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Brooklyn%u2019s Local Co-op GalleriesW a n e , S e n d i n g A r t i s t s P a c k i n g To SoHo And Other Manhattan ClimesBY PATRICIA STEGMANIn the midst of all the successes of Brooklyn's brownstone belt, something sad is happening on Atlantic Avenue: we are losing our galleries. Of the five galleries which used to cluster together on the last wind-swept block of Atlantic, providing a place where those who enjoyed viewing paintings and sculpture could enjoy that pastime in their own backyard, only Henry Hicks will remain. Now, numerous artists who once banded together to open these galleries, are banding together to move across the water to Manhattan. They are not closing as galleries, but moving away from an area that, on balance, they found inhospitable and uninterested in the work they had to offer.Why? It seems clear on interviewing present and past members of the departing galleries that there was insufficient interest and support on the pert of the public. One asks again-why? Was the work uninteresting, unprofessional? Was it location, disorganization, a lack of publicity? Or is Brooklyn simply not vet ready to support local galleries?MANHATTAN MOVERich Samuclson, of the Atlantic Gallery, 81 Atlantic, says of his gallery%u2019s decision to close here at the end of November and re-open in SoHo, that rent increases, combined with insufficient press coverage and insufficient public interest, make it no longer worthwhile to remain here. They will be moving to a larger space on West Broadway. The increase in space will make it possible to double the number of members. Therefore they expect the monthly dues to remain the same and only the initiation fee will increase - an increase the members feel is w'ell worth the additional traffic that a SoHo location offers. \very positive about this move\Samuclson. %u201c All our members are going-not one has dropped out.%u201dThe Sixth Estate, a gallery which opened with g cat optimism and ambition by signing a five yee lease in 1975, is also closing. Linda Graves, who has been with the gallery almost ! om the beginning, says%u2019i think th t co-op galleries on Atlantic Avenue were an idea whose time ha come and gone. The idea of Bi loklyn as a viable place for arti s to exhibit just hasn%u2019t proven elf. The action isall across the cr.\She went on to suggest that \ies than then were artists for. Maybe two ot hree. rather than five or six, mig have succeeded.1 %u2019 Linda Graves is paid the rent alone for the th Estate for the past six mont . so passionately did she belie' he dca and in the future of ,t,s gallery. %u201c But co-op galleries ire a lot of work%u201d she went on. People come in thinking they e going to really like it; then vvh i they%u2019ve had their show they doi always feel they want to remai and share in the work of the g: cry so that other artists can shoi %u201d She remembers the close rappot among the sixteen members who . unded the gallery, and observes tl at there was never the same rapport among members in later years, s long as most of the original gn up remained, they worked closely together and the gallery succeed d.Graves say that she feels, however that th gallery served the community well by having unusual guest exhibitions aside from theirgalllcry artists, and also feels that the group of galleries helped to stabilize the Avenue at a crucial time and helped to draw antiques shops, boutiques, etc. Now that the Avenue is in better shape, demands are being put on owners of these buildings by commercial establishments which can afford to pay much more rent than art galleries.WHY THE FAILURESWhy does Graves think the effort to maintain a group of local co-op galleries has failed? Graves felt it could have been a combination of (a) the fact that co-ops tend to attract unsure people, unsure enough of their own abilities to make a commitment to art and to their gallery, and (b) unrealistic expectations. Some really expected to be discovered by the New York Times as a result of their first one-person show on the Avenue, and were appalled that no one came. However, she stated that most everyone sold at least one thing from each exhibit, and many sold more. She feels that the tradition of Sunday afternoon openings, during which people attended all the openings and the galleries were well attended, was a very positive living during the time the galleries were functioning.In answer to the question %u201c Do you think the galleries were adversely affected by insufficient publicity%u201d . Neils Michaelson, who has been a member of both Atlantic Gallery and Gallery 91, answered negatively. %u201c In fact%u201d , he said, %u201c I think the problem was too much attention to public relations and not enough attention paid to providing work strong enough to draw thepublic.