A few years ago, health activist Gary Null (then on WBAI) was praising the virtues of the art community in South Beach, Fla. He was describing a nirvana-like atmosphere where artists collaborated easily, bounced ideas back and forth at parties, and nurtured one another’s creativity.
He said this was in startling contrast to the cutthroat New York art scene, where you can’t get two artists in the room to agree on anything.
Many New York artists who fled the city over the past several decades – due to rising rents – and settled in Hudson County were also escaping the constricted and stultifying Manhattan art world Null was describing. Freed from the shackles of New York snobbery, from the vicious competition that infects the corporate-driven Soho/Chelsea uber-scene, artists fleeing to Jersey could breath: Ahhhh, release their imaginations, and go on to create one of the most cutting-edge and authentic art communities on the East Coast.
Though there are a few strong pockets left in Hoboken, such as the Monroe Art Center and the music scene, a good deal of the city’s previous arts luster appears to have dimmed. Feeling overwhelmed by the crass commercialism of the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival several weeks ago, I escaped to Jersey City – where I had a genuine “hang out” encounter with a couple of artists at the Cooke Contemporary Gallery on First Street.
Not only did we have a lengthy, interesting conversation about art, complete with anecdotes one of the artists had about working with Bob Rauschenberg in the 1970s – they even offered me pretzels and soda. I proceeded to the Nobis Gallery right next door, where I looked in wonder at some amazing sculptures made of rusted metal and broken glass. There was also an extraordinary collage made up of refuse picked off the beaches of Hawaii: A peculiar juxtaposition of seashells, aluminum can flip tops, and missing doll parts.
Strolling over to the annual Cathedral Arts show at Grace Church, I was enchanted by the live music of a female soloist with a guitar and piano, and a dance performance as edgy as anything you’d find at St. Mark’s Church in the East Village.
My hope is that the big money moving into Jersey City (JC Trump Plaza is about half-built) is art smart – unlike the selfish, callous money that destroyed the art mecca that was 111 First St.
Obviously, not all the wealthy have an esthetic sensibility. Politicians, too, ought to be more aware of the transformative power of art to create vibrant communities. Of course, there are also some extraordinary people within the west bank art world who should be acknowledged, like Nyugen Smith, who, with his friendly, reaching-out personality, does much to encourage an arts-community-in-the-making.
The artistic renaissance now happening in Newark, “the new cutting edge” as described by a glowing piece in the Times on a recent Sunday, ought to inspire Hudson County to do whatever it can to maintain and expand its current base of artists.
A few months ago, I saw Cory Booker, Newark’s youthful and intelligent new mayor, at gallery Aferro on Market Street. I was impressed with his genuine sense of curiosity about the works, as evidenced by his deep sense of engagement with them, and the many pointed questions he had for the artists hovering giddily by his side.
Hudson County could certainly use a few strong, smart, art-savvy leaders like Booker.
Meanwhile, all possible efforts should be made to connect Hudson County public school students with the art treasures currently in their midst. Why not create an official office to open a space of possibility between local artists and public schools? Young imaginations – dulled by the numbing routine of standardized testing, which has gone from bad to worse in the Bush years, might be re-awakened by exposure to a piece of sculpture, painting, or dance, especially if accompanied by a talk and dialogue with the artist.
This is how education can change and save lives. – John Bredin
John Bredin teaches English at Essex County College in Newark and Boricua College in Brooklyn. Responses to this essay are welcome at: jfbredin@hotmail.com.