Bob Krasner on Storage
AM New York
April 10, 2024
One doesn’t expect a DIY project to look quite as perfect as Tribeca’s Storage gallery, but owner/director Onyedika Chuke is responsible for more than filling the space with art.
“I couldn’t get a loan for the renovation, so I did it myself,” he says. “I spent 20 hours a day on it. I could build a house if I needed to.” The Nigerian-born artist began his career as an art dealer when he was still studying sculpture at Cooper Union, under the mentorship of Susan Sheehan. “She was a smart, well-respected, astute business person,” Chuke recalls. “I learned a lot from her.” After a stint as a professor at Cooper Union ended with the COVID lockdown, Chuke got serious about his first gallery, which also happened to be his living space on the Bowery. The move to 52 Walker St. was a leap, but Chuke was up to the challenge, both practically and philosophically. – Bob Krasner