Entrance

Entrance is a window into a lifestyle. There’s a definite DIY sensibility and grassroots vibe to this sunny gallery at both its Ludlow Street site and over at its outdoor sculpture center in Red Hook.

Many of the artists showcased at Entrance are friends who got their start in zine and skateboard culture, which in NYC and Brooklyn is a high-sensibility pursuit that sparks many creative careers.

That said, the shows feel closer to the studio than the street. The art here could be paintings, ceramics, or assemblages made from trash. Subjects can range from upstate farming and Canadian speed skating to knights, castles, or fantasy lands.

No matter the materials they use or the places they take us, we always feel close to the maker’s process and connected to how the artist is thinking about life. The intimacy brings us closer to the driving force of creativity in everyday life.

Louis Shannon is the great, great-grandson of Matisse (though that’s arguably the least interesting thing about him). Having grown up around artists in Tribeca, it’s unsurprising that he has an eye. Entrance started in 2011 with a group of artist friends in the cellar of the Ludlow Street location as Luck You Collective. It morphed into its current iteration in 2017 when Louis took over the storefront lease above the cellar with the mission of showcasing artists making their debut. In 2024, he added a sculpture center in Red Hook as an outdoor extension of the gallery.