Below Grand, a gallery on Orchard Street in New York, has transformed its space into "Club Bar," an immersive exhibition curated by Marissa Graziano that blurs the line between art and entertainment. The show features a pool table, free beer and hot dogs, and a white roulette table dealt by artist Sam Guy, where guests gamble for raffle tickets to win artworks. The exhibition includes works by Alexis Akua, Thomas Bohm Jr., Alex Cassetti, Angela Dufresne, and others, with a suggested donation of $25 for five plays and raffle tickets.
This exhibition matters because it challenges traditional boundaries of contemporary art by turning the gallery into a participatory, casino-like environment where the viewer's experience and interaction become part of the artwork itself. By merging performance, gaming, and social gathering, "Club Bar" reflects a growing trend in the art world toward experiential and immersive shows that prioritize audience engagement over passive observation, potentially reshaping how galleries attract and connect with visitors.