Cannabis and the canvas have a rich and shared history, so it should come as no surprise that in New York’s newly legal era, entrepreneurs would want to marry the two. Enter Gotham, which bills itself as “the world’s first cannabis concept shop.” It’s a lofty descriptor, yes, but on any given day at its three New York City locations, customers can shop from a Millennial-oriented mélange of designer duds, fancy smoking accoutrements and, of course, cannabis products ranging from edibles to pre-rolls. What sets this dispensary apart are its dedicated galleries presenting the work of young and emerging artists.
On a Saturday in April, Gotham’s newly opened Chelsea space was bursting with energy—it happened to be the day before the herbal celebrations of 4/20. A chrome sign outside read “Say HIGH,” welcoming in passersby who might easily mistake the spot for a trendy fashion pop-up in the vein of Paris’ long-departed Colette. Instead, a seemingly endless parade of sales associates, each with an almost jarringly friendly disposition, helped customers select items from glass cases. The shelves are merchandised by the experience the customer might be seeking, such as creativity or sleep. Behind a dramatic curtain is the gallery space, which later that evening would unveil an exhibition mounted in partnership with Nas.
Titled “The World is Yours,” the show celebrates the rapper’s 30th album and features never-before-seen photographs by Danny Hastings from 1994. The images are a historical study of an artist on the rise and offer fans of music and art a chance to take home a piece of that heritage. And it wouldn’t be a contemporary exhibition without a line of merch, which here—given the venue—includes ashtrays and rolling trays.
Meanwhile, at the East Village location, the gallery loft recently showcased the work of Adee Roberson, an American-born artist whose paintings and composited photography bathed the space in pastel warmth. Roberson, who has exhibited at MOCA Los Angeles, The Hammer Museum and Palm Springs Art Museum, uses family archives and surreal landscapes to spark dialogue around history and memory.
Uplifting emerging artists and the conversations that surround them is something Gotham founder Joanne Wilson believes can disrupt the nascent cannabis retail industry. It’s also a strategic decision that acknowledges the pricing threshold of her customer. “Quite frankly, I don’t want to sell a $10,000 piece of art,” she told Observer. “I’d be thrilled to have an artist in there, and all of the pieces are $400; it blows out and it gives them an opportunity to go out and make more art.”
While she doesn’t intend to represent artists in the manner of a traditional gallery, Wilson is betting on the idea that like-minded consumers can walk in looking for one thing and discover another in a way that supports the broader business. “I think there is something lovely about a whole different group of people who come in for a candle or a joint and then see this amazing art exhibition and happen to be collectors,” she said.
SEE ALSO: What Collectors Really Want from Galleries, According to Artsy’s Casey Lesser
Wilson entered the cannabis industry after a highly successful career as an early-stage angel investor with a portfolio that included Eater, Food 52, Blue Bottle and Parachute Home. She has plenty of well-earned knowledge about launching not just profitable businesses but brands with lasting identities. And she’s well-versed in the product Gotham needs to push. “Listen, I’ve been getting stoned every day my whole life, except for when I had children,” she said, matter-of-factly.
The timing for Gotham’s debut was perfect. Wilson had stepped away from investing, partially from burnout and partially from the frustratingly inflated venture capital landscape, where $5 million companies are suddenly valued at $20 million, essentially killing any opportunity for a return. She was ready to shake things up. “I was thinking, ‘Okay, what’s next?’ I’ve always wanted to open a store, and then someone called me and told me what’s going on in the cannabis industry,” recalled Wilson. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, I can meld all of this into one.’”
Wilson herself is an art collector whose approach to next-generation artists mirrors Gotham’s. She believes art should be in everyone’s home, regardless of price. “The importance of art is that it represents society at that time in history, and what artists are thinking about is essential to life,” she said. At the same time, she acknowledges that the art-world analog of the value inflation facing tech is hampering the ability of aspiring collectors to find inroads.
On a trip to Uruguay, she stumbled into a gallery where the works on display were “outrageously expensive.” She explained to the gallerist that she was in the market for younger artists, and hidden out of sight were the pieces that resonated with her. That lack of platform for artistic voices starting out in the world was yet another opportunity she latched onto. “It’s really great to be a big fish in a small pond, because people actually care about you,” Wilson said. “That’s exactly how we think about the people that we work with.”
In terms of Gotham’s artistic aspirations, there are plans for further expansion in New York City, starting with the Upper East Side. Programming—ranging from artist-created window installations to events—is a key part of the approach. For Mother’s Day, the dispensary unveiled photography of mothers and grown children enjoying cannabis together as a form of bonding. In June, Pride will be central to the month’s activations.
“This is a lifestyle,” Wilson concludes. In today’s chaotic world, perhaps an environment where emerging artists have a voice, beautiful things beckon and gentle bliss is all but guaranteed is just what New York and the art world need.
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