Both a celebration and exploration of our new neighborhood, the Bowery Artist Tribute explores the presence of artists on this famed thoroughfare. Throughout the 20th century, the Bowery was a richly diverse commercial and residential district as well as an infamous “skid row.” But its other little-known history was as an active creative community with artists from Mark Rothko to Roy Lichtenstein, James Rosenquist, Brice Marden, and Eva Hesse living and working here. Through onsite and online … [more]resources, publications, and public programming, the Bowery Artist Tribute is a vibrant connecting point for our visitors and neighbors to tap into the history of the neighborhood, its creative residents, and its contributions to contemporary culture.

Focused on researching the history of artists living and working on the Bowery, the Bowery Artist Tribute is a dynamic art history of the area. One key feature is the development of an interactive map on the New Museum Web site that illustrates the rich artistic legacy of the neighborhood through cultural institutions, locations of artists’ studios, and biographical information. A series of public programs—panel discussions, screenings, and performances—illuminates the rich legacy and exciting future of the neighborhood. Central to this project is an ongoing effort to record the oral histories of artists who have lived and worked along the Bowery and its outskirts. Interviewees include poets Hettie Jones and Bob Holman; art historian Kellie Jones; filmmaker Roddy Bogawa; and artists Vito Acconci, Lynda Benglis, David Diao, Inka Essenhigh, Charles Hinman, James Rosenquist, and Billy Sullivan. This ongoing project will continue to grow over time to include more interviews, an updated timeline, and information on art spaces and institutions with over one hundred artists who have been living and working in the neighborhood over the past fifty years.