Maynard Monrow (pictured above)
Artist and curator, Long Island City
How was the opening?
I ran into so many dealers and artists and collectors and critics — you know, the art world. It was like the art world went to the country for the day.
What do you curate?
The Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection. She is a very prominent collector, one of the biggest in the world. We have a space in Palm Beach called the Bunker — it’s major. Everybody knows her, and everybody knows the Bunker.
And you’re an artist yourself?
Yes. It’s all language-based text art. I’m a visual poet, constantly whittling and jotting down words and doing cut-and-paste stuff. I just made a piece regarding what happened, that SCOTUS turned our country into a monarchy and made former president Trump a king. It says, “50 Stars and 13 Stripes Will Not Protect You.”
Tell me about your look today.
I wanted it to be summer chic. I got the glasses in Italy, where one gets the most fabulous things — Milan. Everyone said, “Maynard’s always looking fresh and fancy.”
Amir Guberstein and Asiya Nassar-Guberstein
Artist and teacher, Gowanus
Loreta Lamargese
Gallery director, East Village
Marsha Miro
Museum founder, Hillsdale
Did any piece of art stand out?
There were a lot of things I really liked. There was this very funny piece by Tal R, a Danish sculptor and artist. It was like this gremlin standing in the middle of the grass peeking in on us inside. It was very whimsical and kind of merry and mystical at the same time.
Jenna Mirabelle Smooke
Junior event sales manager, East Village
James Cohan
Art dealer and museum co-founder, Park Slope
How did you pick this space?
It had so much great history. Pretty much everyone who lives in that area went to that school, so it was particularly thrilling to see old students and teachers come and check it out. I met the former shop teacher, I learned where the detention room was, where kids went and smoked cigarettes — the secret life of a building.
Alice Conconi
Gallery partner, Harlem
Hein Koh
Artist, Greenpoint
Jane Cohan
Gallery partner, Park Slope
Tracy Williams
Art adviser and appraiser, Tribeca
Chat with anyone interesting?
Well, I mean, it was fun talking to Andrew Kreps. He told me that soon after they acquired the space, they got a phone call from the producers of Pretty Little Liars. They wanted to film in the school for a year and a half, so they leased it to them and it paid for the building.
Andrew Kreps
Gallerist and museum co-founder, Chelsea
Audrée Anid
Gallerist and artist, East Williamsburg
Jordan Nassar
Artist, Gowanus
How did you pick your outfit?
I’m kind of a cartoon character and get into one mood for extended periods of time. I have my go-to pants and shirt right now. The pants, I haven’t taken them off since I got them. They’re so beautiful. They’re Story mfg., my friend’s brand. It’s extremely slow fashion. Everything is hand-dyed and handwoven and yadda yadda. The shirt is thrifted. I love a collarless button-down.
Meg Fennelly
Arts-and-culture publicist, East Village
Todd Barton
Chef, Bedford-Stuyvesant
What was it like when you got here?
Pulling up to school was really weird. It was in the morning, so it was kind of like we were all going to school. I came on a bus, too. It was just really nostalgic, and we had a lot of fun just prancing into school, telling our stories, different chemistry-lab experiences. But it was cool having all the art around.
Chiara Repetto
Gallery owner, Chelsea
Noah Elwood
Marketing assistant, Clinton Hill
Angel Abramson
Gallery-operations manager, Hell’s Kitchen
How’s your summer going?
It’s going great. Thankfully, three weeks from now, I’m getting ready to go to the Olympics. A friend’s significant other will be competing. She’s No. 1 in the U.S. for fencing, so it’ll be great to see her in action.
Dulcina Abreu
Residency coordinator, Central Park West
Photographs by Frankie Alduino
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