CHELSEA PROJECT. The art district of West Chelsea, New York is stretched within an area of 10 blocks in which hundreds of commercial galleries are located.  
During the course of a year (2007-8) I photographed the facades of these industrial buildings that serves as shrines of aspirations for artists, collectors and dealers from around the world. I chose to restrict my sessions for times when the galleries were closed and streets were empty in order to look at them as objects of inspection regardless of their immediate context as art arenas.  Since I came to New York I developed an ambivalent approach toward the art district of west Chelsea. On the one hand I yearned to be included and to be accepted as an insider. On the other hand a visit in this area has always left me with a taste of suspiciousness and resistance. The days when I developed this series were the pick of what is called now ‘the art bubble’, the prices of art were soaring and some of the galleries established their prestige and wealth. This atmosphere changed vastly very short after I finished my project. This journey started as a personal struggle to react as an artist to the power of commercial art institutions, and continues as a method that asks broader questions regarding the role of art in contemporary society.

ODED HIRSCH
CHELSEA PROJECT
2009
Color print on Epson Pro paper
Polptych of 12
Edition of 12 + 1 Edition Proof + 1 Exhibition Copy
12 by 12 inches each