The Stand, an East Village pop-up gallery in a bodega’s beer storage shows artwork of the homeless

On the corner of 7th Street and Avenue C in Alphabet City, a mini pop-up gallery and performance center has been installed in a former bodega’s beer storage. Founded by artist Lori Der Hagopia, “The Stand” features work by street, homeless and unknown artists.

We asked Lori if she had to get any special permissions or zoning changes to use the space and she told us it wasn’t necessary. She has an agreement with the owners of the bodega, and at its root, “it’s freedom of speech,” she said. Nonetheless, it wasn’t an easy find. “It took me seven years to find and get The Stand,” she tells Untapped, “I had been showing most of my life work of art out of a small white suitcase which I carried everywhere.”

On Saturday, a two-person band was playing and neighbors were gathering around the chairs placed on the sidewalk. This fall, Lori will be curating a show at The Stand featuring the work of homeless children. All proceeds will go to the children.

Find our more about The Stand on their website and on EVGrieve. Get in touch with the author @untappedmich.