Ridgewood Open Studios Draws Hundreds as Neighborhood Art Scene Matures
The fourth annual open studios event in Ridgewood drew hundreds to transformed factories and galleries. This festival, which began as Bushwick Open Studios in 2019, showcased more than 200 artists at locations such as Lorimoto Gallery and Supermoon Art Space. Artist Elisabeth Smolarz unveiled "Soft Confinement," a piece that delves into themes of loneliness using AI-generated imagery. Curator Christopher Rose presented "Provisional Horizons" at Supermoon. At CIA Gallery, Laura Weyl displayed 200 nude photographs. Cedar Kirwin demonstrated quilt-making, while Andrew Hockenberry exhibited abstract canvases. Mixed-media sculptures by Clement Oladipo and plein air paintings by Zovi were also featured. Founder Nao Matsumoto noted over 200 visitors at Lorimoto's opening. Time Out recognized Ridgewood as one of the world's coolest neighborhoods, highlighting the emergence of new art spaces and studios post-pandemic.
Key facts
- Ridgewood Open Studios is in its fourth year, having spun off from Bushwick Open Studios in 2019.
- Elisabeth Smolarz's 'Soft Confinement' uses AI-generated images to address loneliness.
- Supermoon Art Space, a childcare facility, hosted 'Provisional Horizons' curated by Christopher Rose.
- Laura Weyl showed over 200 photographs of nude figures taken over 15 years at CIA Gallery.
- Cedar Kirwin made quilts from fabric strips in a basement studio.
- Andrew Hockenberry created abstract canvases during residencies in the Italian Alps in 2019 and 2021.
- Clement Oladipo used found rusty objects like stove pipes and bike chains for sculptures.
- Zovi, an MTA illustrator, displayed plein air paintings of New York, Connecticut, and France.
Entities
Artists
- Elisabeth Smolarz
- Stacie Johnson
- Kerry Law
- Rob de Oude
- Amy Decker
- Mary Billyou
- Christopher Rose
- Laura Weyl
- Cedar Kirwin
- Andrew Hockenberry
- Clement Oladipo
- Zovi
- Nao Matsumoto
- John Wilson
Institutions
- Supermoon Art Space
- Lorimoto Gallery
- Center for Information Alternatives (CIA) Gallery
- Pratt Institute
- UnionDocs
- Low Cinema
- Ridgewood Ceramics
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
- Time Out
- HBO
Locations
- Ridgewood
- Queens
- New York
- Bushwick
- North Brooklyn
- Onderdonk Avenue
- 60th Street
- Forest Avenue
- Myrtle-Wyckoff
- Halsey
- Cypress Avenue
- Harman Street
- Woodward Avenue
- Glendale
- Connecticut
- France
- Italian Alps