subject: Chelsea, Center Of The Global Art World [print this page] Walking down the street in the Chelsea district of New York City, visitors to the area are inevitably struck by the sheer number of galleries that can be found in this one place. Art and art galleries are, of course, a common sight in a city with such a rich abundance of artists, art-lovers and museums and which itself played a significant role in the development of modern art, and in the lives of some of the artists who redefined what we mean by the term 'art'. Yet Chelsea has something special, a unique atmosphere that can only come to an area which is packed full with, even defined by, the galleries that line its streets.
Varying from large, open spaces to smaller, more intimate rooms, the arts district of New York can boast a wide range of galleries, in terms of the gallery spaces themselves, to the lighting used, to the specialties on which they concentrate. Some prefer a particular genre of art, or a specific mode of presentation. Some concentrate on celebrating work of artists who have already achieved some level of international success, while others are more open to emerging artists whose work has yet to become well known. Some exist only in the bricks and mortar form you can walk into in Chelsea itself, while others have expanded their presence into the online world of the internet, creating online galleries like Agora Gallery's Art-Mine.
Exploring this world of art can be a dream come true for those who love art and enjoy experiencing the creations and ideas of artists they may well have never heard of before. On opening nights, art-lovers go 'gallery hopping', moving from one new exhibition to the next, examining the latest offerings, comparing notes, sipping wine and celebrating the vibrancy of the area and the joy of viewing the work. Collectors frequent these occasions, hunting for the right piece for the empty space on their wall, trying to guess at the next new success, or searching for something that takes their breath away.
Of course, it was not always this way. In fact, the artistic reputation of Chelsea, which is now internationally acknowledged and revered, is a relatively new phenomenon. Once, and not so very long ago, another district of New York enjoyed a similar success. This was Soho, where many galleries set themselves up to take advantage of a slightly different market than they might expect to find elsewhere, and where an atmosphere soon established itself of the kind that Chelsea enjoys today.
Unfortunately, the increasing value of property in the area, which was fairly central and served by a number of subway lines, meant by the mid-1990s that galleries could no longer justify the rent, being squeezed out by retail stores and high-end restaurants. Many took the plunge and moved to Chelsea, which was then filled with empty warehouse space, decidedly not up-market, and cheap. Ten years later, the success of the move had become abundantly clear, and it has continued to go from strength to strength, with the flourishing art gallery scene being complemented by daring architecture like that of Frank Gehry's glass wave of a building and the newly opened High Line, which gives the district a fitting space to relax and enjoy the outside world.
A visit to Chelsea is a must for any art-lover living in or visiting New York City.
by: Aliceshown
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