We all have our favorite watering holes, but German artist Tobias Rehberger seems to have taken his fascination with Frankfurt’s Bar Oppenheimer to a whole new level: he has created an exact replica of the bar right here in New York City at Chelsea’s Hotel Americano. Located in the hotel’s basement, one has to navigate a kind of maze to get to this bar, and once you get there, prepare to be bowled over (and maybe even a little disoriented) with the dazzling psychedelic design of this space.
While Rehberger created this space to tie in with the Frieze Art Fair in May, Bar Oppenheimer will continue to be open to visitors until July 14th. But do remember that Bar Oppenheimer is not just an artwork to be gawked at—it is, after all, a fully functioning bar, and bartender Brandt Osborn (he’s also an actor; he plays a role in the upcoming Spider-Man 2) is on hand to whip up a drink for you—ask him to serve you his signature creation, “Skywalker,” a refreshing summer drink made with hints of pineapple and cucumber alongside vodka and champagne.
So be it to ponder over Rehberger’s striking artwork, or to simply sip a cocktail, make sure you head down to Hotel Americano at the earliest and check out Bar Oppenheimer for yourself. After all, this is where you can get a heady mix of both alcohol and art—is there really a better combination than that?
Photo by Aby Sam Thomas
