In our very first edition of our Hudson Valley Culture Guides, our team has collected their favorite art spaces from different areas in our beloved region. Each presents a unique experience of primarily contemporary art and interacts with extremely relevant dialogues on the modern human experience.

Many of these locations have been closed since the arrival of COVID restrictions, however in honor of UPSTATE ART WEEKEND, several are opening their doors again (unique COVID rules and restrictions apply to each institution).

Art Centers

Magazzino Italian Art

Located in the southern portion of the Hudson Valley, near Boscobel and surrounded by protected landscapes, Magazzino Italian Art is a non-profit center for research and exhibitions on postwar and contemporary Italian art. 

Along with their ongoing collection featuring the work of 12 pioneering Italian artists from the mid-20th century Arte Povera movement (translated literally as ‘poor art’), Magazzino is currently hosting a special exhibition titled Homemade through September 7th. Homemade features the work of several New-York based Italian artists and promises to push your expectations on the boundaries of contemporary art and materials. 

Admission is free. 

Art Omi 

For those who enjoy the autonomy, natural beauty, and occasional artistic absurdity of Storm King’s sculpture park, Art Omi is a perfect smaller-scale experience. Located in the heart of Columbia County, Art Omi features a large range of pieces by both artists and famed architects, all set in an extremely beautiful and peaceful part of the Hudson Valley. 

With residencies in the fields of Art, Architecture, and Writing, and a typically full schedule of events, Omi has been committed to engaging their community in learning about the value of art, nature, and creative pursuits. 

Admission is free, and dogs, bikes, and food/beverages are allowed in the park. 

Dia: Beacon 

Dia: Beacon is a longstanding favorite of the region, perched right on the Hudson River, in an expansive converted Nabisco box-printing factory with impressive skylights and unique industrial architectural elements. The museum offers a diverse collection of commissioned work, long-term exhibitions, and Land art primarily from the 1960s onwards. 

As the space is quite large and features substantial and often immersive works, we recommend giving yourself plenty of time to explore the center and its surroundings. 

JDJ & The Ice House

JDJ is a contemporary and avant-garde art program developed by Jayne Drost Johnson, a veteran of the NYC art world, based out of the industrial and minimalist Ice House building in a remote part of Garrison, NY. Certainly an ‘off the beaten path’ destination with a more intrepid audience (i.e. those who are excited to venture beyond Dia:Beacon), the Ice House makes a significant contribution to the Hudson Valley art scene with its exhibitions that balance artistry with strong sociopolitical statements. 

JDJ will be opening on Saturday, August 29th, for the first time since the emergence of COVID-19 restrictions, with Noel W. Anderson's solo exhibition Papers of the Archive. 

Galleries

The School: Jack Shainman Gallery

The School, located in the converted 30,000 sq ft Martin Van Buren school building in Kinderhook, is one of iconic gallerist Jack Shainman’s latest ventures. The gallery prioritizes diversity in the artists it represents and often displays the work of artists known for challenging and contributing to the culture of their generation. Past exhibitions have hosted new and emerging artists as well as established visionaries including Odili Donald Odita, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat (in the gallery’s arguably most popular exhibit Warhol X Basquiat), and Meleko Mokgosi.

While there are no current exhibitions available to visit, be prepared for the 2021 launch of Feedback, featuring the work of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Becky Suss, Kerry James Marshall, and Diedrick Brackens.

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER Gallery has brought a fresh and innovative space for artists of various disciplines to Hudson’s central Warren Street. Founded by Kristen Dodge, SEPTEMBER has a strong vision for supporting the local community and prioritizes collaborations with female-identifying and LGBTQIA+ artists. 

Pushing far beyond visual art, the gallery’s past events and exhibitions include the Young Hudson Biennial, Odessa Straub: There's my chair I put it there, and Laleh Khorramian’s: Unearth. Ashley Garrett’s first solo exhibition, Aegis is available to view through August 30th. 

The Hudson Milliner Art Salon

The Hudson Milliner Art Salon, another Warren Street space devoted to both artistic expression and contemporary dialogues, is the most current project of painter and restauranteur Charlotta Janssen and photographer Shannon Greer. 

Based out of a significant historical building in the center of Hudson, the Hudson Milliner highlights both art and performance and often tackles political themes and current and past social issues. 

Mother Gallery, Beacon 

Painters Kirsten Deirup and Paola Ochoa opened Mother Gallery in 2018 with the ambition of creating a place that fosters honest and authentic dialogue between artists and Hudson Valley inhabitants. The gallery’s exhibitions are edgy and contemporary in their themes, and their current exhibition Mother Altar, a time capsule and significant group exhibition (with 100 contributors), is no exception. 

Mother Alter will open to the public only on August 29 from 5 to 9 pm and August 30 from noon to 9 pm - coinciding with the UPSTATE ART WEEKEND.