FusionArts Museum

FusionArts Museum is a series of curated, not-for-profit exhibition spaces dedicated to the exhibition and archiving of "fusion art," an interdisciplinary approach to contemporary art that expands beyond conventional disciplines. Founded by Czech-born American artist Shalom Neuman, the institution was first established at 57 Stanton Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Though the original Manhattan location was converted to a commercial gallery in 2012 and no longer operates under the FusionArts name, the museum continues through successor spaces in Prague, Czech Republic, and Easton, Pennsylvania. The museum is operated by the Converging Arts Media Organization, a not-for-profit arts organization that promotes emerging American and international fusion artists.

The FusionArts Museum was founded by Shalom Tomáš Neuman, born July 27, 1947 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, into a Jewish family. Before his birth, much of his immediate family was killed under the Nazi regime, and during the subsequent Iron Curtain era, remaining family members faced the choice of Siberia or death. Neuman's family subsequently moved to Israel, and when he was 12 years old, they emigrated to the United States, settling in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Neuman studied at the Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and earned dual BFAs and MFAs from Carnegie Mellon University in Sculpture and Painting. After moving to New York City, he purchased an abandoned building on Stanton Street for $125,000 and established the first FusionArts Museum on the Lower East Side. The museum succeeded in the changing and evolving neighborhood context. Neuman, who is a member of the Rivington School and closely associated with the New York City literary collective The Unbearables, received the Premio Galileo Giglio d'Oro award in art in 2013, and in 2015 received a Premio Galileo award in art. From August to November 2011, his work was the subject of the exhibition "The Fusion Art of Shalom Neuman" at the National Gallery of Prague. The Manhattan location at 57 Stanton Street was converted into a commercial art gallery in 2012, and the museum's operations shifted to other locations. Deborah Fries serves as director of the institution.

The FusionArts Museum is dedicated to promoting fusion art, which its organizers believe mirrors life in the 21st century. Fusion art expands from its roots in conventional art disciplines and typically requires more work to display than traditional art, which is why many galleries do not exhibit fusion work. The museum's programming focuses on interdisciplinary, multisensory, and multimedia artistic practices that transcend medium-specific boundaries. As a not-for-profit gallery, the institution serves as both an exhibition venue and an archiving body for this genre, supporting emerging American and international artists working within this expanded field. The museum's philosophy positions fusion art as particularly suited to representing contemporary experience, and its curatorial approach reflects this commitment to hybrid, boundary-crossing artistic production.

While specific permanent collection works are not extensively documented in available sources, the museum's exhibitions and programs have featured significant projects by its founder. Shalom Neuman exhibited his own work at the Manhattan location while it was occupied by the institution, and he continues to exhibit at the subsequent Prague and Easton locations. In Easton, Pennsylvania, Neuman's work generated notable public attention when he installed two 10-foot long signs with bright yellow letters spelling out "Shithole" and "Bullshit," which he described as a response to profane terminology employed by the 45th President of the United States, specifically the remark about "s---hole countries in Africa." Easton mayor Sal Panto Jr. initially demanded the signs be removed, citing zoning ordinances rather than language, and Neuman received a 72-hour warning with threatened fines of $500 per day. Following a meeting between Neuman, his lawyer, and the city's solicitor, the works were determined to be protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and the fines were withdrawn. Neuman's broader body of work is held in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Prague, the Jewish Museum in Prague, the Museum Kampa in Prague, the Ellis Island Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. His Fusionarts book is in the library of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

The original FusionArts Museum was located at 57 Stanton Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Shalom Neuman purchased this abandoned building for $125,000 after moving to New York City and transformed it into the museum's first home. The Stanton Street location was described as the only contemporary art space in New York City dedicated to the exhibition and archiving of fusion art. The building was situated in a changing and evolving neighborhood, which the museum succeeded in navigating during its period of operation. In 2012, this initial Manhattan space was converted into a commercial art gallery, ending its function as a FusionArts Museum. The current Prague location operates within the cultural infrastructure of the Czech Republic's capital city, while the Easton, Pennsylvania location is situated across from a playground and the Easton Area School District's Cottingham Stadium, where football games are held.

The original FusionArts Museum was located at 57 Stanton Street, New York, NY 10002, in Manhattan's Lower East Side. The institution can be contacted by telephone at +1 212-995-5290, and its website is http://fusionartsmuseum.org/home.html. The museum is operated by the Converging Arts Media Organization, a not-for-profit arts organization. The Manhattan location is no longer operational as a FusionArts Museum, having been converted to commercial use in 2012. Current active locations include spaces in Prague, Czech Republic, and the Easton, Pennsylvania area. The Easton location became a site of public debate in 2018 due to Neuman's controversial signage installation, which was ultimately protected as free speech. Visitors to current locations may encounter programming that continues the museum's mission of promoting emerging American and international fusion artists through curated exhibitions and archival activities.