DESIGN DISPATCH

LAXART Rebrands as The Brick and Announces a June Opening, and Other News

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Rendering of The Brick by John Frame of HGA Architects. Images courtesy of The Brick

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The L.A. nonprofit art space LAXART is rebranding as The Brick and will reopen in June.

The Los Angeles alternative art space LAXART has rebranded as The Brick, which references its new 5,000-square-foot building’s exposed-brick interior and its cooperative community role. The new space, which opens on June 16 on Western Avenue’s growing gallery corridor, will feature a mural by 3B Collective and host events such as performances by Roscoe Mitchell and a sale of Allan Sekula’s personal library. The inaugural exhibition, “Gregg Bordowitz: This Is Not A Love Song,” kicks off on July 14, followed by “Life on Earth: Art & Ecofeminism” in September. The highly anticipated “Monuments” show, meanwhile, has been postponed to October 2025.

Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District faces a financial crisis and may raise fees.

Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) is facing a funding crisis that may force it to reduce museum hours if the government doesn’t intervene by August. WKCD board chairman Henry Tang revealed that despite submitting a financial plan to generate revenue, the district hasn’t received a response from authorities. The WKCD, plagued by construction delays, cost surges, and pandemic-related impacts, has proposed measures like raising fees and selling land, but without approval, the district might have to cut museum days and opera house hours, jeopardizing its goal of becoming an international cultural hub.

One of the avatars in Nina Chanel Abney’s Super Punk World. Image courtesy of cryptopunks.app

Nina Chanel Abney’s new CryptoPunks collection is criticized for calling out online hate.

Earlier this week, Nina Chanel Abney debuted the “Super Punk World” collection, which is part of CryptoPunks’ Punk in Residency program and features 500 8-bit avatars combining traits from CryptoPunks and her 2022 “Super Cool World” series. The collection challenges race and gender norms while aiming to diversify the male-dominated digital art space, but has faced backlash from CryptoPunks fans criticizing it as low quality and overly political. Despite criticism, Abney and Yuga Labs co-founder Greg Solano remain committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity within the NFT community.

A mere five percent of New York City apartments are affordable for the average salary.

Soaring rents and high upfront costs have made fewer than five percent of New York City apartments affordable for the average local worker last year, with median rents rising 8.6 percent to $3,475 while wages grew only 1.2 percent. The average worker, earning just under $89,000 annually, could afford $2,216 per month on housing, but faced upfront costs totaling $10,454. Essential workers earning less than $70,000 could afford just one percent of rentals, highlighting the severe affordability crisis in the city.

Kehinde Wiley will take legal action to clear his name after sexual assault allegations.

Kehinde Wiley plans to take legal action against artist Joseph Awuah-Darko, who accused him of sexual assault, allegations Wiley denies as false and defamatory. Awuah-Darko claims Wiley groped him and later forced himself on him during a 2021 dinner at the Noldor Artist Residency in Ghana. Wiley’s lawyers are demanding Awuah-Darko retract his statements, asserting their encounters were consensual and that Awuah-Darko is seeking attention and financial gain.

Image courtesy Puig Women's America’s Cup

Today’s attractive distractions:

An Eater writer investigates what it actually takes to cook like a tradwife.

Patricia Urquiola designs a trophy for the Puig Women’s America’s Cup.

Aurora Borealis may still be visible in the U.S. over the next few years.

Venus Williams and eight other athletes receive their own Barbie dolls.

All Stories