The Last of New York City's Original Artist Lofts
May 16, 2024 2:56 PM Subscribe
Joshua Charow is a documentary filmmaker and photographer based in NYC. He spent the past couple years ringing doorbells to find and interview over 30 artists who are living under the protection of the Loft Law to create his first photography book, 'Loft Law. The Last of New York City's Original Artist Lofts'.
Envied by artists and apartment hunters alike for their wide windows and open floor plans, New York City's lofts were once manufacturing centers in the late 19th and early 20th century. As urban densification pushed industry into the suburbs, these buildings were left empty. Looking for cheap rents and ideal studios, artists struck bargains with landlords to live and work in commercially zoned spaces. By the 1970s, these same artists faced eviction as their landlords embraced the new wealthy clientele that seeped into neighborhoods such as SoHo, Tribeca and the Bowery.
Enacted in 1982, Article 7-C of the Multiple Dwelling Law, better known as the "Loft Law," allowed artists to obtain legal occupancy and rent stabilization. After discovering a map of the protected buildings, documentary filmmaker Joshua Charow embarked on the ambitious project of documenting them.
The upcoming exhibition of his photographs will be at the Westwood Gallery in the Bowery district of NYC from May 17 (tomorrow!) to June 29. The exhibition will include photographs from the project alongside 20 physical works by the artists. His book can be ordered here (currently backordered).
Charow has posted additional short interview videos (8 minute-ish) of some of the artists in their studios on YouTube.
Painter Carmen Cicero, 96, who's worked in his Bowery loft since 1971.
"If you were to look out the window at night, it would be so deserted that there wasn't traffic."
Multi-discipline artist Claire Ferguson moved into her raw Tribeca loft in 1974. Her upcoming show Collage Art is June 14-16 at Studio 606.
"One thing, it was a lot of women. There were three women on this floor, two women on the 6th floor."
Sculptor Curtis Mitchell found his raw unheated space in 1984, the top floor of an old ice cream factory in Brooklyn.
"The police would use the parapet wall for target practice unbeknowst to us."
Not sure if she's specifically part of the series but 93-year-old abstract painter Dorothea Rockburne in her loft.
"No paint, no life"
Envied by artists and apartment hunters alike for their wide windows and open floor plans, New York City's lofts were once manufacturing centers in the late 19th and early 20th century. As urban densification pushed industry into the suburbs, these buildings were left empty. Looking for cheap rents and ideal studios, artists struck bargains with landlords to live and work in commercially zoned spaces. By the 1970s, these same artists faced eviction as their landlords embraced the new wealthy clientele that seeped into neighborhoods such as SoHo, Tribeca and the Bowery.
Enacted in 1982, Article 7-C of the Multiple Dwelling Law, better known as the "Loft Law," allowed artists to obtain legal occupancy and rent stabilization. After discovering a map of the protected buildings, documentary filmmaker Joshua Charow embarked on the ambitious project of documenting them.
The upcoming exhibition of his photographs will be at the Westwood Gallery in the Bowery district of NYC from May 17 (tomorrow!) to June 29. The exhibition will include photographs from the project alongside 20 physical works by the artists. His book can be ordered here (currently backordered).
Charow has posted additional short interview videos (8 minute-ish) of some of the artists in their studios on YouTube.
Painter Carmen Cicero, 96, who's worked in his Bowery loft since 1971.
"If you were to look out the window at night, it would be so deserted that there wasn't traffic."
Multi-discipline artist Claire Ferguson moved into her raw Tribeca loft in 1974. Her upcoming show Collage Art is June 14-16 at Studio 606.
"One thing, it was a lot of women. There were three women on this floor, two women on the 6th floor."
Sculptor Curtis Mitchell found his raw unheated space in 1984, the top floor of an old ice cream factory in Brooklyn.
"The police would use the parapet wall for target practice unbeknowst to us."
Not sure if she's specifically part of the series but 93-year-old abstract painter Dorothea Rockburne in her loft.
"No paint, no life"
Never would have come across it, what a great project, thank you for posting !
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:31 PM on May 16 [2 favorites]
posted by St. Peepsburg at 6:31 PM on May 16 [2 favorites]
Worked in Soho in the mid70s and saw lots of artist lofts. For half a floor the average rent was $300.00...cold water only. If you had visitors you had to lover the door key in a bucket out one of the windows. Good times.
posted by Czjewel at 6:41 PM on May 16 [3 favorites]
posted by Czjewel at 6:41 PM on May 16 [3 favorites]
I lived in a St Louis warehouse that was built in 1916 to store furs brought down by trappers, from Canada.
By the 90’s it was a mix of half artists and half businesses. I shared a floor with a paper distributor. Across the street was a YMCA that was so old it had residential units for retirees.
You could drive for several miles down our street, before you came to another building that was actively in use.
One of my neighbors used his painting skills to do billboards, to support his more artistic work. He would give me leftover paints from different jobs, then I would find art guys at a coffee shop on South Grand, and convince them to have their way with a section of wall.
With no legal protections, and a landlord who had visions of converting the building into luxury lofts, I doubt it is the same now.
posted by funkaspuck at 6:50 PM on May 16 [6 favorites]
By the 90’s it was a mix of half artists and half businesses. I shared a floor with a paper distributor. Across the street was a YMCA that was so old it had residential units for retirees.
You could drive for several miles down our street, before you came to another building that was actively in use.
One of my neighbors used his painting skills to do billboards, to support his more artistic work. He would give me leftover paints from different jobs, then I would find art guys at a coffee shop on South Grand, and convince them to have their way with a section of wall.
With no legal protections, and a landlord who had visions of converting the building into luxury lofts, I doubt it is the same now.
posted by funkaspuck at 6:50 PM on May 16 [6 favorites]
I love lofts although I've never seen any in New York, I have seen quite a few in London across the pond, mostly in the East End.
Found this map of NYC loft board buildings in New York too.
Thanks for this fascinating content about amazing spaces. MF never fails to provide.
posted by mikeanegus at 4:47 AM on May 17 [2 favorites]
Found this map of NYC loft board buildings in New York too.
Thanks for this fascinating content about amazing spaces. MF never fails to provide.
posted by mikeanegus at 4:47 AM on May 17 [2 favorites]
Here's another article about one of the people featured in Joshua's show - Anne Mason. Lots of photos of the inside of her loft. I was delighted to realize that one of my other favorites in the show was occupied by Jennifer Charles, lead singer of Elysian Fields.
posted by ikahime at 9:12 AM on May 17
posted by ikahime at 9:12 AM on May 17
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But my brain, every time it sees this on the front page, insists on taking a cue from Pet Shop Boys and singing "New York City Lofts" at me.
That is all for now.
posted by hippybear at 3:40 PM on May 16 [1 favorite]