powerHouse Arena

While wandering around Brooklyn the other day, I stumbled across a place called powerHouse Arena. I was instantly drawn in, not knowing exactly what I would find, but certain that it would be excellent. My instincts were right.

The arena turned out to be a “laboratory for creative thought,” fusing gallery, boutique, bookstore, and performance and events space into one location with soaring 24-foot ceilings. Surrounded by photography, art, books, design, and pop culture, I felt a surge of happiness.

I first checked out the various book displays which were thoughtfully and artfully done, ranging in topic from organic eating/sustainable farming to New York literature to design trends. I then wandered around looking at the hand-printed notecards and Moleskine notebooks before checking out a long bench covered in fliers and promotional materials for other events and shops. After pausing to take in the arena-style seating and the beautiful light wafting in from the floor-to-ceiling windows casting a happy glow on all the artsy patrons, I realized there was an upper level featuring an art exhibit.

I walked upstairs and checked out Trevor Traymore’s exhibit “I Shoot People,” featuring 175 prints of hip-hop’s greatest artists. Traynor’s “shots” are so representative and artfully arranged that even hip-hop haters will enjoy scanning the collage of portraits depicting artists including T.I., Wu-Tang Clan, Mos Def, M.I.A., Talib Kweli, and Dizzee Rascal.

I then checked out another photography exhibit downstairs titled “The Taqwacores, Muslim People in the USA” by Kim Badawi, which chronicles the burgeoning subculture of Muslim pink in the United States.

Traymore’s exhibit is on display through October 4th; Badawi’s through October 25th. I would highly recommend viewing these exhibits before they disappear and checking the venue’s calendar for upcoming events such as Thursday’s talk with Joshua Lyon, Benoit Denizet-Lewis, and Lesley Arfin (authors of Pill Head, America Anonymous, and Dear Diary, respectively) as they discuss America’s struggles with addiction, as well as their own.