New York According to: Nicole Russo of Chapter NY

Founded by Nicole Russo in 2013, Chapter NY supports artists at different phases in their careers, and across mediums that include site-specific installation, sculpture, ceramics, video, drawing, painting and photography. The gallery also offers a platform for non-represented artists and presents more experimental projects beyond the scope of traditional exhibitions. 

Russo gives the local highlights of her Tribeca space and the lowdown on where to find New York’s best Martini, and bacon, egg and cheese sandwich (not the same place, sadly).

What’s great about your gallery’s location? 

It’s right in the middle of an exciting art center that is not only a neighborhood where people come to see art, but an area where so many art lovers live. We have people who see every show, sometimes even coming in and seeing a show twice since they are making the rounds. Plus, we are close to so many other great New York neighborhoods. 

Why would you recommend your neighborhood area to art lovers new to New York? 

Tribeca gives you the opportunity to see so many great galleries at different scales within a manageable radius. Each one has unique spaces that have their own charm, without being another traditional white box. Within a few blocks, you can see artists you might already be familiar with, but there is also the chance for discovery. 

Can you explain the ethos of your gallery and what unites your artists?

In the end, I would say I work with artists that I’m in constant awe of. They are always pushing the expectations of what art should be, across diverse mediums, ideas and practices. They make work that asks you to really look and spend time with it, that does not automatically give you answers but rewards you over time.

Favorite museum in New York?

NY has so many great museums: the Whitney, MoMA and SculptureCenter, to name a few. I’m particularly excited to see how the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s contemporary program develops with David Breslin and Jane Panetta now there. I also have a soft spot for the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, which has a model from Blade Runner and the collection of Jim Henson’s studio. There are so many incredible places to look at different forms of art.

Last exhibition you went to? 

Diane Simpson at James Cohan. I’ve always been a fan of her work, but seeing the works from the late ’70s shows how ahead of her time she has always been. It’s incredible to see what she can do with cardboard and crayon!

Favorite place to eat in your area?

A great spot for breakfast or casual lunch is West Side Coffee Shop. They have a great chicken soup, but also one of the best BECs I’ve had in New York. Odeon is always a good spot for a work lunch or a nice dinner. The steak tartar is my go-to (obviously with fries). Also, they make a good Aperol Spritz in the summer.

Best bar near the gallery?

Walker’s, which is also my favorite restaurant in the area. It’s a real neighborhood spot that you can spend an hour (or several) in. Sadly, there are not many spots like it left in New York: a low-key welcoming vibe, where you have locals that have been going for years and recent transplants that have discovered it. There is also Frenchette, which makes one of the best Martinis in town.

Best thing about New York?

The characters.

Worst thing about New York?

The smell during the summer after weeks of 90+ degree weather.

Chapter NY is taking part in Frieze New York 2024 (stand C06). 

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^{Main image: Erin Jane Nelson: “Sublunary”, 2023, installation view. Image courtesy of the artist and Chapter NY. Photographer: Charles Benton}