The coolest art hub in the south Bronx is at it again. The Compound gallery’s newest exhibit, open until June, is a real knockout to say the least.
Titled ‘The Heavyweight Contender’, pop artist John Stango debuted his Muhammad Ali-themed exhibit adjacent to the Third Avenue Bridge on Wednesday, May 8.
For Stango, this is his first solo exhibit in New York City and it certainly ‘floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee’.
Growing up in Philadelphia, PA as a relative to the beloved art legend Norman Rockwell, it was only a matter of time before Stango’s work found its way into the big apple.
Celebrities like Bronx stylist and influencer Jerome Lamaar, singer and songwriter Annalise Azadian, and of course the Compound’s owner Set Free Richardson along with many others poured in to see Stango’s debut exhibit of vibrant, brush strokes of ‘The Greatest of All Time’ in addition to other iconic figures.
Some of Stango’s most popular pieces that night were his adaptation of Benjamin Franklin, which to this reporter appeared to have a Mona Lisa-like effect.
Of course, the modern Frank Sinatra portrait was a hit, as was Stango’s piece on Eminem in addition to many other talented works.
The Heavyweight Contender exhibit will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. for the public until Wednesday, June 12 when Japanese artist Dragon76 sets up shop in the gallery.
