Would you go to an abandoned warehouse filled with rusty cars and flaming trashcans in the Bronx? Would you go if there was an open bar and free food trucks and good music? Would you go if Naomi Campbell was there?!
Well last night there must have been some spooky vibes happening because not only did a slew of art, fashion and entertainment VIPs all venture to the Bronx for artist Lucien Smith's "Macabre Suite" Halloween party and exhibition, they actually seemed to get excited about it. "It's actually not that far, and it's not that bad!" we overheard a gaggle of models dressed as sexy zombies saying to model and activist Andreja Pejic in one of the cinematically macabre brick rooms of the 19th century warehouse, adorned with plush red couches, seance-style candle spreads and Lucien Smith's intimate but slightly grotesque paintings. "It was refreshing to see art in the wild, and not just on a gallery wall," said Bill Powers, owner of Half Gallery who has worked closely with Smith since the beginning of his career. With intricate chandeliers and rooms filled with candle mazes and draping vines, the space feels tactfully overgrown, with Smith's work as a bridge between old and new. The main room held one of the artist's well known disintegrating metal car sculptures, a beautifully rusty carcass of industrialism doubling as a perfect backdrop for the Insta-memories of a space that would only be in this state for a fleeting moment.
The sprawling Bronx compound, soon to be converted into luxury buildings geared towards the high-end art market, introduced a balance between grit and luxury. The courtyard, donned with flaming trashcans as fire pits that maybe accidentally but perfectly represented the undeniable gentrification of a neighborhood, supplied high-end liquor, free grilled cheese and Roberta's Pizza to a mix of artists, collectors, models, musicians and fashion designers. Elites included Naomi Campbell, Gigi Hadid, Baz Lurman, Adrian Brody, Kendall Jenner, Bill Powers, Cynthia Rowley, Dustin Yellin, and many more, with a special performance by Travis Scott. Maybe it was the new territory or the anonymity of the many costumes roaming around the new old space, but the art and fashion crowds seemed to intermingle seamlessly, across their celebrity statuses. Perhaps it was the fact that everyone checked their egos as they entered the Boogie Down Bronx but cohabitation felt natural in this borough that was both far away and yet so close to home.
Well last night there must have been some spooky vibes happening because not only did a slew of art, fashion and entertainment VIPs all venture to the Bronx for artist Lucien Smith's "Macabre Suite" Halloween party and exhibition, they actually seemed to get excited about it. "It's actually not that far, and it's not that bad!" we overheard a gaggle of models dressed as sexy zombies saying to model and activist Andreja Pejic in one of the cinematically macabre brick rooms of the 19th century warehouse, adorned with plush red couches, seance-style candle spreads and Lucien Smith's intimate but slightly grotesque paintings. "It was refreshing to see art in the wild, and not just on a gallery wall," said Bill Powers, owner of Half Gallery who has worked closely with Smith since the beginning of his career. With intricate chandeliers and rooms filled with candle mazes and draping vines, the space feels tactfully overgrown, with Smith's work as a bridge between old and new. The main room held one of the artist's well known disintegrating metal car sculptures, a beautifully rusty carcass of industrialism doubling as a perfect backdrop for the Insta-memories of a space that would only be in this state for a fleeting moment.
The sprawling Bronx compound, soon to be converted into luxury buildings geared towards the high-end art market, introduced a balance between grit and luxury. The courtyard, donned with flaming trashcans as fire pits that maybe accidentally but perfectly represented the undeniable gentrification of a neighborhood, supplied high-end liquor, free grilled cheese and Roberta's Pizza to a mix of artists, collectors, models, musicians and fashion designers. Elites included Naomi Campbell, Gigi Hadid, Baz Lurman, Adrian Brody, Kendall Jenner, Bill Powers, Cynthia Rowley, Dustin Yellin, and many more, with a special performance by Travis Scott. Maybe it was the new territory or the anonymity of the many costumes roaming around the new old space, but the art and fashion crowds seemed to intermingle seamlessly, across their celebrity statuses. Perhaps it was the fact that everyone checked their egos as they entered the Boogie Down Bronx but cohabitation felt natural in this borough that was both far away and yet so close to home.
Travis Scott
Travis Scott
