For his third solo exhibition in New York, the British artist Lucie Sparrow I wanted to do something special. So, following up on 2017 successful felt bodega and the premium plush grocery store of 2019, she’s back with her most interactive work yet, a cross between a Jewish appetizer store and a delicatessen where she’ll make bagel sandwiches to order, $250 each.
Considering the price of lox at Russ and his daughters on the Lower East Side – almost $60 a pound – not a bad deal. Each component is beautifully hand-sewn by the artist, who spent about nine months preparing for the show, and you can choose up to eight toppings from the counter.
Some are traditional, like slices of smoked salmon, hand-painted tomato slices, glittery pickle spears, and necklaces of shiny black pearls for caviar. There are also satin fried eggs or fluffy scrambled eggs if you want a bacon egg and cheese, as well as sweet options such as Nutella and berries, as well as less conventional offerings such as mozzarella, jalapeños and hummus.
Bagels also come in 13 flavors, including Instagram-famous rainbow varietyand costs $50 without filling.
Lucy Sparrow’s felted bagels at “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibit at a bagel shop in New York. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
The pop-up exhibit is called, naturally, “Feltz Bagels” — a Jewish surname that also serves as a nod to Sparrow’s favorite material. (She loves using this relatively inexpensive fabric because it comes in a wide variety of colors, allowing her to recreate almost anything in her cute and cuddly style.)
Because Sparrow has no Jewish heritage, she did a lot of research to make sure she understood the details of Feltz Bagels, including visiting Russ and Daughters and Katz’s Deli, both of which fully supported her creations handmade. (The former even provided babka for the press preview of the exhibition, served naturally with Sparrow’s stuffed slices.)
Lucy Sparrow’s felted babka alongside the real deal from Jewish appetizer store Russ and Daughters at the press preview of “Feltz Bagels,” its new bagel boutique art exhibit in New York. Photo courtesy of the artist.
“My work is always focused on community experiences and the amazing everyday products that bring us all together. There is truly no better example than the traditional bagel bakeries of New York’s Lower East Side, which have been feeding more than just the stomachs of the city’s residents since the late 19th century,” Sparrow said in a communicated. statement.
Organized by Montauk Gallery TW Fine Arts, this is the second iteration of Feltz Bagels, following a run in Montauk this summer. (Sparrow also created his own McDonald’sA British convenience storeand one Los Angeles Supermarketamong other projects.) To meet the expected demand, its first show in New York“8 until late“had to close early when everything was sold out, Sparrow created 30,000 individual works for the occasion.
Lucy Sparrow’s felted caviar boxes at “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibition in a bagel shop in New York. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
The store’s offerings extend beyond bagels to include other food items popular with the Jewish community, including yarn-covered latkes, shiny cans of caviar and Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup.
There’s even a special homage to the Jewish religion, with a shelf displaying a fabric Hanukkah menorah and a Passover Seder plate made by Sparrow, complete with chocolate gelt, matzo crackers and Manischewitz kosher wine. (On the other hand, there’s a secret back room selling pork products, hard liquor, and tiny bags of marijuana, among other illicit substances, along with thick stacks of felt money.)
Lucy Sparrow at “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibit at a bagel shop in New York. Photo courtesy of the artist.
There is also a wide range of baked goods for sale at Feltz’s, including the iconic black and white cookies, croissants and petit rugelach for just $10 each, as well as various types of junk food. (The Cheetos Puffs bags, with their charming depiction of Chester Cheetah, deserve a special mention.)
It’s a true New York moment, with all the best of Jewish culinary culture gathered in one place (traditionally, meat and cheese products are sold in separate stores in accordance with the kosher food law , but I think it’s fair to let things slide in the name of art).
And to remind you what a culinary melting pot is, you can also order a $50 cup of coffee at traditional blue and white Greek takeaway cupreading “we are happy to serve you” – a fitting slogan for Sparrow’s feel-good art.
See more photos from the exhibition below.
Lucy Sparrow’s felted cash register and coffee at “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibit in a bagel shop in New York. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
Custom bagel toppings at Lucy Sparrow’s “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibit in a New York City bagel shop. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
“Feltz Bagels” by Lucy Sparrow, her new art exhibition in a bagel shop in New York. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
Lucy Sparrow’s felted latkes at “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibit in a New York bagel shop. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
Lucy Sparrow’s black and white felted cookies at “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibit at a bagel shop in New York. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
Lucy Sparrow’s felted menorah and seder plate at “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibit at a New York bagel shop. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
The illicit backroom of Lucy Sparrow’s “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibition in a New York bagel shop. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
Lucy Sparrow’s felted food at “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibit in a bagel shop in New York. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
The illicit backroom of Lucy Sparrow’s “Feltz Bagels,” her new art exhibition in a New York bagel shop. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
“Feltz Bagels” by Lucy Sparrow, her new art exhibition in a bagel shop in New York. Photo by Sarah Cascone.
“Lucy Sparrow: Feltz Bagels” is on view at 209 East 3rd Street, New York, October 3-31, 2023.
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