Chelsea's far west 27th Street will never be the same

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Jacob Ciocci [installation detail]


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Jacob Ciocci [installation detail]


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Kirsten Stoltmann [installation detail]


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Kirsten Stoltmann [installation detail]


Some half dozen of the most interesting galleries in the city will be opening new spaces on West 27th Street tomorrow night (Thursday). For those who follow these things it should be the most exciting development in the history of Chelsea's identification as an art destination.

All of the galleries will be immediate neighbors on the block between 11th and 12th Avenues, in the base of a massive 19th century warehouse which towers above a fine old street paved in stone. The last time a party crowd found its way inside these walls it was to visit the Tunnel, whose party ghosts may still haunt this magnificent brick and stone monument to maritime New York.

Our newest hosts include John Connelly Presents, Wallspace and ATM at Wallspace, Derek Eller, Foxy Production, Oliver Kamm/5BE and Clementine. All of them will open their doors early tomorrow evening (the classic 6 to 8 pm, of course).

I was fortunate to get a peek at two of the shows tonight, and I've uploaded a few undocumented images above. The first two are from Foxy Production, where Jacob Ciocci has installed his "Inspiration Superhighway" and the second two are from Kirsten Stoltmann's show at Wallspace, "I Know What I'm Doing".

For more, see Barry's notes and photos.