%u201d He agreed, however, that attendance has been very poor %u2014 %u201c Some galleries won%u2019t own up to how poor it really was-and there was insufficient traffic to sustain operations.%u201d He also referred to an %u201coverheated development of new galleries - more galleries than were necessary to show the best talent%u201dINTELLIGENT CRITICISMMichaelson pointed out the distinction between %u201c good reviews%u201d and good reviewers. %u201c Even adverse criticism, if intelligent, can indicate that something serious is going on%u201d . Michaelson feels that there is justification for co-ops for younger untried artists-%u201c some kind of high-grade minor league balT%u2019which could be the basis for feeding into more sophisticated galleries, but %u2019%u2019there needs to be some kind of discipline which may not be easily found in co-op galleries%u201d . He mentioned that it would be interesting to see a co-op founded by artists who have successfully dealt with commercial galleries; one which would hire a director as a town supervisor is hired, and in which the artists continued to make policy without having to do every single thing themselves.Felicia Nassi, of Work of Art Gallery, at 87 Atlantic, said that the gallery is looking for space in Manhattan. They faced an increase in rent which made it no longer worthwhile to stay, faced with the lack of interest in the community. Nassi said that she felt that much of the work shown in her gallery and on the Avenue was quite good, but there just was not enough activity to justify the higher rents nowcurrent on the block.Hall Winslow, a photographer who has been a member of Gallery 91, and Nancy Steinson, a member who had a solo sculpture show last June, agreed that part of the problem is %u201c Who sees Brooklyn as an arts center? It%u2019s too close to Manhattan to develop independently, and this block is too far away from the subway for Manhattanites to be happy about coming%u201d . He and Steinson agreed that the lack of well-written interesting reviews from the Brooklyn Heights Press and the Phoenix contributed to the probleiy. Steinson said, %u201c We need a public willing to seek out quality without the help of a critic, and that%u2019s hard to find anywhere! She compared the situation to the position of the Brooklyn Museum vis-a-vis the Metropolitan Museum: many Brooklynites who may be members of the Met visit it regularly never visit the Brooklyn Museum.Steinson points out that Gallery 91 tried to serve the artists well: they charged no initiation fee -perhaps the only gallery for whom this was truc-but she feels this event uallv backfired in that it attracted members who did not take theit commitment seriously. Both Winslow and Steinson affirmed their belief in the importance of the role of the co-ops for the emerging artists--one who is young, or inexperienced, or both-in having his or her first exhibition. He is helped to assess his progress by the experience of seeing his own work in a neutral space, neither his home nor his studio, where outsiders can come to see it. This C o n tin u ed on P a g e 19Gallery Shows This Fall: A Promise of Prints, Pastels and PotteryBi VIRGINIA CAREYFor the sophisticated art viewer, the learned art critic, collector or the interested art enthusiast Brooklyn art galleries promise to entertain and enlighten. Exhibits by artists in downtown galleries span a range of styles and mediums for traditional oil paintings and sculpture to contemporary constructivcs and the latest in video art.THE HENRY HICKS GALLERY opened its first Fall Group Show September 30th with entries by its member artists, in water color, oil paintings, figurative etchings, acrylics and pastels. The exhibit at 93 Atlantic Avenue will run through October 24, hours arc Thursays and Fridays from 3 to 6 pm, Saturdays and Sundays 12 to 6 pm, 522-3693.Collages by Carole Roth are ct rcntly shown at the ATLANTL, GALLERY at 81 Atlantic Avenu and will run through Octobc The gallery, with one more i_.1%u201e> show before it moves to 458 W st Broadway in Soho, will op with Leonard%u2019s mixed media a .