Storefront for Art&Architecture

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Mission Statement
Founded in 1982, Storefront for Art and Architecture is a nonprofit organization committed to the advancement of innovative positions in architecture, art and design. Our program of exhibitions, artists talks, film screenings, conferences and publications is intended to generate dialogue and collaboration across geographic, ideological and disciplinary boundaries. As a public forum for emerging voices, Storefront explores vital issues in art and architecture with the intent of increasing awareness of and interest in contemporary design.

Standing at the forefront of local, national and international design communities, Storefront explores vital issues in art and architecture. Over the past 29 years, Storefront has exhibited the work of more than one thousand architects and artists, including many who have launched their careers at Storefront. Throughout its immense history, Storefront has featured the work of Vito Acconci, Peter Cook, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Diller + Scofidio, Steven Holl, Yves Klein, Kiki Smith, Lebbeus Woods, Dan Graham, Lewis Tsuramaki Lewis, and Petra Blaisse, among many others. Located in a triangular ground level space at Kenmare and Lafayette Streets, bordering SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown, Storefront is situated on a major downtown thoroughfare between three radically different cultural sectors that attracts diverse audiences. Nearly 100 feet long, the gallery tapers from 20 feet to 3 feet at its west end. The gallery’s dramatic spatial qualities inspired the 1993 façade project by architect Steven Holl and artist Vito Acconci, which permanently installed 12 pivotal wall panels that open the gallery directly onto the street. Since this collaborative project, Storefront’s gallery space has been considered an architectural landmark and the façade was recently renovated in the summer of 2008, securing the project’s longevity.