrock said.

Kayrock Screenprinting’s new location is 1205 Manhattan Avenue at Commercial Street. They will be open for business starting October 1st. To find out what projects they are currently working on, check out their site at www.kayrock.org. For more information about Secret Project robot, check out their site at www.secretprojectrobot.org.

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