The Development GalleryClient Information
21 May, 2025Print
Tribeca’s The Development Gallery Extends Multidisciplinary Exhibition The Classics By Jennifer Elster Until Friday, June 20th
Includes David Bowie’s 1. Outside Artifacts, Yoko Ono Lyrics And Teases Experimental Film Project In The Woods (And Elsewhere) With Questlove Photograph
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Wednesday, May 21st: Today, The Development Gallery announces the extension of The Classics, a solo exhibition by multi-disciplinary artist, writer, filmmaker, musician, fashion designer, and third-gen NYC native Jennifer Elster, now on view until Friday, June 20th.
The Classics is a visceral journey through Elster’s apocalyptic visions, blending raw, text-driven paintings, historical assemblages, and haunting photography shaped by years of introspection and personal experience. Infused with her dystopian perspective, the exhibition also features rare artifacts and behind-the-scenes images from her early days, putting herself through college while styling cultural icons like David Bowie and Trent Reznor of NIN, offering a glimpse into the roots of a deeply reflective artist.
Additionally, Elster teases her upcoming project, …In the Woods (and Elsewhere)—an experimental film series over twenty years in the making—that delves into the labyrinthine minds of its subjects, pushing the boundaries of storytelling to reveal the complexities of existence and the unspoken facets of the human condition, with a photo of Questlove on display in The Classics and a Sequence card from the original vocalizations written by Elster and performed by Yoko Ono.
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May Be the Last Frame of the Woods, I Thought. Questlove by Jennifer Elster |
“This photograph is a film still from when Ahmir (Questlove) Thompson went into the woods with me many years ago. It captures one of my favorite moments from my film series …In the Woods (and Elsewhere)—a project I’ve been filming for twenty years and will be concluding this summer. This project makes my heart sing, and I love this photograph being a part of the exhibition. Things to come.” –Jennifer Elster in her Post Production Journal
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Within the exhibition, The Garden of Artifacts is a collection of the artist’s treasures, stretching back thirty years to include artifacts from her styling and design work with David Bowie and Trent Reznor of NIN. Several pieces on display are artifacts from the photo shoot for David Bowie's 1995 concept album 1. Outside, a dystopian narrative-driven project that marked a return to experimentalism in his work. Elster transformed him into the characters for the storyline of the album, in which the central character, Detective Nathan Adler, a solver of “art crime,” is tasked with solving a murder.
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Left & Right: Behind the Scenes Photographs of David Bowie as Nathan Adler for his 1. Outside album photo shoot in the Corsham Street Sessions. Photographs taken by Davide de Angelis on photographer John Scarisbrick’s set. Images from DEK magazine. Middle: Collared shirt worn by David Bowie as Nathan Adler, photographed by Jennifer Elster. |
Such pieces include the collared shirt worn by Bowie as Detective Nathan Adler, the dress worn by Bowie as Baby Grace, a blazer he wore as shop owner Algeria Touchshriek, and a custom garment that was cut on Bowie by Elster, paired with a bullet belt and tights for the cult-like character Ramona A. Stone. The 1. Outside album was photographed by John Scarisbrick.
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Left: Behind-the-scenes photograph of Jennifer Elster and David Bowie as Baby Grace for his 1. Outside album. Photograph by John Scarisbrick. Right: Dress worn by Bowie as Baby Grace sprawled on couch, photographed by Jennifer Elster, courtesy of The Development Gallery.
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The Classics also debuts Elster’s striking photographic series America, which is strewn throughout. The series reflects her deep, enduring love for the country—seen through the lens of a third-generation New Yorker. Optimism seeps through from these photographs featuring their diverse wildness.
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The Classics confronts urgent global concerns through the lens of Elster’s own life-altering experiences—from witnessing the devastation of 9/11 up close to enduring the trauma of Hurricane Ida flooding her home while in it. These personal moments of crisis shape Elster’s piercing creative voice, which she channels into text-heavy paintings, gravely urgent historical assemblages, and haunting photographic series that double as both warnings and reflections on the state of the world.
For additional highlights from the Classics including the Wall of Paintings, The Garden of Artifacts, Warfare, and Wake The Fuck Up see more info here:
Limited edition prints of the America series and other original art from The Classics are for sale at The Development Gallery.
The Development Gallery is a 19th-century structure in Tribeca, located in NYC at 75 Leonard Street, between Church and Broadway. The gallery is open to the public from Monday to Saturday from 1 pm to 6 pm.
ABOUT JENNIFER ELSTER
Jennifer Elster is a native New Yorker, critical thinker, artist, writer, director, filmmaker, photographer, musician, and performer who offers a deep and direct awareness of the human condition and our current world crises. Elster grew up in the art scene in NYC, performing in her early youth. Elster approaches her art with an untrained, raw, and aggressive style all her own, often using sharp diction, visual art, and performances to convey our times and our struggles. She applies her instinctual problem-solving skills and innovative thinking to shed new perspectives on pressing issues, evident in her notable solo exhibitions, including The Retrospective of an Extroverted Recluse, The Wake the F*ck Up Show, Take Heed, and QUITE A BITE. Each exhibition has interwoven various forms of media, such as photography, video, performance art, and painting. Beginning in childhood, her first obsessions were with writing and the workings of the mind, which led her to earn an honors degree in writing and psychology at NYU while styling cultural icons like David Bowie, Trent Reznor, and Chloe Sevigny. Elster then transitioned into filmmaking, where her written and directorial feature film work debuted at Village East, played on Sundance Channel and Netflix premiered at Tribeca Film Festival, and garnered recognition and awards. Her next filmmaking project...In the Woods (and Elsewhere), features compelling subjects such as Questlove, Alan Cumming, and the late Karen Black, with vocalizations written by Elster and performed by Yoko Ono. The production has spanned over two decades. The precursor, her online audio-visual excursion, ItW Pathway, featuring Will Shortz, Terrence Howard, Temple Grandin, and the late Glenn O’Brien, was considered an innovation to online experiences. Elster’s work has been featured in many publications including The Art Newspaper, Rolling Stone, and New York Magazine, as well as at venues such as The Development, the New Museum, and Grand Central Station. She has performed art and her original music at several NYC venues when compelled to emote. Elster founded The Development, a gallery, film, and art studio in New York City.
JENNIFER ELSTER ON THE WEB:
ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT GALLERY
The Development Gallery occupies the ground floor at 75 Leonard Street in a historic cast-iron building located in TriBeCa, with 4,300 square feet, 17-foot ceilings, & Corinthian columns. Curated by artist Jennifer Elster, the gallery brings back the old school art vibe with a future vision & is lauded for its multi-media exhibitions; dynamic performance artwork, talented musicianship, & special guests which run the gamut from the underground to public icons.
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THE DEVELOPMENT GALLERY ON THE WEB |
ABOUT J.ELSTER DESIGN SHOP
Continue your fashion exploration through J. Elster, her raw luxury clothing and accessory collections defined by unfinished edges, jagged lines, and unexpected cuts—hallmark elements of her original design philosophy. Each piece is meticulously handmade in New York City, reflecting the artist’s uncompromising creative vision. The store is in the gallery.
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