Last night The Hole opened AREA: The Exhibition, an exhibition (clearly) celebrating AREA (of course!), one of the hottest night clubs in NYC during the 1980s. The fabled club was the nexus of the downtown art scene, and Mr. Deitch, lead curator of the show and former director of MOCA, wanted to recreate the experience.

At the time, AREA was the center of innovative art, fashion, performance, and music. Last night, while the transformation of the gallery space is incredible (they have built the AREA bathrooms in the space and built a pared down version of its dance floor—if you are in the city the show is worth seeing), and the works presented were interesting, there was nothing exciting about the people that were there.

There were pretty people, and famous people, accomplished people, and well dressed people and I am sure everyone is really nice but there was minimal participation, which makes everyone lame. The place had free booze (out of GOYA cans), an awesome dance floor, great music, there was even a money booth! But most everyone either stood around on their phones making instagram videos of the performers (WOW, look! Naked people! WOW, look! A brown person twerking!) or in a dark corner pretending to be someone of import.

So, Mr. Deitch, congratulations on the show, it is great (and of course my judgement about art, or anything for that matter means nothing)—but next time, invite people that are going to let loose and maybe have someone make a sculpture out of cocaine, because I want to party.

[There was a video here]