The Center of Something exhibits Chris Rubino’s take on New York as a destination for both visiting and living. Taking advantage of the Times Square location Rubino has created what he is referring to as a “limited tourist attraction”. The Exhibit is modeled after the dozens of stores in the neighborhood selling the same inane souvenirs playing off tourist’s preconceived images of New York. In an attempt to create new “icons” for the city Rubino’s installation will consist of his souvenirs as well as hand drawn screenprints that recreate pieces of the New York daily visual language, i.e. maps, advertisements, signage, etc. Tourists will be encouraged to visit, interact and possibly question what they exactly are experiencing.

Rubino’s work plays with the commonly unnoticed daily language that we as viewers can relate to but often do not question, he twists our words and clichés for us in a way that may cause us to reconsider these undeniable elements in our lives. His work is colorful, clean and bold causing it to stand out in the littered visual landscape we walk in today, which is quite relevant to this exhibit both in concept and setting.

Chris Rubino is an artist/designer whose work has been exhibited in Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and around the U.S. He has created commercial artwork for such clients as The New York Times, Banana Republic & The NY Public Theater. He also runs a Brooklyn-based silk-screen studio named Studio18Hundred that makes limited edition posters for rock bands including The Rapture, The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Vetiver.

Recent Exhibitions have taken place at The Academy of Visual Arts (Hong Kong), Varsko (Norway), The Majestic (New York), The Aram Gallery (London) & Journal Standard Homestead (Tokyo). A series of his prints has been added to the permanent collection at the Museum of Design in Zurich.

Chashama supports emerging and underrepresented artists by providing one of the most elusive commodities in New York City: space to create. Chashama works with landlords and developers to identify underutilized real estate, which the owner is willing to donate on a short-term, temporary basis, preferring to see underutilized spaces put to good use, looked after and maintained while they are awaiting commercial tenants.