Last weekend, the brand-new Seaport District Cultural Association [SDCA] opened its doors on Beekman Street for its inaugural exhibition, “We Cover the Waterfront.” Now running through April 30, it features the work of 35 artists who live or work in the Seaport District. Walking into the expansive two-story space — once a Liz Claiborne store — visitors are greeted first by the prints of area photographers, many of whom have exhibited at the PhotoGraphic Gallery on Front Street, whose proprietors, Jim Wintner and Richard Sack, founded the SDCA. There are iconic photos by Joel Greenberg of New York landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, which from his vantage point resembles a stairway to the sky.
The famous photojournalist James Nachtwey is represented with a series of photos from war-torn areas, including a smoldering World Trade Center, and the well-known portrait photographer William Coupon has a dozen or so miniature photos on view. Past the rotunda-like entrance, and up the steps, the exhibit moves into mixed media, sculpture, and paintings like Stephen Aiken’s brilliant, high-color triptych. Aiken, who recently moved to the Seaport, curated the non-photography portion of the show, which includes surreal collages by Selena Kimball and Lisa Bruce; seductive, pixilated paintings by Lee Holin (who owns the nearby restaurant Meade’s); and adorable prints of big-eyed raindrops in the computer-generated style of Japanese Anime, by J.D. Boujnah. Sara Williams, who co-owns Fresh Salt across the street, will be adding her work to the exhibit this weekend, when the SDCA kicks off its weekly Friday night jazz series with the trio Old Dog ($10 for two sets beginning at 7 p.m.). The gallery/performance space will also continue its 2 p.m. Sunday children’s concert series ($5 admission). For more information, or to RSVP, call 212-393-9191.
— Nicole Davis
