During the days when artists adopted a burnt out South Bronx, graffiti began to emerge as an art form and hip-hop was a new genre of music, Fashion Moda was created. Its founder describes Fashion Moda as a “cultural concept,” that manifested in his work space, which was an abandoned storefront in the South Bronx in 1978.
“Fashion Moda was the site of exhibitions, performances, film screenings and creative collaborations for more than a decade,” writes the New York Times’ Susan Hodara in a review of a current Fashion Moda show in Purchase.
Three decades ago Fashion Moda aimed to make art more accessible to the general population, in contrast to how museums and galleries treated art.
Today, founder Stephan Eins believes that concept of creating accessible and collaborative art is still alive and is happening here in Peekskill. Fashion Moda’s “The Cutting Edge” exhibit opens on May 20 and runs until June 17 at Fashion Moda at 992 Main Street, Peekskill.
The international art show ended up in Peekskill thanks to Brooke McGowen, an artist who has lived all over the world and now resides in Peekskill. McGowen lived in Vienna years ago and was familiar with Eins’ work. About three years ago she made an effort to find Vienniens in New York and found Eins, who was raised in Vienna.
“I have always wanted to do studio shows and McGowen was interested in that,” Eins said.
Fashion Moda presented which featured her Occupy Wall Street work, in Peekskill last month.
McGowen will also show in ’The Cutting Edge,’ opening May 20, which presents a full spectrum of contemporary creative expression. Participants in the exhibition have their work shown in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, have exhibited at MoMA, sell their works on the street, adhere to HIP HOP traditions and perform in ’Occupy Wall Street’ protests. Topics as diverse as the Taliban and ‘Secret Worlds’ are covered in the show. Participating creators reside in Westchester and elsewhere on the global level. (see list of creators below).
The Peekskill show will feature mostly visual art. Eins’ work focuses on how paint mixing and the act of making art relates directly to biological formation processes. You can see an example of this in “Stefan Eins and Joy Walker, a collaboration“ which is presently on view at at 1014 Park Street, Peekskill.
Other FASHION MODA in events in Westchester this year:
“The Fashion Moda Stores, 1982: Selections from Documenta 7” exhibit was on display through May 6 at the Neuberger Museum of Art of Purchase College, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY. Read the New York Times’ review of the show here. : http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/nyregion/recreating-the-fashion-moda-exhibition-of-1982.html
The Frieze Art Fair is currently showing John Ahearn’s “The South Bronx Hall of Fame“ in New York. John Ahearn is recreating the project he realized at FASHION MODA 30 years ago. Recent review: http://www.galleristny.com/2012/04/casting-call-john-ahearn-rigoberto-torres-and-the-south-bronx-hall-of-fame-at-frieze-new-york/
’The Cutting Edge’,
Participating Creators:
Roberta Allen, Stephen Ang, J.M. Carnright, Elana Coren, Simone Crescent, Mary Crescenzo, Ava Day, Nancy Drew, Stefan Eins, Heide Hatry, Brooke McGowen, Joe Malfettone, John Mendelsohn, Norman R. Olsen, Yoko Ono, Alexandra Phillips, Salomon, Ilse Schreiber, Taher Shafie, Susan Shaw, Jim Suitcliff, Hulbert Waldroup, Joy Walker, Others
