A: Is for the Art of Shopping

You’ve heard about shop till you drop, but have you heard of “Shopdropping?”“Shopdropping,” or the reverse act of shoplifting, is an ongoing project in which Watkins-Hughes buys cans of food, replaces the label with his own image while retaining the original barcode and “drops” the cans back on the grocery shelves.  The result is a disruption of the regulated continuum of the commercial activity within the store.  Watkins-Hughes explores the large-scale order and dynamic flow of the grocery store while infiltrating its giant operation structure.  Putting this activity within the gallery setting, Watkins-Hughes reminds us that the Lower East Side has become increasingly more gentrified with “mom & pop” shops closing their doors to give way to galleries, luxury boutiques and salons.  From Gallery to Grocery: Yes, We Canned becomes an act of “de-gentrification,” an acceptance of the current recession and a friendly nod to the local neighborhood.  Yet, the gallery remains a commercial art gallery, accepting that art is still a commodity available for purchase much like canned food or a pack of gum. 
 
Coolers, candy, cans, signs, cash register and a surly clerk are all part of the installation that shares its space with the multitude of detailed works Watkins-Hughes will exhibit.  Even the brown paper bags to “brown bag” the 16oz beer the gallery will serve at the opening reception will have screen printed images for viewers to collect.  The cans as well as the documentation of his “Shopdropping” events will be available for sale.  All the miscellaneous foodstuffs will be donated to the Food Bank for New York City after the closing the exhibition. From Gallery to Grocery: Yes, we canned will be on view at Eisenberg Deli & Grocery through May 9, 2009.
 
A semi-live video feed of the opening reception can be viewed online.  During the course of the exhibition, a live video feed will run on the artist’s and gallery’s website.  There will be regular 5 minute long updates added throughout the course of the event. 

Ryan Watkins-Hughes was born in Atlanta, GA and attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. He has exhibited his work in New York City and throughout the Americas and Europe. Currently living in New Orleans, he will receive an MFA from Tulane University in 2010. His work can be viewed at www.ryanwh.com and www.shopdropping.net.
 
Heist Gallery, located in the heart of a vibrant neighborhood, is a new addition to the dynamic gallery scene of the Lower East Side. Always seeking to show work that speaks its mind in the context of its rich and unique neighborhood, Heist Gallery is thrilled to add to the mix of rampant creativity. Tel: (212) 253-0451. For additional information visit www.heistgallery.com.
Sometimes art imates life and that is a F.A.C.T.