This weekend we want you to go to court. No, not for jury duty, or because you have to finally see a judge about that summons you got for biking past a red light a year ago (there was not a car in sight, damn police quotas), we want you to go to the Old Bronx County Courthouse, because this is the last weekend for No Longer Empty’s When You Cut into the Present the Future Leaks Out free arts exhibit. This is the first time in almost 40 years the old Courthouse has been used for anything and perhaps will be the last time you get to go see the Courthouse before it becomes a Trader Joe’s so don’t miss it.
There are numerous different types of art to experience at the event: everything from Shellyne Rodriguez’s chandelier made of mousetraps; A Timeline of Handstyles, a wall filled with graffiti signatures demonstrating the many styles the form of tagging has taken from the 60s’ to now; Abigail Deville’s large installation made up of used objects from Bronx residents …And Justice for All, Even with all of the art present, one of the most interesting aspects of this exhibition is the fact that we get to wander around an historical building such as Old Bronx County Courthouse, a landmarked building made in a style that we are seeing less and less of in today’s changing NYC infrastructure.
The exhibit, which has had its share of controversy over its two and a half month run (it’s been called a lightning rod for fear of gentrification) with protests happening at the exhibits opening, which has come to a surprise from the people who work at No Longer Empty: a non-profit that hosts art exhibitions in vacant places around the city; they told art blog Hyperallergic that “nothing like that has occurred before.”
A Beaux Arts-style building, which first opened in 1905, the Old Bronx County Courthouse today is nowhere nearly as glorious as it once was. However, some elements of the building remain intact, one of them being the glorious statue of Lady Justice (blind as your average sports empire) outside of the building and one of their all bronze doors still stands (leaning against a wall). And, if you still got time (which we’re sure you do), you can always head up to Arthur Avenue to restock your fridge.
Make your inbox more of a historical marker, subscribe to our weekly newsletter