Dorsky Gallery Curatorial Programs

There are arty neighborhoods defined by the fact that artists live (or used to live) in them: Soho, Williamsburg…
And then there are arty neighborhoods defined by the fact that arts insitutions have set up shop there, like the Chelsea gallery district.
Or the neighborhood around PS 1 in Long Island City, where Dorsky Gallery is situated.
The Gallery opened up sometime in 2001 or 2002, coming in the wake of PS 1, and of MOMA’s temporary relocation to LIC. It was started by the children of philanthropist and gallery owner Samuel Dorsky as a non-​profit space to give independent curators a venue to strut their stuff.
Dorsky and The Sculpture Center nearby definitely swim with the current set by PS 1, keeping the same hours and hoping to engage the same audience.
The Gallery has hosted quite a few smart, intriguing group shows over the last several years, and I wish I’d caught on to its existence a long time ago.
Like, for example, they hosted a group show called «Seeing Things» last year that looked at how some photographers (beginning in the mid-​60s) started to explore how the medium transforms reality, rather than mirroring it.
When I dropped by on a recent Monday morning, although they were open, they clearly weren’t expecting visitors (they were taking photos of the show on view).
I guess not many people come by on weekdays — but if you’re interested in contemporary art and smart curating, you should plan to visit this gallery.