156 Rivington (2003)

In the 1980s, 156 Rivington was an abandoned building in New York City's struggling Lower East Side. Outraged by the city’s gentrification, a group of artists occupied the space and created an installation called "The Real Estate Show." Although the city shut it down after just one day, the event gained widespread attention. This led to the formation of ABC No Rio, an alternative art and political organizing collective named after a faded neighborhood sign. While challenging a system they felt had abandoned ordinary people, the ABC artists were hesitant to examine their own impact as a community force.