Welcome Back to the Library

Now Showing at the Little Underground Gallery

By Corrine Neary 

It’s that time of year again. Fall is when the students return to Greenwich Village, people come back from their summer holidays and library life starts to get that much busier! And what better way to welcome everyone back than with a brand new group art exhibit in our Little Underground Gallery? On view until the end of September is Koehler, Loaf, Jorgensen & Shore, a selection of drawings and paintings from Tom Koehler, Nandi Loaf, Nick Jorgensen and Jake Shore. A particular staff favorite is a small drawing in highlighter and graphite by Loaf, titled Kubrick Stare, featuring the eyes of four actors from the films of Stanley Kubrick. We challenge you to identify all four sets of eyes… if you can! 

We sat down with Tom Koehler to find out a little bit more about the art, the artists, and of course, why they wanted to show their work at Jefferson Market Library. Below Koehler “spills the beans” on the artists featured in the newest public library art show.

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Can you tell us a little about each artist and how you came to work together?

First, a little bit about me: I recently realized that being rude to service workers is not cool and I decided to express my anger through art instead and now I’m famous.

First off, in no particular ranking order, we have Nandi Loaf. That’s actually one of the artists in the show, not a delicious dessert cake. She is quite sweet though and so is the work that she includes in the show.

Second on this list but not in our hearts, Nick Jorgensen. He’s a scrappy single romantic looking for a special someone to give deconstructed flower bouquets.

Last on the list and in our hearts, we have Jake Shore. OK, what do we say about Jake? We’re not quite SHORE how he got in the show but we’re happy he’s here! 

Everyone agrees this show features the most influential contemporary artists in New York City.  How did we meet? Well, it all started during my janitorial shift at the library. I was solving complex mathematical equations on a chalkboard in-between moppings. Professors Nandi, Nick, and Jake simultaneously burst into speechlessness upon first contact with my genius. We have been insufferable ever since.

What kinds of work can people expect to see in the show?

We’re largely an anti-work collective so you won’t be seeing any work in the show. Only raw sushi-grade expressions of the soul’s mind’s eye.

Why do you want to do a show in the Jefferson Market Library and in Greenwich Village?

Well, I thought after a lifetime of living in the basement of this building that I could bring a little bit more “me” into the space. So I put up my favorite pieces without letting them know and they haven’t said anything so far.

Do you have a favorite book?  

Hmmm, my all-time favorite book is The Ultimate Rat Cook Book: 101 Ways To Enjoy Rat Meat by Shankety McHairylegs Green Biscuits Jr. 

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Proust Center

New! Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way Zoom course for Fall 2024!

The Proust Center at Jefferson Market Library is offering a FREE Zoom course, for first-time readers only. REGISTRATION is required, as space is limited!

nypl.org/events/programs/2024/09/24/marcel-prousts-swanns-way-zoom-course

Dates for Fall 2024;
6:00-7:30pm — Tuesday, Sept 24, Tuesday, Oct 22, Tuesday, Nov 19, Tuesday, Dec 17

We will be reading William C. Carter’s fully annotated Swann’s Way. We will discuss the first half of the book in Fall, 2024 (Combray I and Combray II) and the second half in Spring 2025 (Swann in Love and Place-Names: The Name).

All programs are free and open to the public.

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October-December 2024 “Proust Festival: Literary Conversations”

We will be reading aloud various letters to and from Proust.

Marcel Proust: Selected Letters, translated by Philip Kolb and Terence Kilmartin.

October 8: Selected Letters Vols 1 & 2, plus Letters through 1913 in Vol 3.

November 12: Selected Letters Vols 3 & 4, starting with 1914.

December 10: Proust’s dedication/letter of April 20, 1918 to Jacques Lacretelle