CFGNY built their reputation on a phrase — "vaguely Asian" — and on clothing, sculpture and installation that all argue identity is assembled rather than inherited. Here they take cues from the No Name Painting Association, the clandestine self-taught painters of 1970s Beijing, and build a landscape that keeps time with water clocks instead of productivity. It is free, they are one of the buzziest collectives in the city, and this is the last weekend for the fur bridge.
What to expect
You enter through a reception area doubling as a CFGNY clothing shop, then into a main gallery staged as a synthetic landscape with a fur-covered bridge you can cross. Eighteen ceramic tiles made in collaboration with the collective's peers are set around the room. A rear gallery holds five water clocks driven by electric pumps, running continuously.
Good to know
- Take the L to Grand Street or Montrose Avenue — Amant is a short walk from either
- Admission is free and no reservation is needed
- The complex is closed early in the week, so plan for a weekend or late-week visit
- The courtyard and café make it an easy pairing with a walk around East Williamsburg
- Ground-floor galleries are step-free
- Good for anyone who follows fashion as closely as art — the shop is part of the piece
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Common questions
Who is CFGNY?
A New York collective of Daniel Chew, Ten Izu and Tin Nguyen working across clothing, sculpture and installation under the framing idea of the "vaguely Asian."
Is Amant free to visit?
Yes. Amant is a free nonprofit art complex in East Williamsburg with galleries, a courtyard and a café.
Can you walk on the fur bridge?
The bridge is the central structure of the installation and is built to be experienced up close — follow the gallery attendants' guidance on what is walkable.
More this weekend
