In just a few days, Recession Art will open RAC, our home on the Lower East Side. Our vision of RAC is a triple-threat space: part gallery, part performance venue, and part store. This week, we’ve been hard at work on the store and want to give you a preview of what to expect at the Grand Opening on Saturday January 21^st.

Theresa Marchetta, "Untitled," from Plastic Print series

The store will be a way to support emerging artists and aspiring collectors. It will be a gathering place for a community that appreciates contemporary art and shares our desire to create an alternative to the traditional art market. It is our hope that the store will house an eclectic collection of books, original pieces, works by our featured artists, and a nook where we can share coffee and conversation.

With the help of Materials for the Arts, we are planning the layout for the Recession Art bookstore that will operate out of the RAC gallery. Through them, we picked up a pedestal to display sculptures and a portfolio to showcase smaller works and prints. In addition, we acquired paint to give the store a fresh look and a bookcase to house a unique collection of handmade books and exhibition catalogs.

Designing the store is a bit like curating a show: an art form in itself. Our Printed Matter Curator Melanie Kress has been consulting with the rest of the Recession Art team on the best way to display the many beautiful art books and prints she has acquired for the store. From the basics of planning the layout of the shelves to organizing and selecting the art and publications, the process requires a clear vision and attention to the Recession Art mission.

Paloma Crousillat, "Untitled," from 101 Telescopes series

It has been thrilling to see so much affordable art start to roll into the store. RA alumna Paloma Crousillat dropped off drawings from her 101 Telescope series, Theresa Marchetta delivered works from her Plastic Print series, and postcards of work by Kuzana Ogg have been recently delivered.   Perhaps most exciting for the RA team has been putting the finishing touches on the 2012 Featured Artist catalog, which will be available to the public on January 21^st.

We can’t wait to show you RAC’s affordable art at the Grand Opening, January 21^st 6 pm to midnight. We look forward to seeing you at our new location at 9 Clinton Street on the LES!