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80 Washington Square East

80 Washington Square East is a not-for-profit gallery affiliated with the Department of Art and Art Professions that presents contemporary and historical exhibitions.  The gallery resides in the historic Benedick building at Washington Square Park, originally commissioned in 1879 by Lucius Tuckerman, a wealthy iron manufacturer. 

Each spring, the gallery hosts MFA Thesis exhibitions.  Throughout the school year, student installations from the MFA, BFA, and Costume Studies MA programs are on view in the Project Space. 

The gallery also exhibits work year-round, on view 7 days a week/24 hours a day, in the Broadway Windows, at Broadway and East 10th Street, and in the Washington Square Windows, located next to the gallery on Washington Square East.

Gallery Address
80 Washington Square East (between West 4th and Washington Place)
New York, NY 10003

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Exhibitions at 80WSE

Gallery Exhibitions

Each year, 80WSE presents a series of exhibitions that features the work of leading contemporary artists as well as historically researched shows that shows the breadth of artistic practices. 

Examples of past shows include: Lutz Bacher: The Long March, Harun Farocki, Duane Linklater: From Our Hands, The Magic Flute, Part I, II, Tony Conrad: Doing the City, Gran Fury: Read My Lips. 

Project Space

Within 80WSE there is a Project Space where there are curated exhibitions that feature the work of current students, collaboratives and artists to reflect a variety of themes and topics. 

Past examples of Project Space exhibitions include: NYU Curatorial Collaboratives (in collaboration with The Institute of Fine Arts), Image As Virus: Better Badges In The Punk Era, Vaginal Davis, MFA Solo Installations, Costume Studies Curatorial Projects.

MFA Exhibitions

Every Spring there is a presentation of first year shows and MFA thesis exhibitions for second year students. These exhibitions are a culmination of current students' works that highlight their artistic focuses while studying at NYU. 

See list of past MFA candidates.  

Washington Square Windows

80WSE's Washington Square Windows displays short-term window displays of a variety of artists in collaboration and commissioned by the gallery. 

Past examples of Washington Square Windows include: Ugo Rondinone: I ♥ John Giorno, Lyle Ashton Harris, Precocious: Minor Works from the Fales Library, Martha Wilson: Downtown.

Broadway Windows

80WSE's Broadway Windows located at the corner of Broadway and East 10th Street feature temporary projects by curated and commissioned artists.

Past Broadway Windows projects include: Nina Beier and John Miller, Damien Davis, Panning to the Public, Chris Albert Lee.

80WSE News

2023 Brings Accolades, Grant Funding to 80WSE

80 Washington Square East (80WSE) curator Howie Chen talks recent opportunities and future plans.

NYU Steinhardt’s 80WSE Art Gallery Presents "Seasonal Affective," an Exhibition of Video Art

The legendary filmmakers and video artist Charles Atlas, video synthesis pioneer Stephen Beck, and the collective, Forcefield, are among the artists highlighted in a collaboration between NYU Steinhardt and Electronic Arts Intermix.

NYU Steinhardt’s 80WSE Art Gallery Presents Two Exhibitions Focused on the Environmental Crisis

"Irthebound” spotlights artist A.L. Steiner, while a companion show, “BREACH,” explores the US Army Corps of Engineers’ influence on the natural landscape.

For New 80WSE Director, "New and Newness" Are Not Enough

From the Black roots of techno music to a modern take on allegory, NYU's art gallery is taking a socially-conscious and historic approach that aims to tackle "big questions" about society.