The dynamic arts scene in the Hudson Valley is thriving, and Ethan Cohen is one of the tenacious arts professionals cultivating ever-greater opportunities for experiencing contemporary art in the region. An active figure in the international art world for over 40 years, Ethan’s enthusiasm for art is tangible and his sprawling, multidisciplinary KuBe art center in Beacon—pronounced “cube” as in Kunsthalle Beacon—is an exciting place for encountering world-class art. (A Kunsthalle is a space where short-term exhibitions of contemporary art are held.)
I first met Ethan in 2002 as an intern at his gallery on Walker Street in Manhattan and I went on to manage Ethan Cohen Fine Art for nearly half a decade. During those years, Ethan was consistently imaginative and downright fun. It was a thrill to assist Ethan in organizing and hosting exhibitions, projects, and events—not only at his gallery downtown, but also at art fairs and locations all over the map.
Now 20 years later, I visited KuBe last month and Ethan welcomed me with his enduring warmth and charm. I was blown away as we toured the former high school while Ethan shared story after story about the various activities at KuBe. “I was inspired to activate the old Beacon high school into both a profit and nonprofit arts space where I could create different types of art shows from my gallery in New York City,” Ethan says.
The engine behind KuBe is the Ethan Cohen Gallery housed within, and the entire building is a magnificent reflection of Ethan’s vision and generosity. Closed in 2002, he purchased the building in 2010 and opened KuBe to the public in 2011 with his co-creator Zhu Ceng.
KuBe has promoted an ambitious schedule since. The facility is buzzing with energy and is currently home to over 60 artist studios, 10 gallery spaces, and 2 libraries, plus outdoor grounds, and roof areas for sculpture. KuBe makes the gymnasium available to local athletic teams and regularly hosts an improv theater group. The auditorium holds special events year-round, including lectures and performances. Every inch of KuBe is infused with Ethan’s spirit, and director Joseph Ayers—also an artist, curator, and professor at Parsons School of Design—oversees the robust KuBe calendar.
Speaking of the mission behind the KuBe atmosphere, Ethan says “the community in the Hudson Valley is fabulous and we are here to support its growth.” KuBe is doing just that while contributing to an increasingly diverse arts ecosystem upstate. Recent past shows at KuBe have included Ron English’s “Beacon Bigfoot,” an outrageous sculptural installation of an imagined Yeti family, and “Under the African Sun,” a group exhibition of colorful works by leading African and African-American artists.
Three exhibitions will be on view this month, including a solo show of interactive photography and sound: “Margaret Innerhofer: Shadowland” (through August 29) as well as the group show “A Fine Line: Graffiti and the Power of Dissent” (curated by Cohen and Ayers, through July 2) and a retrospective of large-scale mixed-media paintings and drawings by celebrated contemporary African artist Aboudia (through July 16). KuBe has a full calendar of live performance events this summer in addition to a distinguished artist lectures series in collaboration with BeaconArts.org, community critiques with leading art critics, and a group exhibition of the Beacon Open Studios group during the annual Upstate Art Weekend (July 21-24) as well as additional events this fall.
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This article appears in June 2023.
