New Age

Mechanical reproduction gets a makeover.

by Holly Otterbein

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Published: Nov 11, 2008

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In 1935, Walter Benjamin foresaw the advent of Target.

In an essay titled "Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," the German philosopher predicted that industrialization would make art available to all classes, not just the lucky few who could travel to the Louvre. Though he was talking about paintings and film as opposed to Isaac Mizrahi dresses, his work foreshadowed art from wholesalers such as IKEA, dollar stores and QVC.

Not that the Urban Outfitters way is the only way.

Named after the landmark essay, Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction — which opened in Old City last week — promotes widespread access to art without sacrificing the artist's originality or autonomy.

"There are no Mona Lisas anymore," says creative director Ben Woodward. "And that's a good thing. I can't afford to keep a giant tank of formaldehyde in my apartment to keep restoring old art."

Though it now offers perfume, scarves, dresses, obscure art books and jeans, Art in the Age began as a Web-based T-shirt company two years ago. Woodward, who was one of the founders of Space 1026, got involved while teaching other artists how to silk-screen.

For the First Friday opening, Woodward curated a show in Art in the Age's gallery space that features its T-shirt designers — but not their shirts. Instead, their paintings, ink drawings and screen-printed posters are on display.

"Many of these artists have been pigeonholed as exclusively part of the DIY community," says Woodward. "By doing these types of shows, we can expose them to a much larger audience."

In Alex Lukas' print of Dr. Doom, the phrase "Well, At Least Things Can't Get Any Worse" pops out in neon pink. Lukas' T-shirts reflect the same cynicism and sarcasm. In his "Throwdown" tee, the words "Civil Disobedience" wrap around a shiny Molotov cocktail.

Andrew Jeffrey Wright's work is a tad more lighthearted. His T-shirts feature giant beards, flowers and geometric patterns, and Lady Pot Skateboard Action is similarly insouciant. The ink drawing is an eighth-grade boy's dream doodle: an animate marijuana leaf with giant breasts, long eyelashes and a skateboard in tow.

The store's Depression-era design feels oddly homey. Tan paper featuring old drawings of the American Sign Language alphabet blankets the walls. Glass jars of twine line the shelves, and a Duane Reade medicine cabinet from the 1940s holds lotion, cologne and chapbooks. Photographs of Walter Benjamin appear everywhere, on textbooks and tote bags.

Art in the Age's other clothing follows the same stark, old-school aesthetic. Blackspot shoes, which are made out of recycled tires, look like work boots from a Norman Rockwell painting. The organic frocks and raincoats from Lily & Jae belong on the Morton Salt girl, and Prairie Underground's dull brown sweaters with rugged sleeves are soft enough to be more than a century old.

Other slightly cheeky merch includes quilting patterns from President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, which have instructions for "a Democratic of Whig rose," "Mrs. Cleveland's Choice" and "Dutchman's Puzzle."

In other words, this isn't Target.

Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction | 116 N. Third St., artintheage.com

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