Chris Daze Ellis Gives Us A Behind-the-Scenes Tour of "Orchid Rain on the Underground" At PPOW

Why It Matters

The show demonstrates how contemporary art can preserve and re‑energize iconic New York cultural sites, offering valuable context for collectors, historians, and anyone interested in the city’s evolving creative landscape.

Key Takeaways

• Ellis activates hallway with full‑scale, bright tropical mural.
• "Gem Spa" painting references iconic East Village meeting spot.
• Artwork honors late artist Martin Wong and shared art research.
• Pre‑internet information flow highlighted via East Village Eye, Village Voice.
• Exhibition blends personal history with New York cultural nostalgia.

Summary

Chris Day Ellis takes viewers behind the scenes of his third solo show, "Orchid Rain on the Underground," at PPOW Gallery. The artist has transformed a hallway on the second floor into a full‑scale mural bursting with bright, tropical hues, roses and orchids, echoing the outdoor installations that define his practice. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a painting titled "Gem Spa," a homage to the legendary corner of St. Mark’s Place and Second Avenue. Ellis recalls how the venue served as a pre‑internet information hub, where East Village Eye and Village Voice supplied news on movies, restaurants, and global events. The work interweaves personal memories with the cultural pulse of the East Village. Ellis cites the New York Dolls’ photo shoot at Gem Spa and his frequent visits with the late painter Martin Wong, who together scoured art magazines for international trends. These anecdotes anchor the mural in a specific time and place, illustrating the collaborative, research‑driven spirit that shaped the artist’s worldview. By reviving a vanished gathering spot through vivid visual storytelling, Ellis underscores the enduring relevance of physical cultural landmarks. The exhibition offers collectors and urban historians a tangible link to New York’s artistic heritage, while reminding audiences that analog networks once defined creative exchange.

Original Description

Artist Chris "Daze" Ellis invited us inside P·P·O·W as he installed his third solo exhibition with the gallery, "Orchid Rain on the Underground."⁠

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One of the central works is "Gem Spa," a painting of the legendary East Village newsstand that once anchored the corner of St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue. Pre-internet, it was a meeting point where Daze and the late painter Martin Wong would flip through international art magazines — back when publications like The East Village Eye and The Village Voice kept the neighborhood informed. The New York Dolls were photographed in front of it.⁠

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"I'm always thinking about places in New York that are very distinctly New York," Ellis says. "And Gem Spa was one of them."⁠

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"Orchid Rain on the Underground" is on view at P·P·O·W, New York, through April 25.⁠

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Video: Christopher Garcia Valle

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