industry city open studios, a doorway to artistic discovery during NYCxDESIGN

it’s a rare privilege, stepping inside an artist’s studio — an intimate peek into the passions and preoccupations, obsessions and infatuations of a creative mind at work. studios are often thought of as the soul of an artist’s oeuvre, a space where they surround themselves with the instruments and accoutrements essential for imagination. a wunderkammer of brushes, books, film, fabrics, paint, and precious possessions, an artist’s studio is a holistic haven of delicately interconnected parts, at once personal and professional.

both the rarity and intimacy of experiencing an artist’s space are, in part, what makes the upcoming open studios initiative at brooklyn’s industry city so special. not one, not two, but more than 100 artists and makers that call the creative community of IC home will unlock their doors to the public during the weekend of may 19–20, from 11:00am–6:00pm. the campus-wide event promises a wealth of exclusive artistic insight for the creatively inclined and curious alike.

on may 19–20 from 11:00am–6:00pm, visitors are invited to discover industry city’s open studios 

the open studios form part of a monumental showcase of creative programming and cultural exhibitions coming to IC during NYCxDESIGN. the industry city design festival by wanteddesign will also feature group exhibits, art installations, workshops, panel discussions, demonstrations, and forums set across IC’s 6 million square foot restored industrial complex.

visitors are invited to take a creative sojourn across the industry city campus and navigate the halls in discovery of artist studios to enter and explore. participants can engage with the makers, be privy to otherwise unseen works in progress, and discover how each artist has customized their raw studio space to suit the requirements of his or her practice. 

participants can engage with the artists and discover their works in progress

whether you’re interested in painting, performance art, graphic design or stained-glass; or keen on learning more about architecture, sculpture, film, or fashion — industry city has something for you. the diverse company of creatively-focused businesses will offer a comprehensive survey of contemporary creativity throughout the weekend-long open house.

an artist’s studio is a holistic haven of delicately interconnected parts, at once personal and professional

at the helm of the industry city open studios program are two IC-based artists: carol dronsfield and aleya lehmann bench. the duo — whose own studios are located across the floor from one another — simultaneously set up shop at IC in late 2012. their professional collaboration began the following year, when a group of artists came together to discuss the idea of having an organized open studios program. ‘at first it was very much a grass-roots effort, with a handful of artists,’ carol tells us about the early community at IC and its development since. ‘the campus has evolved rapidly over the years, and the open studios event has grown with the addition of more public-facing events happening at industry city.’

whether you’re interested in painting, performance art, film, or fashion, industry city has something for you

over the five years since the program started, carol and aleya have seen the community at industry city thrive, with each passing year bringing in a host of new talent. while the development of the complex — notably its vibrant culinary and retail scenes — has welcomed a diverse mix of disciplines to the area, carol describes an overarching and widespread sense of creative collaboration. ‘the IC campus has grown tremendously in a very short amount of time, with a creative thread running throughout,’ she says. ‘even the range of vendors in the food hall has a unique vibe. what’s nice is that you can collaborate with fellow artists. we have get-togethers now and then to chat about what people are up to.’

each artist has customized their raw studio space to suit the requirements of his or her practice

there will be more than 100 artists with open doors this weekend. in addition to their own studios, carol and aleya’s highlights include margaret evangeline — ‘her work is very special and she is delightful’; the dedalus foundation, an organization dedicated to public education of modern art; painters jean wolff, and cara enteles; other multidisciplinary makers including katie merz, micol ceramics, and susan weinthaler; brooklyn rail, an independent journal for visual arts, culture, and politics; and evergreene architectural arts, the preservation, restoration and conservation studio collaborating with camille walala on the debut of her six-story mural at IC this week.

visitors are invited to take a creative sojourn across the industry city campus

‘I came to industry city because I wanted to be part of a creative community,’ carol concludes, a statement that underscores a campus-wide sentiment. ‘we’re really proud of how the industry city open studios event has grown, and we’re always appreciative of the continued support we get from industry city.’

industry city is convenient and easily accessible by subway (take the D/N/R to 36th street), by bike (park your citi bike on-site), or by car (see IC’s handy transportation map). dive into the studios and discover the full list of participants and programming to help plan your visit, here. 

more than 100 artists and makers will open their doors to the public this weekend, may 19-20