Mall revival: artists transform abandoned retail into unexpected galleries
The era of sprawling suburban malls is a distant memory, but in the Hudson Valley, a forgotten retail landscape is being reborn. What was once a landscape of echoing storefronts and fading brand names is now a vibrant hub of contemporary art.
A second chance for a lost space
Just north of Kingston, the Hudson Valley Mall – once a bustling center of consumerism and adolescent identity – is undergoing a radical transformation. A collective of artists, led by curator Marly Hammer and including Jasper Richmus, Kate Asmus, and John Richey, is injecting the decaying Architecture with a potent dose of creativity. They’re not simply filling empty spaces; they’re interrogating the mall’s history—its role as a laboratory of self, a repository of pop culture nostalgia, and a surprisingly potent community gathering place.
From kmart to critique
Initially, the vision started with a simple observation: a movie screening at the mall’s NCG Cinema sparked the idea of repurposing the vacant storefronts. Months of persistent negotiation with mall management finally yielded access to three key spaces – including the former Hot Topic – which the team meticulously restored, embracing the building’s existing ‘ghosts’ instead of sanitizing them. The former GNC now hosts ‘Gallery New Contemporary,’ a space dedicated to examining consumer culture, showcasing pieces like Dina Cline’s miniature Tamagotchi ceramics juxtaposed with Jeffrey Augustine Songco’s monumental Friendship Bracelets.
Echoes of the 90s and beyond
But the project isn’t just about showcasing abstract art. The ‘Off Topic’ exhibition in the former Hot Topic pays homage to the unique brand of teen culture that once thrived within these walls – a world of grunge, alternative music, and a rebellious spirit. Walls are plastered with meticulously hand-painted VHS cases, referencing beloved 80s and 90s films, alongside Jennifer Sullivan’s portraits of Courtney Love. Richey notes the store’s significance: ‘Hot Topic was a space for identity research and for subcultures and countercultures.’
Beyond the surface
Elsewhere, the mall itself is actively participating in the artwork. Stuart Lantry’s Ferris wheel of food and consumer goods – a nod to President Trump’s 2019 banquet – sits alongside Linda Colletta’s immersive installation, ‘TV Dinners,’ which recreates her childhood living room, complete with a treasured VHS tape and the iconic lines from ‘Johnny Dangerously.’ Marianna Peragallo’s houseplants, grown within thermoplastic shopping bags, evoke the memories of childhood Shrinky Dinks. It’s a deliberate juxtaposition of the familiar and the unexpected, forcing visitors to reconsider their perceptions of both the mall and the art within.
A democratic canvas
Hammer emphasizes the project’s ambition to collapse the distance between art and everyday life. “People may be comfortable in the mall,” she explains, “and then we’re introducing them to art, which they might not feel comfortable with.” The organizers hope to attract a diverse audience – collectors, art enthusiasts, families, and teenagers alike – fostering a shared experience. The goal isn’t simply to exhibit art, but to ignite a dialogue, prompting visitors to question the spaces they inhabit and the narratives they construct.
A lasting impression
The exhibition closes this Sunday as part of Upstate Art Weekend, a testament to the region’s burgeoning cultural scene. But the mall’s transformation speaks to something deeper: a recognition that even in decline, there’s potential for renewal, for reinvention, and for a new kind of community – one built not on consumption, but on shared experience and creative exploration. It’s a reminder that even a forgotten space can become a powerful stage for the human story.”