In the 1990s, the seemingly abandoned industrial areas of Williamsburg, Brooklyn created a unique haven for New York City's famous avant-garde art scene. Twenty years later, Williamsburg's artsiness has made it one of the most expensive ...See moreIn the 1990s, the seemingly abandoned industrial areas of Williamsburg, Brooklyn created a unique haven for New York City's famous avant-garde art scene. Twenty years later, Williamsburg's artsiness has made it one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the country. Having been pushed to further-out neighborhoods, artists are uncomfortably confronting their role in creating the very process that displaces them. I Was Here First (2015) follows 3 prominent ex-Williamsburg venues, taking a critical look at the future of experimental art in a city whose soaring rental market is driving some of its best artists out in search of more welcoming places. Written by
Katherin Machalek
See less