But what must have really been frustrating one supposes to Mr Braunstein and Mr Rivellini -is how did they even let it get to the point were safeguards weren’t in place? After all it was only an accident that there happened to be 2 people working in the building at the time who were fortunately able to intervene. How reckless do you have to be to have 50 electrical jacks in one socket?
As time progressed many members of the downtown scene and initial fans found themselves frustrated with the antics of Mr Braunstein and his crew. The crew at heart are big in heart but impressionable in spirit and to have given themselves solely to Mr Braunstein who couldn’t for a time get himself out of 5 days out of seven out of bed before 4pm was kind of ludicrous. Never mind the wild mood swings which would alienate even his ardent supporters.
Said one former supporter who chose to remain anonymous for this article;
“What do you really think you are going to achieve when you are still curled up in bed at 5 o clock in the afternoon?”
The last I heard (come February I found myself horrendously disappointed by the lack of follow through and never mind the pilfering of this journal’s sponsor’s alcohol – Bulldog Gin last December) Mr Braunstein and co were supposedly busily restoring the faith and making those dreams happen. To which others have reacted, “Why chase away your biggest supporters with your disregard for the hard realities of life? If you’re going to be a cultural institution, get to work, if you’re going to be a renting of gallery space- why bother since that’s your landlord’s job.”
Of course the landlord saw it even more starker terms:
See notice below: Source NY Post and DNAinfo
Collective Hardware, a group of artists that took over the five-story building at 169 Bowery to “use it as a crucible for their creative ambitions,” according to its website, is more than $1 million in arrears to its landlord, the New York Post reported.
City marshals came and padlocked the building last week, the paper said.
A representative for the building owner told the Post that the art group does not have a certificate of occupancy to hold events or parties at the space, nor a public assembly permit.
“That creates a safety issue for the unsuspecting public,” the representative, Gordon Lau, told the paper.
So, it’ll be interesting to see what Mr Braunstein and Mr Rivellini make do now- maybe move into a smaller space, invite over less friends and keep the crazies out and really start to make some projects. It’s all right to have ego, but sometime it’s better to have humility and discipline too and perhaps some integrity as well. Let’s hope the Collective can regroup and wherever they land create the body of work that once inspired this author to document their journey. Really Stuart, the community would love to see you succeed, but first a reality check of your mission and a genuine regrouping will do you well.
The fantastic set take over Collective Hardware.
So how does everyone remove themselves from your weekly high school newsletter? There should be a ‘remove’ button no?
“This author?!” On the premises at that hour with the resident coke head watching people snorting what he believed may have been cocaine?! If he was there at this hour, in actual fact he was just as guilty as the rest. He couldn’t make it more obvious who he’s referring to and probably in the process outed himself also.. So PATHETIC!! Joke on the “author”!.. Great story guys! You should email Page Six next time and see if they have the time of day! Woah!
Thank you for telling the truth about Stew ,he is a loser and a coke pill taking shit head that thinks he knows art and for lack of words he needs to be in jail for what he did hopefully his dad house in N Jersey will do and thank you for telling the truth about CH they never tried to do anything but be a house of drugs and bullshit people.
Dear Urbno- brain, that was the draw of the Collective- that everyone could come together and be productive. Whether I paid rent or not is irrelevant, i chose to get to know these people, I chose to champion a variety of thinkers and artists that I met at the collective, it’s just in the end management really messed up and as much as some of us wanted to see the bird fly high, the bird refused for a variety of reasons to let itself fly. For a lack of a better metaphor. And even if I and a lot of other people had faith in the flock the ring masters were ostensibly (hopefully this is not too big of a word for you Urbno- brain) not in the end going to honor their pledge. So eventually, many of us walked away, including the investors.
Just because you have a venue and a party good feel vibe about you doesn’t mean you know how to create or leave a productive legacy behind. Life is serious, if you want to fuck with it and other people, eventually you alienate the people who came to stand behind you.
Hopefully Mr Braunstein can get all the sleep he needs now…
p.s- As long as you keep coming back to read Urbno- brain, I wont be needing a new career.
pretty funny. i am pretty sure mr scallyhag was one of the same group of people that worked (is that what you call it?) rent free at the same collective space with the same folks he is now so against. check out some of your own earlier post when you proclaimed them to be the best thing since sliced bread. and yeah….your writing sucks. not as bad as your grammar, but all the same….it sucks. find a new career
How trivial to have the peons at CH respond that the writing sucks. If only Mr Braunstein or Rivellini could find the courage to respond to the concerns and behavior raised in this article. That is what is truly terrible…
Christopher, your writing is truly terrible.
The only reason why I have not deleted you from my unwanted stream is that I feel a tiny bit of authenticity in your words, but I must say you are over protecting yourself to the point that I am no more interested! Please keep it more name related…otherwise it is soooooo boring!
ox
The first sentence isn’t proper grammar.
Why is that Stuart Braunstein always reminded me of a phony car salesman?