Sharks in Manhattan

Winkleman Gallery is temporarily closed due to the affects of Hurricane Sandy. We are working hard to clear out the space, and eventually repair the damage to our floors, and get back up and running, but we remain without electricity and it's been a slow process. We hope to have concrete information about when we can reopen in the coming days, but realistically, we're looking at weeks, not days.

We have been so focused on the gallery and without much in the way of contact with the world, due to 5 days without electricity at home either, that we have only just begun to realize the extent of devastation in neighborhoods like Greenpoint, Redhook, and Staten Island. Our hearts are broken for the losses suffered so widely. We hope to get to a point soon where we can help with that clean-up effort. (Please send info on websites where we can help if you have it.)

For the first few days after the storm it was impossible for us do much other than clean up the gallery until night fell, drag ourselves into our dark apartment, and cuddle under the duvet to stay warm. Fortunately falling into a heavy sleep wasn't a problem. But we were out of communication with most people, to the degree that Murat's family in Kyrgyzstan became concerned. 

They were hearing all kinds of stories about what had happened in New York. Murat finally was able to email his neice with news that we were ok and she wrote back, "Thank God. We were so worried. We've heard New York is in terrible condition. Is it true sharks are swimming around Manhattan?"

We were wet, covered in mud, and utterly exhausted on the crosstown bus going home when the email came through on Murat's iPhone. The other weary New Yorkers on the bus must have thought we had lost our minds. We started laughing so hard we were almost in tears. 

Normal blogging will not likely resume any time soon, I'm afraid. Just too much work left to get things back up and running. But I do want to thank a number of people who have been absolute heroes to Murat and me, for their kindness, help and encouragement. In no particular order, we are so very grateful to 

Rory Donaldson and Derek Preston, Mark Pollock, Cristin Tierney and her wonderful associates, Justin Amrhein, Donna Troy Cleary and Elizabeth E Cook, Gary Petersen, Doreen McCarthy and Craig Zabala, William Powhida, Omar Lopez-Chahoud, John Post Lee, William Flaherty, Carl Pritzkat and Tony Travostino, Seymour Barosfky, Martina Batan and the wonderful people at Ronald Feldman Fine Art, Andrew Porter!!!!, Wendy Olsoff, Penny Pilkington, Anneliis Beadnell, Monica Herman, Heather Darcy Bhandari and all the wonderful people at Mixed Greens, Elizabeth Dee and Jayne Drost Johnson, Lisa Schroeder and Sara Jo Romero, Jesse Lambert, Sean Fader!!!! and the woman Murat and I would ask to marry us if they ever made polygamy legal, the awesome Helen Toomer Labzda (well, we'd clearly have to discuss that with her husband, but...).

We are also grateful for the generosity of the fabulous neighbors we have on our street. Derek Eller, Wallspace, Foxy Production, and Jeff Bailey; these are wonderful galleries with ambitious programs run by wonderful people who need and deserve your support. It's been hellish on 27th Street, but no one has lost their optimism or sense of humor.

Finally, he's part of the team, so it goes without saying, but Murat and I are so very grateful for the continual support, wisdom and encouragement of the amazing Jay Grimm. This would have been so much harder without him.

Please please forgive us if we've left anyone out. It's all been such a blur. And please be patient if we still can't respond to communications in a timely manner. Electricity will not be restored to the gallery for at least a few more days (we hope that's all it is).