A: Is for art forging a way

The New Museum of Contemporary Art opens at 235 Bowery on December 1st. This premier contemporary art museum is among the most important internationally, as is the only museum in New York City exclusively devoted to presenting contemporary art from around the world. From dynamic solo exhibitions to landmark group shows it defines key moments in the development of contemporary art, reflects the global nature of art today, and spans a vast array of cultural activations and media. Presenting the work of under-recognized artists, has led the way for Ana Mendieta, William Kentridge, David Wojnarowicz, Paul McCarthy and Andrea Zittel before they received widespread public recognition. Guided by a conviction that contemporary art is a vital social force that extends beyond the art world and into the broader culture, this museum purposes to engage diverse audiences. It is not the first time the museum has filled this role. When it opened in 1983, the area was dangerous. The museum helped to attract galleries and retail. Perhaps it is the key fixture to doing this again. Inside the shimmery new building will be a theater, three full-floor exhibit spaces, and a glass gallery dedicated to founder Marcia Tucker. The first show, “Unmonumental,” is an on-trend look at assemblage, that homely approach to artmaking. It perfectly fits this stretch of the Bowery where it looks like the end but it is a F.A.C.T a new beginning.