My Lower East Side gallery tour on Sat. Jan. 28 is shaping up to have collectively the most mind-expanding, unconventional art I have ever shown in the nearly 10 years I have been leading gallery tours.  If you’re looking for an afternoon of safe, predictable art, this particular tour is NOT for you (do attend any of my other, more “normal” – and wonderful – gallery tours, such as my Upper East Side gallery tour the week after).  But if you’re a culturally adventurous, open-minded person who enjoys having your art vistas expanded, then this tour is for you.

The Lower East Side galleries have been evolving at a breath-taking pace, growing from 10 galleries six years ago to 120 galleries today.  As its identity continues to coalesce, the L.E.S. is clearly becoming this generation’s showcase for avant-garde visual art.  In New York City, the L.E.S. has far and away the largest number of start-up galleries, and its gallery owners and artists are significantly younger on average than in any other of this city’s art neighborhoods.

Nevertheless, the particular collection of Lower East Side art that I’ve deemed this month’s “best” is unusually and aggressively cutting-edge, showing at small-scale galleries that are only beginning to establish a reputation.  More than half of the shows we’ll visit are challenging the very notion of what art is, and that’s something that most people don’t want to handle, even many who think they do.

I’m confident in my ability to explain the art that you’ll see, at least to the best my own ability to understand it.  And I’ll communicate why I think each exhibit is extraordinary.  That doesn’t mean you’ll agree.

One thing is for sure: you won’t be bored.

Rafael Risemberg, Ph.D.
Founder and Director
New York GalleryTours