Located 25 Jay Street in Brooklyn, the MOMAR should open mid-june.
For the moment there's only this sign on a building :

is Joseph planning on showing some of his art here? kinda sad because i'll be in NYC in May, to see JA and the Lonely Astronauts of course , just 2 weeks shy of missing the opening of this

Dumbo NYC recently ran a piece in their blog ....

-> Dumbo NYC: Joseph Arthur, Musician and Artist to open The Museum of Modern Arthur

Plans for MOMAR / MoMAr were also talked about in a recent interview with Joseph in Newsday,
which can be found under the 'JOSEPH ARTHUR - ARTICLES' section or at the link below ....

-> Newsday.com: Joseph Arthur - Ready for takeoff

.... and I believe it will also be used as the new NY HQ for Lonely Astronaut Records / Joseph Arthur, Inc. (or whatever the appropiate U.S. term would be). My recent order from the JA store had a sticker with the LAR Jay Street address.

I guess I am confused.

Based on the recent blog entry called 'So this is the art world' it seems like the gallery is now officially opened? Is this correct? If so, I was kind of expecting an official opening night party or something like that.

Does anyone have any details on this?

See Joseph's blog -> The ice cream party
(there is also a pic taken on the street outside!)

A mailing about MOMAR has just gone out, those on the Joseph Arthur mailing list(s) should receive it.

Here's the main info for those who might not have seen it

and you should also be able to view the mailing -> HERE <-






- MOMAR seeks to broaden the parameters of the fine art world by fostering a multi-disciplinary interaction among innovators in painting, music, poetry, performance and the visual arts.

- MOMAR encourages innovation and challenges convention in Art, but reveres the traditional artistic values of beauty, craft, spirituality and history.

- MOMAR rejects the notion that art can be valued or devalued on a purely commercial level.

- MOMAR seeks to create a new approach to art patronage that includes but extends beyond the conventions of financial support and criticism, and allows for nontraditional contributions to and from the community, including volunteering, charity work and education.

- MOMAR is founded on the principle that Art has a conscience, is relevant and can foment positive social change. MOMAR believes that artists are responsible for illuminating truth.

- MOMAR answers the eternal question "What Is Art?" with another question: "what isn't?"

- MOMAR encourages interaction between artists and audience, and partners at will with like-minded organizations.

- MOMAR is finite. It is not an ongoing concern. Its building and its organization will disappear.

- MOMAR can, and will, party.

I am not sure if this is related to this thread but anyway...

When I was in Cleveland a couple of years ago I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and there was a painting from Joseph there. At the time, I was into Joseph but not into him if you know what I mean, so I don't remember what the painting was. Does anyway know? I think it might have been the painting from the cover of Vacancy but I am not sure. I do remember however, that it was across from a Neil Young exhibit. A pretty prestigious place I think!

And another question I have also been wondering about is whether Joseph will be selling paintings from his gallery. I am pretty sure that the answer to this would be yes but I am still not sure because I have not seen anything in the media about this. And on a related note, does anyone know whether Joseph has sold a lot of his paintings before and if so, how has he done it? I do remember at least one being available on eBay. Has he ever sold paintings at his solo shows?

Thanks,
Freak

In response to the second part of your question ^, the following blog has a couple of posts
(although they make some rather uncomplimentary comments about Joseph's ego )

> solarize this...: Joseph Arthur & eBay

> solarize this...: Flashpoint/Joseph Arthur



In other news, The Syndicate has just featured this article on the opening of MOMAR

> Joseph Arthur Opens Art Museum | MOMAR | Feeds Kids Ice Cream

Thank you.

Dumbo NYC are carrying another feature on MOMAR (with some pics ) ....

-> Dumbo NYC: MOMAR (Museum of Modern Arthur) Opens

very nice, thanks for posting that. thats a very interesting concept and generous gesture that JA, etc have founded with MOMAR. im not familiar with the politics of art gallerys but around here, in conservative NC, only yuppies who paint pictures of realistic landscapes are considered artists, everyone else is frowned upon and labled 'disturbing.'

im hoping to be able to visit NYC again in september, for the LA show , and swing by MOMAR to scope things out. if this happens, i'll take loads of pics for you guys.

^ That'd be cool - I'd love to visit there myself


There's a brief article about MOMAR in Billboard (with a mention of a possible solo album for 2008, but not of the proposed album with the Lonely Astronauts) ....

Singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur has opened his own art gallery in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, N.Y., dubbed the Museum of Modern Arthur (MOMAR). Arthur has long designed his own album packaging and even painted on stage during his live shows; the gallery plans to display his own work plus that of other artists.

In addition, Arthur is eyeing an early 2008 release for his next solo album, which will follow the two separate albums he has issued in the past year. For now, the lone dates on his schedule are a Sept. 7 show at the new Music Hall in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and a Sept. 13 set at the Austin City Limits Festival.

-- Jonathan Cohen, N.Y., July 13, 2007
(from Billboard)

Here's a blog about a visit to MOMAR ....

-> Hours and Hours Staring at Oceans: Gone to Where Joe’s From

Both Paste and thetripwire are running news articles about MOMAR today ....

-> Paste: Joseph Arthur opens Brooklyn art gallery

-> thetripwire: Joseph Arthur Opens Art Museum
<snip> .. He has now taken his art to a whole new level by opening up the MOMAR, or the Museum Of Modern Arthur. With his always expanding mountain of artwork, it will great for the public to finally get to see this other side of his creativity. The MOMAR will be exhibiting Arthur's past and present work, which will be changed up quite frequently, even daily at times. .. </snip>

CMJ is hoping for a party ....

-> CMJ: Joseph Arthur Opens MOMAR