In the extremely competitive New York art market, the best way for an artist to reach an audience is to have his work exhibited. The classical gallery model is no longer the only option, and for emerging artists, showing in a temporary art space such as a pop-up gallery is a much more sustainable option. Nabil Nadifi is no stranger to this idea as this is his third pop-up exhibition featuring the work of artist friend Brandon Isralsky.
The self-taught French-Moroccan art curator intends “to mimic the convention of the art world” in order to promote the work of his friend. He began showing Isralsky’s work at pop-ups in Antwerp and Paris before making the move to New York. According to Nadifi, “This business model is financially viable.”
Friendship is the motive behind the exhibition’s title, “Instant Social Security”. Nadifi and Isralsky met in 2010 as photography interns at a fashion website called Swagger New York. As they roamed the streets of the Big Apple capturing images of the captivating city, and discussing the French electronic music label Ed Banger, Pedro Winter and the band Justice, they quickly forged a friendship.
Isralsky, a School of Visual Arts MFA graduate, defines himself as a street artist. The work presented during this exhibition is composed of twelve large prints covered with paint. Isralsky starts by sourcing advertisements of cigarettes and alcohol from 1960’s Playboy magazines. He then scans them, prints them on a larger scale and paints over certain areas modifying the meaning and form of the original. Isralsky explains that the era was picked for its historical relevance: “With the fight over Civil Rights and the sexual revolution, the sixties represent a huge turning point in American culture.”
When asked about his pop-up experience Isralsky adds, “I love it. You have to be on your toes during that week. They don’t know me but they’ll see my work.”
July 11th – 16th, 2018 / 11am-6pm
Opening night: July 11th / 6-9pm
171 Elizabeth Street
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