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In the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, on the ground floor of a recently completed mixed-use development, the Center for Art and Advocacy has teamed up with local architecture firm B-KD (Büro Koray Duman) to create a home base for the nonprofit organization supporting formerly incarcerated artists. The flagship space will service the Center’s fellows and the local community.
“The new home of The Center for Art and Advocacy is designed to put community and creativity at the forefront, responding to the diverse needs of its artists, writers and filmmaker fellows,” Koray Duman, founder of B-KD shared in a press release. “A series of custom, multipurpose millwork elements offers seamless reconfiguration, ensuring the space remains as dynamic and responsive as the people and art that bring it to life.”
A Flexible Space for Art and Community
The entrance to the center is unassuming, visible from the street as two black double doors. Visitors enter the space through a narrow hallway, lined on one end with a mural. Designed by Jesse Krimes, the center’s founder and executive director, the mural features geometric pieces of works by the Center’s fellows arranged in a starburst pattern.
On the other side of the wall, a continuous piece of millwork allows for the display of print materials and artwork. As patrons move down the hallway, the display expands into a reading nook with seating and under-bench storage, with the organization’s mission posted on a central wall.
Past a reception desk, the hallway extends into the main space, an open, flexible gallery environment. By pushing the office wall and adding an extension for storage, B-KD was able to dim the visual clutter for a more streamlined environment.
To enhance the flexibility of the space, pegboards are used both in the entryway and gallery, allowing the configuration of shelves or hanging objects to be adapted. The pegboards, along with the space’s cubby holes and stools, were designed by Duman.
The 2,600 square-foot Center has been transformed from an oddly configured plot to a dynamic, adaptable gallery space with built-in projection screens. The design includes custom, reconfigurable walls with wheels that can adapt to the curatorial needs of the gallery, or condense to make room for public events.
A Potent Response to Existential Threats
The adaptability of the space will open the center to a variety of events including lectures, book launches, and educational programming. Having a physical space to organize also creates a future where the Center can invite guest curators to put together readings, film programs, and exhibitions.
“In a time when legislative and policy support for the arts is under threat, the solidarity and generosity of artists and empathetic foundations has been more essential than ever,” shared Krimes. “This space is more than an institution—it’s a movement dedicated to amplifying the voices of artists who challenge, inspire and build community.”
The inaugural exhibition Collective Gestures: Building Community through Practice is on view through September 20. The exhibition highlights the work of over 35 artists who have participated in The Center’s Right of Return Fellowship.
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