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Editor’s note: Personally, as an artist with a home studio, I had few immediate strike-related concerns other than the possible compromise of emergency services, homeland security, and the availability of fresh milk here in midtown. However, as an editor of Resolve40, my nascent nose for news led me to reach out and see how others were faring.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

The current strike by transit workers impacts not only the city as a whole, and all of us who live and work here as individuals, but puts pressure on each sub-group within the five boroughs - and the art community is no exception.

Checking in by telephone with some galleries, both Ronald Feldman in SoHo and Edwynn Houk in the 50’s reported very little traffic, at a time of year when it is generally quite busy, as well as difficulties with shipments and deliveries. On the other hand, James Cohan Gallery in Chelsea was experiencing a second day of “very heavy flow” in spite of the transportation issues, possibly due to the imminent closing of a high-profile show. The strike is “only an inconvenience”, and staff has formed a carpool to commute to the gallery.

Museum aficionados, take heart! From the Met’s website: “Despite the NYC Transit strike, the Museum is open—as always—with no changes to our regular schedule” Similarly, the MoMA posted, “Throughout the NYC transit strike, the Museum is committed to remaining open during regular public hours, and the film screenings will go on as scheduled.” Good attendance was reported at both, so yes, you can get there. The phone message at the Guggenheim indicated that while the Museum plans to be open, some galleries may be closed to the public due to staffing problems.

Of course, before it can even hang in a gallery, the art has to get made, and that means that artists must be supplied. Jonny Siegel of Soho Art Materials assured me that deliveries are being made, albeit they are taking longer and the timing is difficult. As he put it, “We are happy to be open and accommodating those that can make it in here.”

And how are those artists faring? Resolve40 Editor-In-Chief Mark Wiener cycled to his uptown studio today and reported smooth sailing on Second Avenue. Going downtown Fifth Avenue, with it’s vehicle restrictions, was empty until he reached 59th Street, when it became crowded with buses chartered to bring workers home. On Tuesday, he found that transporting a canvas by taxi cost moredue to the taxi contingency plan - a ride that would usually cost $8.00 wound up totaling $20, even after 10PM. Worse, many cabs refused to stop when they realized he had a large “package,” which would not leave room for them to take on an extra passenger for an additional fare.

This being NYC, perhaps some of the striking workers might have second careers as artist. At the nearest subway station, 42nd and Lexington. There was no sign of picketing at any entrance there, and I turned my attention to visit Holiday Gift Fair in Grand Central Terminal. In one of the warmly lit stalls, Allison Tolman exhibits the works by Japanese artists from The Tolman Collection of New York. Although she wondered if the lack of mobility might create a captive audience of people who live or work nearby, interested in shopping locally, she lamented, “People who said they would come back can’t make it back,” Hopefully things will return to normal before the last day of the fair, December 24th, Christmas Eve.