We sent NYC-Artparasites writer Thomas Comstock out to Brooklyn (the up-and-coming art borough of Bushwick to be exact) to catch the latest exhibition by Adam Parker Smith at StorefrontBushwick. Here are his ruminations on Bushwick as an old western town and what he encountered at the opening of Adam Parker Smith’s exhibition.

My oh my is Brooklyn dead right now. Although never as crowded as its bustling neighbor, it currently looks downright barren. Like someone plugged up the waterhole.  Right when you step out of the subway station it hits you. And with newspaper blowing around like tumble weeds it seriously looks like an old western ghost town where people bartering with gold and tobacco wouldn’t seem out of place out all. But see a bar and all the sudden this cactus hallucination comes crashing down. They are painfully not old-timey. They need to start replacing the bar door with those swinging saloon style ones. Perfect for throwing a drunken fool through or poking your head above with the barmaid to talk about “who that riding into town. I heard he shot six men dead once. He had to flee the sheriff. Lived in the desert, off rattle snake meat they say.  There’s gonna be trouble here.”

Beware of Loose Women?

I’m not sure how the Brooklyn City Council works, like if it’s a mayor or group of elected co-op members, but whoever’s in charge round those parts should take my advice. Matter of fact, they shouldn’t stop there. Why not just do the whole borough up like a Hollywood style frontier town? It already looks like that. They could replace the G and the L lines with those old wooden trains. Then get some of those “beware pickpockets, scallywags, and loose women aboard” signs for the subway trains. Just chew on it for a while. I know the old west is a hard country, but you learn to love it after a while. I promise. Oh and don’t forget to bundle up, because it New York is literally freezing right now. 

If you do make it out here, be sure to stop by the tiny gallery StorefrontBushwick on Wilson Street. It’s a good place to put your boots up for a while. Their current exhibition is from New York City artist and sculptor Adam Parker Smith. Smith’s work consists of think-pieces. In 2011, he made a film about a Lamborghini revving up its engine in a parking lot with smoke machine behind it. What does it mean? That’s for you to decide partner. Use your noggin. But don’t hurt yourself, because Smith’s current show “9:4:1” is going to be another work out. Don’t go into it trying to get it. Just looking around and think about it, then if you can, tell someone what you saw.

Brrrr. View of Adam Parker Smith’s sculpture at StorefrontBushwick. Photo by Thomas Comstock 

When I went it was opening night and pretty crowded so getting a good look at anything was hard. In the middle of the room was a large Plexiglas rectangle that looked like a frosted ice cube complete with hand prints. Well hand print is an understatement. They were more like the prints you’d see if someone dragged their hands across a frosted window. I guess cold is painful. Or maybe someone made love to someone on it. It’s for you to decide. And on a nearby wall was an oil and canvas painting of the Griffith Observatory. Somewhere warm. Smith should have put a heater next to that painting too so you would really get the LA effect. Next show. There were a few other pieces there, but like I said, space was limited. Go on an off night. Smith’s work is fun, creative and easy to look at and don’t feel bad if it goes over your head. But seriously, wear some warm clothes.

• StorefrontBushwick Adam Parker Smith “9:4:1” Exhibition. January 4th – February 3rd 2013.

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