Robert Mapplethorpe Patti Smith 1978 exhibit poster

1978

Area Nightclub Archive 1983-1987: A collection of 40+ items (including approx 30 club invitations) spanning the history of the seminal 1980s New York nightclub known as "Area". Area opened its doors in September 1983 and virtually overnight became the nexus of one of the most vibrant Downtown art and club scenes in New York. Every six weeks, they transformed the enormous space at 157 Hudson with a different art exhibit & performance theme. Area was the place where A-listers such as Andy Warhol, Francesco Clemente, Julian Schnabel, Madonna, JFK Jr. & many others went to see and be seen: A place where Basquiat DJ'd, while Keith Haring and Andy Warhol produced several installations. Area's wildly creative invitations became the hottest tickets in town and instantly collectible art in and of themselves. Further details: Comprised of 40+ items in total: approx 30 club invitations; 3 original darkroom photographs taken by & signed by Fernando Natalici - the art designer of each piece; 6 drink tickets; 2 original mailing envelopes; a Halloween handkerchief invite; plus an original advertisement proof for the 80s fashion publication Details Magazine (image 4). Invitation dimensions ranging from: 9.5 inches on the longest side to 3.5 inches on the shortest side + 1 invite folding out to 11x17 inches (image 8). 3 signed silver gelatin photographs measuring: 8x10 inches (2 works) & 5x7 inches (1 work); Ad proof (image 4): 11x15 inches. Most pieces generally in good overall vintage condition; with a couple or more invites in fair condition. Provenance: Obtained directly from the club's original graphic designer, Fernando Natalici. Rare and not to be passed upon. Literature/References: Area: 1983-1987 by Eric Goode Jennifer Goode (pub. by Abrams 2013). New York Magazine 2013: "It Was the Hottest Club in Town." New York Times November 2013: "Waking Area Nightclub From the Dead". Exhibitions: 'Area: The Exhibition': The Hole Gallery NYC November 2013. Area: Further History (New York Magazine 11/1/13): "Influenced equally by sixties-era happenings and the gonzo childhoods of its proprietors, Area opened its doors in 1983. The club, unlike any that came before it, underwent a painstaking transformation roughly every six weeks, with themes like Confinement, Suburbia, and Science Fiction that incorporated elaborate art installations with taxidermied bears...

Signed Keith Haring poster 1985: A highly collectible hand-signed 1985 Keith Haring exhibition poster published on the occasion of: Keith Haring Painting...

Yayoi Kusama Dots Obsession poster 2007: An iconic, vibrantly colored pop art piece - this Kusama exhibit poster features the universal polka dot patterns for which the artist is bes...

Area Nightclub 1984: A RARE original 1984 street poster for the seminal & much legendary 1980s New York nightclub Area, uniquely featuring an alien-like Ronald Reagan; a poster that ...