Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History has opened a pop-up miniature exhibition showcasing iconic Brooklyn scenes.
Now on through Saturday, Dec. 2, the exhibition features the work of three renowned local artists, the library said in a news release.
"The Center for Brooklyn History at Brooklyn Public Library is home to the most expansive collection of Brooklyn history in the world, so we are especially delighted to showcase the work of three Brooklyn artists: Danny Cortes, Jack Giambanco and Aaron Kinard. Their miniatures capture the borough’s past and present in exquisitely detailed brownstones, storefronts, bodegas and more," a library spokesperson said.
The artists are all longtime Brooklynites and self-taught artists whose passion for making miniatures developed over the last few years and captivated art lovers across the nation.
Each artist creates work that represents Brooklyn – including brownstones, firehouses, businesses, and graffiti-covered street objects like mailboxes, iceboxes and streetlamps.
Cortes’s miniatures capture his childhood growing up in Bushwick and the gritty New York of the 1990s. His urban landscapes detail every gum stain, sticker, and rust-worn gate in intricate detail. In the three short years since Cortes began his surprising journey as a miniaturist, he has become a sought after artist, with work displayed at Art Basel in Miami, auctioned at Sotheby’s, and collected by Hip Hop stars.
Giambanco began creating miniature models of beloved local Brooklyn businesses during the pandemic, inspired to preserve neighborhood fixtures that were struggling or closing. He now works at his art full time. Starting with a detailed sketch, he breaks each model down into multiple pieces, designs the pieces digitally, reproduces them using 3D printers, and then carefully assembles the final work. His models of iconic places like Lenny’s Pizza, Roll N’ Roaster, and White Castle capture the spirit of place and time. Giambanco sees his art as a way to keep memories alive.
Kinard has been making urban dioramas for four years. Sometimes political, sometimes romantic, they express both his love of New York and his concerns for the world. Growing up he was aware that miniature toys and train sets largely depicted a white, rural world. He aims to address that in his work. This is his first exhibition.
The pop-up exhibition will be accompanied by a talk by the artists and miniatures will be available for sale in the shop, along with other holiday gifts, at the Center for Brooklyn History.
WHERE:
Center for Brooklyn History, 128 Pierrepont St.
EXHIBITION and SHOP HOURS:
Monday, Nov. 27 through Saturday, Dec. 2
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTISTS:
Thursday, Nov. 30
6:30 p.m.
RSVP here.
