This past weekend, the now-abandoned Essex Street Market at 140 Essex was the site of Market Surplus, an exhibit featuring ten huge striking murals in a range of styles — from meticulously rendered photorealistic to brightly colored expressionistic. Largely site-specific, they were the perfect homage to a soon-to-be-demolished historic Lower East Side building. While visiting late Sunday afternoon, I had the opportunity to pose a few questions to its curator, Adam Lucas aka Hanksy.
This is quite impressive. When did you begin working on it?
It all started a week and a half ago.
That’s quite remarkable. It must have been quite an intense week and a half! What moved you to curate it?
Essex Crossing has been committed from early on to bringing public art projects to this neighborhood. Awhile back, they tapped me to help them accomplish this. When they offered me this building as a site for this exhibit, I took the opportunity to curate Market Surplus.
It seems like so much effort for a weekend event. It’s wonderful, but I wish it weren’t over so quickly!
Large murals like these generally have long lives. But I actually like the twist on permanence. Bringing these kinds of murals indoors for this transitory exhibit turns the notion of permanence on its head.
How did you decide which artists to engage?
I reached out to artists I know and like — who were in town. And some of the artists recommended other artists.
There are quite a few references to the neighborhood in these works.
Yes. Among them is NDA‘s painting of Luis and his son Felix of the Luis Meat Market that is housed at the Essex Street Market. A key mission of the exhibit was capturing the spirit of the Lower East Side.
I love the variety of styles and sensibilities featured here. Each is distinctly wonderful!
My intention was to present a range of styles. That was one of my criteria in selecting artists.
With Market Surplus behind you and now part of the history of the Lower East Side, what is next?
In two weeks, my work will be featured in a pop-up show at the Krause Gallery here on the Lower East Side. Later in the summer I will be painting a mural for the L.I.S.A Project. And there is much more to come!
It sounds great! And congratulations on this weekend’s exhibit.
Images
1. NDA
2. Adam Lucas aka Hanksy
3. Sonni
4. Faust
5. BK Foxx
Photo credits: 1, 2, 3 & 5 Lois Stavsky; 4 Karin du Maire; interview conducted and edited by Lois Stavsky
