Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

The New Museum Takes A Look At The Art Of The Old Bowery


By

Garth Johnston

Published Aug 22, 2012

Modified Aug 22, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Adam Purple, The Garden of Eden, 1975–86. Earthwork. Photo: Harvey Wang

 

September 22, 1979

View all 5


By

Garth Johnston

Published Aug 22, 2012

Modified Aug 22, 2012


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

The Bowery sure ain't what it used to be. But The New Museum, whose five-year-old home on the storied strip certainly helped its current renaissance get going, wants you to remember what it once was. To that end, it will open a new show next month called, "Come Closer: Art Around the Bowery, 1969-1989," as a way to remember—or learn.

Using art from the New Museum’s Bowery Artist Tribute archive and the online archive of Marc H. Miller, the exhibition "features original artwork, ephemera, and performance documentation by twenty artists who lived and worked on or near the Bowery in New York." The show doesn't open until September 19 (it runs through January 6, 2013) but the folks at the Museum sent us a few images from the show to whet your appetite.

Meanwhile, want to know more about that amazing "Garden of Eden?" It has a long, fascinating and ultimately depressing story. The artist Adam Purple grew corn there! Here's a great short film on the garden:

Artists whose work will be in the Ethan Swan-curated show include Barbara Ess, Coleen Fitzgibbon, Keith Haring, John Holmstrom, Curt Hoppe, Colette Lumiere, Marc H. Miller, Adrian Piper, Adam Purple, Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone, Marcia Resnick, Bettie Ringma, Christy Rupp, Arleen Schloss, Charles Simonds, Eve Sonneman, Billy Sullivan, Paul Tschinkel, Arturo Vega, and Martin Wong.

Tagged

adam purple

bowery

new museum

the bowery

the new museum


Garth Johnston

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE arts-entertainment

How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years

Spoiler alert: It's still 26.2 miles.

By

Hannah Frishberg

Published Oct 14, 2026 at 2:36 p.m. ET


A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson

"Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger," says the co-owner of Art of Play.

By

Sonia Rao

Arts & Entertainment

A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson

"Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger," says the co-owner of Art of Play.

By

Sonia Rao


The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?

By

Lindsay Lee Wallace

Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?

By

James Ramsay

What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.

By

Jayson Greene


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .