An art gallery recently opened in a 35-square-foot Manhattan Mini Storage unit in New York City. Juicys Gallery owner Raphael Cohen opted to make use of the self-storage facility because the $30 monthly rental was more affordable than renting a storefront space, according to the source.

The gallery in unit 867 at 28 Second Ave. is featuring a solo exhibition through April 23 by Brooklyn, N.Y.-based artist Lily Wong called, “A Taste of Spring Is a Welcome Thing.” The presentation includes three recent drawings from Wong’s lithographic process. Completed in a brush-and-ink style, each drawing shows a solitary subject in the midst of a banal domestic task. Intended as studies for lithographic prints, Wong’s drawings include imagery from screen captures of movies she watches on her computer, according to the gallery website.

Additional artists to exhibit at Juicys this year include Keith Allyn Spencer and Flannery Silva.

Gallery viewing is by appointment only. Although the self-storage facility’s lights are regulated by a timer and turn off after 30 minutes, Cohen has created a track-lighting system with tension rods and an electrical battery, according to one source.

Dubbed a “pop-up exhibition platform and virtual gallery space based in New York City,” Juicys Gallery was funded through Kickstarter, a website that facilitates the funding of projects through online donations. Cohen’s goal of $2,000 was met on Feb. 22 after just 26 days. The donations will be used to cover expenses such as storage rent, lighting and display materials, shipping, and promotional materials.

Juicys will host exhibitions at self-storage facilities in different neighborhoods each month, according to the gallery website. Before deciding to use self-storage, Cohen and fellow artist Edo Rosenblith considered opening the gallery in a shipping container.

Manhattan Mini Storage operates 17 properties throughout Manhattan. It is owned by Edison Properties, which also operates Edison ParkFast, a network of 40 garages and lots throughout Baltimore, New York City and Northeast New Jersey. The company’s other properties include workspace offices, executive offices and pre-built suites, The Hippodrome office building, and The Ludlow, a luxury residential high-rise on the Lower East Side.

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