NARS’ mission is geared towards creating community while fostering expansion and exchange of artistic and cultural practices. In March 2020, in response to the devastating impact that the COVID pandemic had on the cultural sector and specifically artists and in the development of their work, we dedicated part of the NARS Studios to 2-3 individual NY based artists per season who were in need of a space but were otherwise unable to afford it.
Each subsidized studio space was available for 3 months, as a work-space only. Throughout this time, artists had 24/7 access to their spaces and were able to liaise with a diverse artistic community.
The NARS Foundation is grateful to have been one of the selected cultural institutions using one of the houses in Governors Island for their Summer-Fall season in 2020, 2021, and again in 2022.
Throughout the three summer seasons, NARS invited a selection of New York based artists to do a 3 month residency at our NARS x Governors Island Satellite Residency Program. The selected artists had access to a working space and benefited from the vibrant community of artists and institution working at The Island.
The satellite program in GI was a unique opportunity for NARS as it greatly impacted the visibility of our organization’s mission: to provide direct support to emerging artists and curators. The location of Governors Island made it not only accessible to visitors from Manhattan, Brooklyn, and beyond, but applicable to the communities which we serve, while simultaneously expanding our reach to new audiences.
The Re-Discoveries exhibition, held at NARS in January of 2022, showcased the recent works of Southwest Brooklyn artists who had consistently made work throughout the past 25+ years. With this exhibition, NARS aimed to create space for the diverse artistic communities in South West Brooklyn, enabling intergenerational conversations among artists and arts professionals.
The aim of the Juried Solo Exhibition Program was to create a platform for artists to present their curated body of work to wider audience with staff support. The exhibitions provided the opportunity for one selected emerging and underrepresented national and international artist to present innovative and compelling artwork that creates new dialogue and a forum for exchanging ideas. The program provided one selected artist with gallery space and curatorial and administrative support for a solo show.
Mira Dayal Material Metaphors
Khánh H. Lê Making Memories While We Wait
Elizabeth Hatke lateral drift
Reilly Sinanan Preventative Measures
Denis Beaubois Currency
Tori Purcell (Ex)Change
The Emerging Curator Program offered an opportunity for an individual or curatorial collective to organize a conceptually cohesive group show at the NARS Foundation Gallery. The aim of the program was to encourage new dialogue and to create a platform for emerging curators and artists to experiment and exchange ideas.
No prior curatorial experience was necessary. An experienced curator on staff was available to provide guidance and support during the program.
Tiffany Jaeyeon Shin Myth, Memory, Migration: Stories from the Asian Diaspora
Alvaro Luis Lima and Nicole Siegenthaler Low Res: Spatial Politics in the Cloud
Katherine Gressel Artistic Developments
Allison Young Re-tracing the Land
Shlmoit Dror F_ll in the bl_nk
Tamara Johnson Show Me Your Glands
Cat Weaver CIVILIZATION and its DISCONTENT
