“Draftsmen’s Congress,” a collective painting currently on display. (Photo courtesy New Museum, New York. Photo: Benoit Pailley)
Andres Serrano isn’t the only artist to have recently worked with homeless New Yorkers. Polish sculptor Pawel Althamer, whose running New Museum show “The Neighbors” includes three floors of his own work and one floor for visitors and community groups to paint, draw and tag themselves, now has some new collaborators: residents of the Bowery Mission, a homeless shelter a couple of doors down from the museum.
Althamer, who is known for his collaborative artwork, has been running workshops on film and sculpture with residents of the Bowery Mission since his show began. Sixteen sculptures produced in the workshops will go on display at the New Museum on Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., in a free exhibit.
“The show is called ‘The Neighbors,’ so how could he not work with them?” said Hyatt Mannix, a spokeswoman for the museum. “Pawel’s whole practice has do with social practices. He is interested in exploring the community,” and inviting them in, she said.
“The Neighbors” show also included a coat drive for the Bowery Mission, as well as performances by more than 50 street musicians inside the exhibit.
The Bowery Mission sculptures will appear a month ahead of another public art project involving New York’s homeless. Andres Serrano’s upcoming show “Residents of New York,” opening May 19, will feature portraits of 85 homeless New Yorkers around Washington Square Park.
Correction: The original version of this post was revised to correct the spelling of Hyatt Mannix and the number of sculptures going on display.