"Hall of the Gowanus" at Proteus Gowanus

F.I.B popped into the reading room/gallery Proteus Gowanus last Sunday and checked out the newly opened "Hall of the Gowanus". The hall features all things Gowanus, from found artifacts, pressed botanicals, books, maps and art inspired by the canal itself. In the hall of the Gowanus you will notice a large jar containing a murky watery substance. What is it? Why it's a sampling of the Gowanus, coal tar on the bottom (that's the black layer on the bottom) and all! It's one thing to gaze upon the waters from above on a bridge but this sampling is another thing all together. It looks like it is from another planet.

There is much to loose yourself in at Proteus Gowanus,an apt description from their website says:

"Proteus Gowanus is a gallery and reading room located on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, NY. A collaborative project, the gallery develops exhibits of art, artifacts and books that revolve around a yearlong theme linking the arts to other disciplines and to the community. Proteus Gowanus incorporates the rich and diverse cultural resources of several non-profit organizations into its exhibits and programming."

They have several things going on at the moment, this year the gallery has a Transport theme show up with loads of transport themed books, artifacts and art, the monthly Fixer's Collective where you can go and get help to fix anything you have that needs fixing and to top it off, it is a reading room. If you need a quiet place to work, with wifi, coffee and table space, check out Proteus Gowanus's Study Hall here.

Tucked into the back corner of the gallery is also the fab Reanimation Library, where you will find vintage technical and educational books that are available as reference sources for artists, writers and all you "cultural archeologists”. Read about that here.

And in the Observatory gallery off the main room is Vision Quest a trippy group art exhibit of neo-shamanic paintings and drawings. Be sure to explore the website for all the unique events this gallery hosts on a weekly basis. On Wednesday night there is going to be a shamanic ritual!!