May 9 | 3:30pm | 213 Water Street | Free
Step into the creative world of Coenties Slip for a special evening premiering three short On This Spot documentaries celebrating pioneering women artists Agnes Martin, Lenore Tawney, and Chryssa.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a group of artists transformed a quiet stretch of Lower Manhattan—right down the street from where the Seaport Museum is today—into a vibrant hub of experimentation and exchange. Renting former maritime warehouses for as little as $45 a month, they created an unlikely artistic community defined by sweeping waterfront views, rooftop gardens, and a shared spirit of independence. Though their lofts lacked modern comforts, they offered something far more powerful: space to create, connect, and redefine American art.
This program brings that moment to life, tracing how Martin, Tawney, and Chryssa shaped and were shaped by this tight-knit, often queer creative community. Martin, the renowned proto-minimalist painter and “earth mother” of the group, lived in an un-permitted loft at 3–5 Coenties Slip. Nearby, Tawney worked in a light-filled loft at 27 South Street, its polished floors housing her looms and disciplined weaving practice. Chryssa, the Greek-born artist, never resided at the Slip, but was deeply embedded in its community.
Together we will see how this tight knit group of artists shared an ethos drawing inspiration from nature, visionary writings, and each other. Their personal and artistic lives were inseparable from the place they inhabited, capturing the quiet, transformative power of Coenties Slip.
Engaging conversations with leading scholars will follow each screening to offer further insight into the legacy of Coenties Slip and the artists who made it extraordinary. Experts include Kalliopi Minioudaki contributor to Chryssa & New York, Dia Chelsea, Prudence Peiffer author of The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever and Kathleen Nugent Mangan Director of the Lenore G. Tawney Foundation.
Sign up today to join this evening of film and discussion that uncovers the quiet, transformative power of place—and the women who helped shape a movement. Preregistration is encouraged for this event. Walkups will be accommodated as possible. Access requires walking up six steps, with wheelchair access available via a platform lift.
About the Partner
On This Spot puts women artists on the map. Through short-form documentaries, On This Spot re-centers women artists in the story of New York’s creative life and explores the places where they lived and worked, dreamed, laughed, danced, and found the inspiration and community to create their art.
Through a biographical and feminist lens, the organization pairs rigorous scholarship with the richness of human stories—spotlighting women artists both famous, and those you might never have heard of.
Their storytelling empowers audiences to see art history in new ways, connecting the past to the present with intelligence and heart. And because On This Spot believes these stories belong to everyone, they make their work freely available to all.
Enjoy More That the Museum Offers
Access to the historic ships and exhibition galleries at the Seaport Museum is included with your ticket to this event! You may visit any time from 11am to 5pm on the day of your event.
General Admission brings you aboard the 1885 tall ship Wavertree and 1908 lightship Ambrose at Pier 16, and into all current exhibitions on view in the first-floor Schermerhorn Row galleries at 12 Fulton Street. Your ticket also sets you on course to explore Maritime City, the Seaport Museum’s immersive, three-floor exhibition at A.A. Thomson & Co., located at 213 Water Street.
Ready for more?
Head over to our Programs and Events page to see what else is happening at the Museum. Sign up for an upcoming talk, learn more about visiting Wavertree, or explore our virtual offerings.