Chaim Gross’s Studio Tour

If you’ve visited more than one museum in New York, chances are you’ve seen the works of Louise Nevelson, often called one of America’s greatest sculptors — even though she was born in Poltava Province, Ukraine.

Louise Nevelson was once a student of another remarkable American sculptor — Chaim Gross — who was born in the village of Wolowa, Austria (now Mezhhirya, Zakarpattia region, Ukraine).

Today’s post is about a truly unique experience: a guided tour of Chaim Gross’s studio, located in Greenwich Village, just a few blocks from Washington Square Park.

A Sculptor Who Blended Abstraction and Humanity

Chaim Gross is best known for his innovative approach to sculpture, combining modern abstract forms with clear figurative imagery.

The tour takes you through almost the entire historic LaGuardia Place building, which Gross owned. You’ll get to explore his studio, living quarters, and a small exhibition space — each with its own fascinating history.

A Community of Immigrant Artists

Gross moved to New York in 1921 and quickly became part of a vibrant community of Eastern European immigrants, which included names like Mark Rothko, Ben Shahn, and Moses and Raphael Soyer.

According to his friends, when Chaim Gross first arrived in the U.S., he was so poor that he would eat the fruit from still-life drawings in his art classes.

Perhaps that’s why the extensive art collection he left behind — still displayed exactly as he arranged it in his living room — includes works by Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Max Weber, Paul Klee, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and many others.

More Than a Studio Tour

This tour is not only about the life and art of Chaim Gross, but also about the creative immigrant intelligentsia from Eastern Europe who helped shape New York’s cultural scene in the early 20th century.

If you get the chance to go — I’ll be genuinely happy for you. It’s one of the most interesting cultural tours in the city!