Norte Maar’s Storefront Opens in Bushwick

The January cold did little to stop people from attending the inaugural party for STOREFRONT, a new gallery at 16 Wilson Street launched by the Bushwick-based non-profit Norte Maar on Saturday.

Since 2004, Norte Maar has promoted collaborative projects between visual, literary, and performing artists. From children’s workshops, summer ballet conservatories, and writing festivals, to a ballet performance in a Wal-Mart parking lot and an impromptu radio broadcast on Wyckoff, Norte Maar’s creative team has always emphasized community, spontaneity, and diversity.

“Those kinds of interesting juxtapositions are things that really identify Norte Maar and separate us from another art non-profits. We’re really about experimentation and spontaneity,” Director Jason Andrew said. “That kind of spontaneity requires a lot of skill and a lot of experience and that’s really what we’ve been able to offer.”

Over the years, Andrew has hosted emerging and mid-career artists in his living room—a makeshift gallery on Wyckoff with doublewide storefront windows and space for two to three pieces. Part of the spirit of Norte Maar is that it doesn’t have a physical space or address—which is why the new gallery doesn’t bear the organization’s name. However, Andrew is pleased to have a permanent public space to showcase artists.

“There comes a time when the living room is not enough anymore,” Andrew said.
“We have to be public. We believe in our artists and we want people to believe in them too, and it’s a lot different trying to sell from your living room than from public space. There are a lot of strings attached to living rooms, and you cut all those out and all people see is just the art.”

STOREFRONT is Norte Maar’s first permanent public space, and though the opening show, co-curated by Deborah Brown, features almost thirty “artists we know, artists we like, and artists we’d like to get to know better,” Andrew plans on using the space for solo-exhibits that would allow him to present a greater selection of work from Norte Maar’s artists.

“We thought of how we could better support our artists, and the community in Bushwick,” Andrew said. “I really love this neighborhood, I really love the artists that are here, and we’ve invested in the community and in the local scene, from established galleries like English Kills and Factory Fresh and Pocket Utopia, to the little spaces where people are doing living room things.”

Andrew has been living in New York for nineteen years, and Bushwick for three and a half. He’s always been a supporter of the arts, holding salons in his living room. With Norte Maar, he encourages both young and mid-career Bushwick artists who may already have gallery representation but limited exposure.

“What I’m looking at more than geographic location is how dedicated an artist is to their studio practice. I really have a soft spot for that kind of worker—the person who rolls up their sleeves, spends time in their studio, isn’t out partying all the time,” he explained. “We like to get to know the artists. We have studio visits; we hope that they become part of our family and community. The selection [currently at Storefront] really reflects the commitment that we’ve made to the artists, and that the artists have made to their work. They range from somebody who’s really experimental, like Jimmy Miracle, to Rico Gatson.”

Although STOREFRONT will be used as a gallery on the weekends, Andrew intends to open up the space for the larger community during the week—hosting reading series and other workshops, as well as allowing groups to use the space for community meetings, classes, and other events.

“Space is so limited in the city,” Andrew explained. “We want the space to be used for other things, to be community accessible. I think we’ve reached a great crossroad. With all the groundwork we’ve laid over the years and the confidence we’ve built with the community, it’s going to be great.”

The inaugural exhibition at STOREFRONT runs until February 6, and is open on weekends from 1-6pm. Individuals and community groups interested in using the space during the week can contract Jason Andrew at nortemaar.org.