Patti Astor, the downtown Manhattan “It” girl, indie film star, and co-founder of Fun Gallery, passed away on April 9 at her home in Hermosa Beach, Calif. She was 74.
With her platinum hair, raspy voice, and glamorous ’50s-style dresses, Ms. Astor was a prominent figure among the music, film, and art community that frequented the Mudd Club in TriBeCa.
In the summer of 1981, her friend Bill Stelling rented a small storefront on East 11th Street with the idea of creating a gallery and asked Ms. Astor if she knew any artists.
The place was small, only eight by 25 feet, and the concept was to have a gallery by artists, for artists, despite having no money or art experience.
The first exhibition featured pencil drawings by Steven Kramer, Ms. Astor’s husband at the time, which all sold at $50 each, showing promise for the gallery’s future.
By 1982, Fun Gallery had moved to 254 East 10th Street, a rundown double-wide storefront that they patched up and began showcasing artists like Lee Quinones, known for his street murals and subway-car art.
Fun Gallery’s openings were lively events, resembling block parties more than traditional gallery affairs, with a mix of uptown dealers, collectors, DJs, and aspiring graffiti artists attending.
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders described Patti Astor as the first lady of graffiti art, noting her early understanding of the cultural significance of this work in a predominantly white-male dominated art world.
Fun Gallery played a pivotal role in the East Village art scene, inspiring other galleries to open in empty storefronts nearby. However, as their artists gained recognition, many moved to SoHo galleries, and Fun Gallery struggled to compete.
The gallery ultimately closed in the mid-1980s, marking the end of an era in the East Village art scene.
Patricia Titchener, known as Patti Astor, was born on March 17, 1950, in Cincinnati. She was a pivotal figure in the downtown art and film community, having starred in films like “Unmade Beds” and “Wild Style.”
After Fun Gallery closed, she moved to Hermosa Beach, where she continued her creative pursuits, writing screenplays and working as a consultant and curator for street art.
Patti Astor was a trailblazer in the art world, leaving behind a legacy that continues to influence contemporary street art and culture.
