via innovative intervention
Name: Jack
Location: Times Square
Size: 160 sqft. rental
Favorite Element: R2D2 jar
Jack is an artist/musician who won the jackpot 5 years ago when he was called off the waitlist for the Times Square Hotel. It is an SRO (single-resident occupancy) run by a great non-profit housing developer called Common Ground.
Common Ground took over this mid-town building to provide low cost housing in Manhattan for the formerly homeless, as well as low-income artists, actors, and dancers. The building has public amenities such as a piano, a dark-room and a huge roof deck, but Jack’s apartment is only 10’x16’!
Do you have an idea for a house tour? Let me know! jill@apartmenttherapy.com
When Jack first saw the space, he said “no way, it’s just too small. I can’t even get my bike in here.” Now, 5 years later, he has learned lessons of minimalism, organization, and priority. “I have enjoyed doing without so many of the things we all think we need. I think my apartment's content reflects that,” explains Jack.
Jack acknowledges that to live in such a small space, it’s helpful to “find beauty in one particular thing”. If Jack buys a t-shirt, he has to weed out the old, unwanted ones before the new one will fit into his space.
In the early 90’s, Jack partnered with another artist to form Pruitt-Early. After a number of successes, they had a show at Leo Castelli that failed due to a misunderstanding. “I dropped out of the art and world and joined a rock band. I lost every thing after that show but found I could live without all the clutter that life often brings, and that I could write music." This year, Jack has returned to the visual arts. He is going to use his shower as a studio in which to build paper mache sculptures.
Years lived in: 5
Inspiration: treehouses and houseboats
Favorite Room: there is only one room
Most embarrassing: no bathroom door
Proud DIY: built the shelves
Found Treasure: found my bed on the street
Had Forever: my guitar
Most Talked About Element:that it has a feeling of openness
Just Got: a filing cabinet
Never Live Without: a coffee grinder
I am the most comfortable in: the only room
I change the sheets most frequently.
Right now, I'd most like to update: my laptop
My favorite piece of furniture: my Danish valet
I am the most proud of: the shelves I built based on Donald Judd’s sculpture
My favorite home resource is: LeCorbusier
Best home-related advice I've ever gotten: Rome was not built in a day, better to do without than to store
Best home-related advice I've ever given: less is more
I most enjoy looking at other people's homes because: I like to see how they decorate
Three words to describe my home: come on in
To hear some of Jacks music written with kids in mind visit http://www.myspace.com/walterjacksonearlyjr
Jack Early is represented by E31 Gallery in Athens Greece. For information about his work contact e31art@otenet.gr
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Comments (4)
hmm, here is a comment all the way from hong kong, i am living in a 120sf apartment 24/7 and yes, cant really have much stuff put in, but hey, what else more you need, when i looking for places, i even ready go for 50-70sf with a very small bathroom and mini mini kitchen, but you adapt into it! small is good, just wonder in US, do they sell this type of small space, and wonder how much it will cost, i don't mind to buy one, and how to decorate it, is definitely a challange!
cheers
Jack, you are a far better person than I. I've lived in close quarters, but they would appear spacious beside your home, which is an inspiration. And before I complain about my rent going up $100 a month in November, I'm going to ponder what you probably pay for your pigeonhole at Times Square. Kudos!
hmmmm seems like you need probably 100 more square feet,it's very nice,, cool colors,, everything looks cramped,, like you don't have too much room to walk around there...
Wow. I'll never complain about my 430sqft place again. Asthetically this drives me nuts, but something about it just...works. I think I could do it for that view and location. But I would definitely get a murphy bed to be able to walk around a little.