Inside Gleason's Gym

The Dumbo Arts Festival brought loads of people to Dumbo over the weekend. I have to say even though I went into a bunch of the galleries and studio's, it was a bit too "slick" and organized for me. I guess I just crave grit because the high point of the checking out the Dumbo Art Festival was having the opportunity to go inside of Gleason's Gym.

Gleason's is world famous for training the World Champion boxers. From Cassius Clay to Jerry Cooney to Mike Tyson and all the greats before, in between and after, they all have passed through Gleason's doors at some point. And guess what? Many of the boxers are artist's too. It really doesn't surprise me.

No one was was working out that afternoon and the open space's walls were covered with photos of boxers and newspaper clippings of boxers who have trained at Gleason's.

The rings had art displayed along the ropes. Hardly anyone wandering around Dumbo that crowded afternoon seemed to notice the piece of paper taped to the front of Gleason's that they were also a part of it.

Snack bar inside Gleason's. If this was in a gallery, this would be called an "installation", yawn. Sorry artsy people, this is real. It actually functions. Imagine that?!

This is the third incarnation of Gleason's, they started in the Bronx, then to Manhattan and then in moved to this location on 77 Front Street in D.U.M.B.O in the early 80's. Long before it before West Elm and the like.

Back when it was "dangerous", I recall traveling from Astoria to attend some art thing in a warehouse down there in about 1987 and walking the streets alone trying to find it and as the subway roared over the Manhattan Bridge over my head, I thought, "If something happens to me around here, no one would hear me scream!" Obviously things have changed, there was an abundance of well heeled people toting fancy designer shopping bags yesterday. I guess that's progress?

Click here to read about the history of Gleason's gym.

Click here to find out how you too can work out there.

P.S- Excuse the wonky layout, blogger has been out of whack lately....