The model of a Popup has been happening at the Roger Smith Hotel for years. The general idea is the use of spaces to create marketable opportunities. What I look to do, is paint a picture of the Popup history @RShotel, reflect on its potential and provide a vision for the future.

In February 2004 the Roger Smith Gallery transformed into “The Lab Gallery”, later renamed “The Lab Gallery for Installation & Performance Art.” Under the direction and management of Matt Semler, the space was conceptualized as a performance and installation art space to be used as a laboratory for the creative process. A fishbowl style space reaching in to the intersection with the art.

Every month or so the space shifts installations, influencing the energy on the block. Sometimes controversial, often strange and usually thought provoking, the corner space as a popup art installation has been pondered and defended for years.

Two doors down from The Lab we transformed an old jewelry store into a marketable retail space. I intersected with Melissa Gonzalez who was looking to create a television pilot called Homemade BFFs and explored the potential of opening up a popup shop with her. The idea was to rent the space to designers or brands, with the objective of creating unique video and Social Media marketing campaigns.

My goal was to empower someone to help fill the space and share in its growth and development. Melissa accepted the challenge. Our first pop up installation in September 2009, was a Model casting / street runway show with Dolita Paris.

The RS Popup Shop, at the entrance of the hotel has been filled with designers, brands and artists since it conception. The calendar for 2011 is filling up fast. If you are interested in participating in the program please contact myself or Melissa.

The concept seems simple enough to be replicated. It almost seems contagious in its model. Ideas like a popup restaurant, popup wine or whiskey bar begin to inspire chatter.

The best thing about a popup model in a hotel is that there are many opportunities for people to get involved. Businesses, marketers, artists, musicians, authors, sponsors, charities and the like will be allowed access to the Popup experiences that we have been building.

At this point, as I look to the future business of the Roger Smith Hotel I am encouraged by the momentum and enthusiasm supporting the popup concept. I am also confident in the events team at the hotel and believe in the people and services.

So with that I hope you will reach out with your business needs. It is a perfect time to become part of the Roger Smith Culture. A “Pop” culture based out of a Hotel.

I look forward to continuing the dialog and growing the symbiotic network.

Stay tuned to our next popup event! Be part of our next popup event!

Thanks for reading.

I am John Knowles, the Director of Innovation @RShotel.

Follow @pancity to engage.

Other Related Links

Take a tour with Martha on our RS Events Tumblr.

http://www.rspopshop.com/designers

http://thelabgallery.com/

‘Pop-up’ Restaurant LudoBites Hit Of Los Angeles

August 2010

The show Soundstorm at the Lab Gallery is filled with mystery, power and magic. It has endured the strongest heatwave of the summer and acts as a breathing force in the gallery space on 47th and Lexington. The evolution of the show has been intense. It has channeled massive amounts of energy in its existence and continues to surprise me. On a steamy Friday night in the beginning of its installation a street viewer coming from LQ (a Club on Lex), in a fit of rage with his girlfriend put his fist through the front window. Unfortunately the gentleman lost his arm in the process and created a peculiar dynamic to the development of this installation.

I find the show to be the strongest installation that I have seen in the Lab Gallery in years. The layers of intent behind the show by Daniel Rothbart and Maia Anthea Marinelli go back further than you might realize. On April 24th, 1995 Lisa Paul Streitfeld curated a performance installation in the Lab Gallery where different artist participated in a Meditation / Mediation ceremony where consecutive artists projected their intent on the vessels that are consistent elements in all of Rothbarts installation work. Among the artist who participated were Max Blagg, Anthony Haden Guest, Valery Oisteanu, Bettina Sellmann, L. Brandon Krall, Larry Miller, John Perreault, Francine Hunter McGivern, and Abraham Lubeslki.

Youtube Playlist

These vessels hold the intent of the space and all who have participated along the way. The potency of the experience for me seems to heighten the current experience of Soundstorm making it a charged experience.

Instinctually I tagged different Roger Smith personalities on facebook as represented in different vessels layering the intent and contributing to its charge. As if the walls a being pulled inward by the pulley systems controlled by the weather the amount of energy and tension in that space is fascinating. I believe the show is a conductor of emotions and energy! It has brought much to the surface, not all good, but most certainly necessary. I believe all installations in that space should be marked as an experience. In the context of provocative art, I am thoroughly stimulated.

