In 1986, The Kitchen found its new home in Chelsea! 💫 When we arrived, The Kitchen was one of the first art institutions in the neighborhood; today, over two decades later, our space is in the center of what is now a well-established arts district. ⁠ ⁠ During our early years in Chelsea, the architectural history of the building was frequently mentioned in The Kitchen’s programming and publicity material. For example, the inaugural event series in the 512 West 19 Street space in January 1986 was titled New Ice Nights, (image #4) referring to the building’s original function as an ice storage facility in the early 20th century. The 1986 series was described as “two evenings of performance and media: a fire sale to accelerate the current thaw.”⁠ ⁠ In fall 2020, marking The Kitchen’s 50th anniversary and our 35th year in Chelsea, we presented “Ice and Fire”—a benefit exhibition to support our beloved building’s renovation. “Ice and Fire” was inspired in part by “New Ice Nights” and speaks to the ways The Kitchen actively forges conversation with our own history.⁠ ⁠ “Ice and Fire” was curated and organized by artists (and Kitchen board members) Wade Guyton and Jacqueline Humphries and included dozens of community members who have worked with The Kitchen over the decades, all of whom came together to support that next chapter of our institution. As we prepare to share our next steps with you, we reflect on The Kitchen’s circular archive and the importance of its unique history and preservation. Follow the link in bio to read “The Kitchen’s Fifty-Year Anniversary” in the @gagosian quarterly - an oral history with contributions from The Kitchen community ⭐️ ⁠ ⁠ #charlesatlas #jacquelinehumphries #ralphlemon #ethyleichelburger #experimentalarthistory #archive