The Alternative Museum: 28 East 4th Street, 1975-Present

  • The Alternative Museum was founded in 1975 as the Alternative Center for International Arts Inc. by Geno Rodriguez, Jane Rooney, and Robert Browning. Their motto was "Ahead of the times and behind the issues," which demonstrated their aim to exhibit underrepresented artists and their socially and politically charged work. Some of the well-known Latinx artists that have been presented include Ricardo Dominguez, Luis Cruz Azaceta, and Enrique Chagoya. In 2000, the institution closed the doors of its physical space and decided to operate an online space instead. By "deinstitutionalizing," they freed themselves of the financial, practical, and spatial limitations that constantly challenge museums. Their virtual space now functions as a private archival website that allows users to understand the museum’s past exhibitions and other initiatives.