nothin Chichi Retail Bombs In Prime B’wy Spot | New Haven Independent

Chichi Retail Bombs In Prime B’wy Spot

Markeshia Ricks Photo

Visitors get a first look at never before displayed artifacts.

For the first time in years, the storefront anchoring the corner of Broadway and York Street drew a crowd. But people were there to look at aboriginal artifacts, not to buy $300 Rebecca Minkoff or Michael Kors handbags.

The 100 people who converged on the recently emptied 1 Broadway storefront Tuesday afternoon showed up for a wine and cheese celebration of the opening of a temporary satellite gallery called PEABODY2.

The temporary gallery was brought to Broadway as part of the birthday celebration of the Yale University Peabody Museum of Natural History. On Oct. 22, the museum turns 150. As part of that celebration, the museum invited Yale environmental anthropologist Michael Dove to curate an exhibit with objects from the Peabody’s collection that the public have never seen before.

Unless you work at the museum, you’ve probably never seen these items because they’ve never been on display,” Richard Kissel, director of public programs for the museum, said.

A didjeridu, indigenous to Australia, played at opening.

Making a non-profit venture like a satellite gallery the centerpiece of the Yale-owned commercial district like Broadway occurred because Emporium DNA, the trendy boutique” that specialized in designer contemporary apparel,” pulled up stakes this spring, after two years existing with what appeared to be more merchandise than customers. The retailer was courted into the space, after Yale chose not to renew the lease of popular chain Au Bon Pain in favor of a more upscale leasee as part of a broader rebranding of Broadway with high-end chain-merchandise outlets.

Rarely were human beings spotted entering Emporium DNA, unless they worked there.

Dove and Skelly.

Yale Vice-President For New Haven Affairs Lauren Zucker declined Tuesday to provide details about why Emporium pulled out, but she did say that once the museum celebration is over, it will become commercial space again.

We always encourage people to come to New Haven and enjoy the fabulous shopping, dining and culture,” she said. This temporary storefront gallery is a way to bring what the Peabody does to Broadway, and we’re just delighted with this collaboration.”

The gallery is expected to be in the storefront until May 2017.

A canoe from New Guinea.

Peabody Museum Director David Skelly said Zucker called him up and asked what the museum could do if it had access to a storefront on Broadway. He knew exactly what he’d do: showcase more of the museum’s collection. The museum, known for its dinosaurs, has one of the largest natural history collections among universities, Skelly noted. It gets to showcase only a fraction of that collection at the museum’s home on Whitney Avenue.

The exhibit that’s been put together isn’t enormous, but it is a fantastic collaboration and a chance to share a little of what we’re doing over on Whitney Avenue,” he said. The gallery will be free and open to the public, Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

A winged lion, or singa, from Bali, Indonesia, displayed at opening.

The exhibit currently on display showcases objects from indigenous cultures of New Guinea, the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia, and is called Identity, Difference, and Understanding: Lessons from Oceania and Southeast Asia.”

Michael Dove said he curated the exhibit keeping in mind the discussions occurring at Yale about race, ethnicity and culture.

I wanted to draw on the Peabody’s collection for insights into how perceptions and discussion of the other has taken place in the museum in the past and today,” he said. Some of these objects were not made to be seen by others. But some were made to tell the story to outsiders of the cultures that are still living and changing.”

Tags:

Sign up for our morning newsletter

Don't want to miss a single Independent article? Sign up for our daily email newsletter! Click here for more info.


Post a Comment

Commenting has closed for this entry

Comments

Avatar for susie the pit bull

Avatar for RhyminTyman

Avatar for anonymous

Avatar for J R

Avatar for cellardoor

Avatar for Esbey

Avatar for RhyminTyman

Avatar for anonymous

Avatar for MimiNH

Avatar for indabridge

Avatar for TPaine1776

Avatar for Chip

Avatar for Bill Saunders