After 10 Years, Proteus Gowanus To Close

Proteus Gowanus, the interdisciplinary art space at 543 Union Street, will close its doors at the end of this month, according to founders Tamara Pittman and Sasha Chavchavadze in a message to supporters.

As our namesake and muse, Proteus the Greek sea god, would say, “It’s time for a change!” From the beginning, Proteus Gowanus has been an inclusive place of creative collaboration. For us, and we hope for you too, it has been a joyful experience.

Pittman and Chavchavadze told DNAinfo that running Proteus Gowanus had been an “enriching” experience, but that they weren’t interested in taking on the demands of turning Proteus into an institution that would require permanent staff and nearly round-the-clock fundraising.

Chavchavadze, an artist, founded Proteus Gowanus in 2005 with her husband, PK Ramani. Pittman joined the organization in 2008.

Although the space is closing, Pittman and Chavchavadze said other artists shouldn’t be deterred from launching similar ventures.

“It’s model for how you can do an amazing project with nothing really,” Chavchavadze told DNAinfo. “You can just make it work with a lot of sheer determination and elbow grease.”

Their current and final exhibition, Gowanus Marketplace, as well as their Projects-in-Residence, will be open through June 28th.