Katz’s Deli Gets Artsy
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Image by margaret eby
Want a side of art with that pastrami on rye? You’re in luck. As part of celebrations for the iconic Lower East Side deli’s 125th birthday, Katz’s Deli commissioned the space next door to their restaurant to use as a pop-up gallery.
The Space at Katz’s, as the gallery is dubbed, merges the old and new Lower East Sides, exhibiting deli-inspired artwork. The pop-up opened on October 22, and will be open to the public until February, cycling in new work every month.
The initial offerings at the space includes a wall-sized scrawl by fashion designer and artist Baron Von Fancy which reads “I’ll have what she’s having,” the quip from the famous scene set in Katz’s in “When Harry Met Sally.” Artist Hanksy, famous for his street art-style spins off of celebrity culture, contributed a portrait of comedian Will Ferrell in a cat costume dubbed “Will Feral Katz.” The show also includes several pieces by Studio Hyp-Inc made from carefully broken vinyl records in the shape of sandwiches.
Along with the rotating art, The Space serves as a store for Katz’s merchandise. Every month, a different designer will riff on the Katz’s deli standards to produce t-shirts, baseball caps, and event specialized sneakers. New York City-based designer Alife is The Space’s initial collaborator, offering Katz’s caps and t-shirts inspired by one of the deli’s slogans, “Send a salami to your boy in the army.”
The current exhibit at the The Space, at 203 East Houston Street, runs until November 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover. All donations are being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
