The Carter Burden Center for the Aging, a non-profit organization in New York City, is showcasing the work of Abe Nover at its new gallery and studio space, Gallery 307, located at 307 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1401, in Manhattan, continuing through Oct. 7.
The Carter Burden Center’s 800-square-foot gallery and studio, located in Chelsea’s vibrant art gallery district, is designed to exhibit work by older artists who are often under-represented by the art community.
Artist Abe Nover’s one person show, “Found Out,” can be seen at Gallery 307, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Nover is still working at the age of 93, and he says, “I wake up every day and can hardly wait until dawn comes, so I can think of new things to do and create.” His work features assemblages of found objects described as the whim of combination.
For the past 30 years, Nover, born in the Bronx, has developed a keen eye for collecting discarded objects to utilize in his work. A self-taught artist, he spent 31 years working as a fur cutter before retiring and pursuing his love of art through sculpture and assemblage. “When I was a fur cutter, I was always called an artist. I wanted the coats that I cut to become works of art, and I turned my craft into an art,” he says.
The Carter Burden Center’s program gives voice to older artists, self-taught artists and artists with special needs. “I’m not formally trained but I have painted. I now work with objects and pick up anything that I may find along the way,” Nover explained.
“I would love for people to come to my exhibit and feel they’ve never seen anything like this before to share my imagination and relate to my vision of what art is all about,” he said. Nover has exhibited his work at Hudson Guild, shows in the East Village and in Spain. He is assisted in his work by friend and collaborator King Molapo.
“The Abe Nover solo exhibit gives The Carter Burden Center for the Aging an opportunity to showcase the work of an extraordinary older artist,” says William Dionne, Carter Burden’s executive director. “We opened our new Chelsea gallery to focus on experienced artists who may otherwise be overlooked and give the general public a way to share these treasures, often hidden from view.”
By opening Gallery 307, The Carter Burden Center for the Aging builds on its traditions of supporting the older population and tapping into their creativity. Arts programming is presented through workshops for seniors throughout the city taught by skilled professional artists.
Teaching artists offer art and craft workshops in senior centers and on site at the Gallery 307 studio space, in addition to bringing craft-making to the homebound elderly. Workshops include the ever-popular quilting and handmade crafts. The program will also offer multi-generational art classes with registration open to the general public, for a fee, at the studio space.
In addition to community building through group activities, Master Craft workshops are designed for staff and representatives of senior groups, community groups and any organizations wishing to run art classes. These individuals will in turn teach members of their own groups popular and ethnically diverse crafts.