- lages on October 23 to be seen until November 11. Hours arc Tuesday and Friday 2 to 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday 12 to 6 pm, 971-7282 or 7283.Embossed woodcuts of the Brooklyn Bridge, the New York skyline and shores of Long Island by Bernettc Kudolt will be on display at KAZEROID AND ARBERMAN REALTY INC. beginning October 7th and will run through the 26th. Religious pottery by local potter Renee Vichinskyalong with a craft exhibit by senior citizens from the Park Slope area will go on display December 1. Kazeroid and Arbcrman Realty's office is located at 196 Seventh Avenue and is open every day but Sunday from 10 to 5 pm, 499-8200.Rafael Colon Morales will have a one man show with his unique Puerto Rican experience images in paintings, sculpture and drawings at THE BROOKLYN COLLECTOR, which will open October 21. Throughout the season Frances and Samuel Lachcrof the Brooklyn Collector will be planning shows for artists at their gallery and showing works of artists they represent such as Richard Clark, Alan Fishman, Lee Brozgold, Michael Fraucnglass, Glenda Lohartan Robert Bcro, David Itchkawich, Mel Fowler and Sylvia Massey. The gallery located at 131 Seventh Avenue is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 11 to 6 pm, 857-5800.SUMMA GALLERY at 152 Montague Street has started a tradition with its annual exhibition opening October 21 of old prints of Brooklyn and New York City, especially favored arc scenes of the Brooklyn Bridge. Currently Summa has a show of crystal sculpture bv Dawn. The. gallery is open at 10 am and doses at 6:30 pm, Thursdays until 8:30 om. 875-1647.THE SAN ART GALLERY at 15 Seventh Avenue in Park Slope is now showing Chinese.collage paintings from the People%u2019s Republic of China in shadowbox frames. On December 1 the gallerv will openwith an exhibit of African cloth and canvas paintings and will continue the rest of the season by travelling around the globe with artists from Japan, India and China. San Art Studio and Gallery is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 1 to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday 1 to 6 pm, 638-7526.Watcrcolors by Joseph Marcsca, Photography by Michael Cuiecio and drawings, prints and pottery by Washington Ledesma will be on view at the brand new Court Hill Gallery until November 4. Its November show will include etchings and lithographs by Sara Armatnick, prints by Dorro Borup, acrylics by Susan Resnick. Located at 236 Carroll Street the gallery is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm. Sunday 12-5 pm, 875-6315.WORK OF ART GALLERY opened its fifth season with a show by landscape artist Don Kimes and continues through October 21 with paintings in oils and pastels by Fred Lewis and abstracts by Gilbert Fletcher, The end of October will sec oil paintings by Sam Jungkurth and Ellen Williams' mono prints. Abstracts will be featured from November 3 through December 2 by Helene Manzo and Felicia Nassi. Work of Art is located at 87 Atlantic Avenue and is open Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 6r '!T*. ? .T id S 2 ! l ! r d H v fr .x r r *12 to 6 pm, 834-9677.Art in public spaces merits an exhibition at PRATT INSTITUTE%u2019S GALLERY at 215 Rverson St. Since January 1978 CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) artists have worked on art projects which have been installed in all five boroughs. They include murals, sculptures for indoor and outdoor spaces. Studies and proposals for the projects are on view until October 25. On October 30 Pratt Institute%u2019s Gallery will show off works by its faculty titled \clude commercial graphic design by designers, illustrators and art directors. Future Pratt exhibitions will feature contemporary constructivists. video art and outdoor sculpture. The gallery is open every day 9-5 pm, 636-3600.This October BELANTHI ENTERPRISES will celebrate its first anniversary of success under the direction of James Gerard de Martini. Every first Sunday of the month it heralds a new show and is now featuring works by some 80 gallery members. On October 7 an exhibition by the Allied Artists in the region will show their works and in November large 5 by 8 foot abstracts by Marina Dc Franza will be on view. Belanthi Gallery is located at 142 Court Street and open every day from 2 to 12 midmight, 855-2769.Spirit catchers is the name of the exhibit and that is what it sets out to do with the collages by Cheryl Hanna on view at the SOLAR vnr.* AND APTS C,;''V,TE,, 171 9thStreet. The exhibit will continue through October 21 and can be seen Saturday and Sunday 10 to 6 pam and Tuesday and Friday from 6 to 8 pm.October 4.1979, The PHOENIX, Page 11