Bash Compactor: A Rose By Any Other Name

It seems Los Angeles might finally have something New Yorkers want to import besides In-N-Out Burger. That something is The Family, an independent bookstore in West Hollywood that curates amazing cultural happenings. Unlike that vicious In-N-Out rumor perpetrated by a bunch of Internet comedy nerds, however, The Family’s move to New York City is no rumor. It’s set up shop in Manhattan, hosting a pop up gallery at 70 Franklin Street this month as part of the 30daysNY project.

The ambitious project was put together by Aaron Rose and features events on each of its 30 days, from live music to talks to comedy shows. Rose himself is no stranger to the New York art scene, having started the infamous Alleged Gallery. Located down the block from Max Fish on the Lower East Side, back when the neighborhood was filled with heroin dealers and not bro-ed out morons, the gallery practically started the collaboration of skateboard culture and art, becoming a hangout spot for Harmony Korine, Chloe Sevigny, Jason Lee and almost any famous skateboarder you can think of.

“He’s a very unique and enigmatic, inspiring dude,” said Jay Buim, who coordinated post-production for Rose’s documentary film Beautiful Losers which depicts the scene and characters that surrounded Rose.

Monday night saw Rose himself entertaining a crowd. Groups of terribly attractive people conversed in Spanish and French as folks crowded around a projection screen in the back of the warehouse space. Despite a few revelers cracking beers and wine bottles, the event was decidedly low key, a far cry from the raucous days of Alleged as depicted in the Rose’s book Young, Sleek and Full of Hell.

Rose played old VHS tapes from his personal collection. “There’s no play list. I brought all these tapes—some work, some won’t—and we’re gonna watch them,” he said.

This included a lot of skateboard videos, jackass type stuff and a hilarious five-minute video filmed by David Blaine of a young Harmony Korine running around 1996 New York pretending he had Tourette’s.

Outside, Rose didn’t feel like waxing nostalgic about the good old days. “People always say New York is different, but it’s just as good now. People are still making that puke art.”