The Downtown Decade: NYC 1975–1985
Exhibition Dates: Thursday, September 10–Saturday, October 10, 2015
Opening Reception: Tuesday, September 15th, 6–8 pm
17 West 54th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues
Catalog PDF
available here. Includes many photos of Stupefaction faves & pals like Kate Simon, Allan Tannenbaum, Marcia Resnick, Roberta Bayley, Bob Gruen, and much more.
We are excited to begin our Fall season with The Downtown Decade: NYC 1975–1985, a multi-genre overview of the visionary creative scene that developed on New York City's Lower East Side during the late 1970s and early 1980s. At a time when the city was on the brink of fiscal disaster and suffering daily internal chaos, a burgeoning and interconnected artistic community emerged that would enduringly alter previously held perceptions of art, photography, literature, film, and music.
On display will be original items both by and featuring many of the era's participants, including Rene Ricard, David Armstrong, Nan Goldin, the Lurie Brothers, Jenny Holzer, Richard Prince, Peter Hujar, Kiki Smith, and Christoph Kohlhofer, as well as historical documentary material—vintage issues of the East Village Eye, gallery flyers, posters, manuscripts, and advertisements—and original artwork and photography by Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Kate Simon, Philip Taaffe, Francesco Clemente, Marcia Resnick, Curt Hoppe, Jimmy DeSana, Christopher Makos, and Patti Smith, among others.
A soundtrack showcasing the period's outstanding musical talent will also be playing in the gallery during the show, including songs by the Ramones, The Clash, Blondie, Public Image Ltd., Grandmaster Flash, Talking Heads, James Chance, the Lounge Lizards, and Television.
The exhibition will be on display from Thursday, September 10–Saturday, October 10, 2015.
An opening reception will be held Tuesday, September 15th, from 6-8 pm.
Events in conjunction with The Downtown Decade:
Book Signing: Jeannette Montgomery Barron
Date: Wednesday, September 30th, 6-8 pm
Location: GHB Penthouse, 20 West 55th Street
Photographer and author Jeannette Montgomery
Barron will be signing copies of her new book, My Years
in the 1980s: New York Art Scene, in the GHB penthouse. Material featured in the book will be on display during the event, and RARE will remain open until 7 pm.
Screening: Downtown 81, with Glenn O’Brien
Date: TBA
Location: GHB Penthouse, 20 West 55th Street
Please join us for a special screening in the
GHB penthouse of Downtown 81, starring
Jean-Michel Basquiat, which has been praised for capturing “…that New York moment when punk, emerging rap, art school cool and the East Village art and music scenes were at their creative best.”
The film’s writer and producer, Glenn O’Brien, will both introduce the film and answer questions afterward. Seating will be limited.
