In case you missed it, 3-D printing seems to the buzzword of the month. Numerous articles have been written about it the last few weeks, and a controversy has even been ignited as to how to regulate 3-D printed guns. Now as everyone who regularly reads this website knows, LIC has recently attracted one of the largest and most innovative 3-d printshops: Shapeways. This should come as no surprise as we also are the home to last month’s controversial and hot business: Aereo, which allows you to bypass cable and watch television online(if you haven’t been reading this site, just do a google news search on them). In addition, Songza, an online streaming service similar to Pandora, has been making waves all year in the music business. Can you guess where their world headquarters is?
What may come as a surprise to many readers, is that there is a block long stretch in Long Island City that houses over 150 artists studios. This weekend they will all be open to visitors during LICAO. Who needs to brave the touristy crowds in Chelsea or Soho(do they even have galleries anymore?) to see great art? If you live in LIC you can live and breathe it.
Now, tying the cutting edge art and business theme together, comes news that a real estate developer is building the first ground-up, art storage facility in New York right here in LIC(no matter how hard we try, we just can’t get away from real estate). Wow, so this means that someone like me can have Shapeways make a 3-D printing of both Michelangelo’s David and Rodin’s Thinker, store one at the new facility, and rotate it seasonally with the other one in my studio …apartment.
The 2013 LIC Arts Open 5 day festival starts today – May 15th – May 19th.
The festival this year has many new exhibitions and a lineup of performing artists.
Saturday & Sunday from Noon to 6:00 PM are the Open Studios days .
You can visit over 150 private Artist’s studios within the blockof22nd St. Between 44 & 43 Ave.
LICAO Brochure – check out all the activities and locations here
Shapeways Is Reinventing the Factory – right here in LIC
Exploring The Artsy Side of 3-D Printing – talk about coming full circle
Hundreds of Artists to Participate in 3rd Annual LICAO – LICtalk tip: take a flask!
Songza Racks 6 million Installs and Starts to Make Presence Felt – they also just received a new round of financing
Builder Is Bullish On NYC’s Fine Art Storage Market – now you can have your Rembrandts and Picasso’s stored closer to you