New York/New Wave facts for kids
New York/New Wave was a super cool art show that happened in 1981. It was put together by Diego Cortez at a gallery called P.S.1 in Long Island City. This exhibition showed how art and music were mixing together in downtown New York City. It featured many different kinds of artists, like No Wave musicians, painters, graffiti artists, poets, and photographers.
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A Look Back at the Downtown Art Scene
The late 1970s in lower Manhattan was a really exciting time for art and music. It was like a big melting pot where music and visual arts worked together. This new and experimental art movement, sometimes called "New Wave" or "underground art," started on the streets. By the early 1980s, it began moving into art galleries across downtown New York. For example, a show called The Times Square Show in June 1980, held in an old building, was seen as a very important art event for the new decade.
Bringing Artists Together
Diego Cortez was a key person in this scene. He helped start the Mudd Club, a famous spot for underground music and different kinds of events. Cortez decided to bring many of these downtown artists together for a big group show. This show was named New York/New Wave. It took place at P.S.1 in Long Island City, Queens, from February 15 to April 5, 1981.
Who Was Part of the Show?
The exhibition was huge, with more than 100 artists taking part! Some of the famous names included Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Fab Five Freddy, Futura 2000, and Kenny Scharf. The gallery walls were filled with all sorts of art, from paintings to photographs, hung side by side. It was a vibrant mix of styles and ideas.
A Big Success
New York/New Wave was a huge hit! It helped open up the New York art world to new talent. One of the artists who became very famous after the show was Jean-Michel Basquiat. He was only 20 years old at the time and participated in the show using his graffiti tag, SAMO. The exhibition helped launch his amazing career.