I look forward to seeing what kind of aftermath is to be experienced. Bravo Daniel Rothbart!

This blog post is a response to an inquiry on The Lab Gallery Facebook Page by Danika Druttman. I encourage anyone who has experienced the Soundstorm Installation at the Lab Gallery to post a response to it. It can be a video, an essay or even a picture post. Lets keep the dialog going. Let me know what you think.

Feedback is always appreciated.

John Knowles

Roger Smith Popup Shop Reviews

Bluebox Gallery RS POP review by Julia Kaganskiy

Having our gallery opening and show up at the RS POP shop was a wonderful experience! The location is amazing — in the middle of Manhattan and right by Grand Central station for easy access to the shop. There are always lots of passersby, both locals and tourists, and the window front on Lexington is an incredible draw. People were always stopping outside our window display to admire Gabrel Barcia-Colombo’s video sculptures, then wander on inside (so be sure to have an eye-cathing display!).

As a brand new pop-up gallery, we were focused on getting as much exposure as possible to help build our clientele, and RS POP certainly helped us do that by putting us front and center in a very elite neighborhood. More importantly though, the hotel’s strong art focus was a fantastic match for us and helped us connect with our target audience. It seemed like there was always some sort of arts-related event or opening going on, whether it was at the LAB Gallery installation space on the corner or the Solarium Room in the hotel, and the people in and around the hotel were all art enthusiasts, including the owner, James Knowles, who is the artist-in-residence there.

The staff is also a remarkable asset and support system. John and Melissa and the Panman Productions team were a pleasure to work with and helped us ensure that everything went smoothly. They also checked in often to make sure we were having the best experience possible and gave us notice when an arts-related event was happening at the hotel so we could be prepared. As a new business, it was so helpful to have that kind of support system in place, and we really can’t thank them enough for all their efforts.

In short, we highly recommend booking the RS POP shop! Great people, great space, great location.

Roger Smith Pop Review by Gail Travis

“Participating with the RS Pop up Shop team has undoubtedly helped to promote and expose my new knitwear label, N:F:P. Such a unique experience being able to build out my own boutique the way I have envisioned for my brand. It is rare to find not only a space to create as your own for up to a months time, but also have the expert support staff to help execute a special trunk show/cocktail party event, and social media tools such as videos, links to blogs, etc. to gain diverse promotion of any new art form.

Melissa Gonzalez is truly an amazing entrepreneur who was always there to help. She was never without an idea to creatively launch my first two collections to the public; either through the shop or online promotion. Melissa, and lets not forget her dog Mila, are the most adorable team with the most motivating and energizing spirit. No matter what the idea, she was ready to make it happen.

I am looking forward to continuing a strong partnership with John Knowles and his RS Pop Team to launch and promote my future collections of New Form Perspective. Their service has become an integral part of the N:F:P selling and branding platform. The midtown location has grown my customer list to include numerous new international clients and contacts, as well as a growing local NYC customer base. Truly a wonderful experience and encourage anyone starting their own business to look into the opportunity. The possibilities are endless and the team thrives on new creative techniques to try!!

Thank you John, Melissa, Abi, and Alek for everything!! Can’t wait to work together again soon!!”

Wine Library TV NYC Week LIVE at the Roger Smith Hotel! August 24-28

Gary Vaynerchuk performs Wine Library TV live! After more than 700 episodes, Wine Library TV has taken on a life of its own, breaking down the barriers to wine appreciation for thousands. Witness the live performance as we pump the audio out to the street outside the Roger Smith Hotel while Gary swishes and spits in his trademark style.

Where: Roger Smith Hotel & Lily’s Restaurant – corner of 47th St & Lexington Ave, NYC in The Lab Gallery. The lively Gary Vaynerchuk will perform his show from inside the fishbowl style gallery as crowds gather to watch from outside the space. Wine Library TV NYC Week follows a week of live cooking shows in the gallery by Chef Daniel Mowles of Lily’s Restaurant at the Roger Smith Hotel.

When: August 24 – 28

Monday 8/24 – 5 PM

Tuesday 8/25 – 5 PM

Wednesday 8/26 – 5 PM

 
Thursday 8/27 – 5 PM 

Friday 8/28 7:30 PM

with after party to follow… for Social Good Conference.

Plus, all week long we’ll be raising money for Mashable’s Summer of Social Good