When the Gerald A. Doering Foundation acquired the historic Newburgh Savings Bank, they wanted to find a new use for the century-old building. Now, it’s the latest addition to Newburgh’s art scene: the Bank Arts Center. The recently opened center hosts Rosanna Scimeca’s Savaggi Gallery, which exhibits large-scale, immersive sculpture installations incorporating light and sound.
“Every artist who shows in here will have to deal with the elements of this space,” notes Scimeca, the founder of Savaggi Arts, who is also planning to convert the former Park Theater at 315 Broadway into an arts center. “The chandelier, the vaulted windows, the red carpet—all these things. It’s not a white box. The dialogue of the art takes on a different meaning here; it has its own meaning intended by the artist, but in this space, there’s another whole level of conversation that happens.”
The gallery’s current exhibition is “Inner Landscapes” by self-taught Burning Man artist Kate Raudenbush, which runs through August 10. It includes improvised ambient music as part of the New Music Program at various multisensory events scheduled during the show’s tenure. For “Inner Landscapes,” music director Sean Brennan oversaw the collaboration of four musicians—Jessica Caplan, Ron Shalom, Chad Raines, and Freddi Price—to create soundscapes that match Raudenbush’s sculptures.
“The music program is a full sensory experience,” says Scimeca. “We wanted to create a space that is collaborative in nature. It’s important that it’s engaging and interactive—as opposed to just going to a gallery and looking. It’s about trying to blur the wall between viewer and object. Even though there’s a beautiful big sculpture, I want people to feel like they’re inside of it.”
There will be a closing party for “Inner Landscapes” on July 27. Looking forward, Scimeca hopes to host more events in the future, utilize the vault downstairs as an additional space to showcase art, and host a centennial party to celebrate the history of the building.
The Savaggi Gallery inside the Bank Arts Center is located at 94 Broadway in Newburgh and is currently open on Saturdays from 1-6pm.
