The iconic Manhattan property where Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat once lived hit the market in February of last year, which made it a very high-profile property for potential buyers.
Angelina Jolie has since bought the space from Meridian Capital Group, reportedly for a new creative concept she is working on, according to Art News.
This loft, located at 57 Great Jones Street in the bowery/NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan was previously owned by Andy Warhol, who purchased it in 1970. Warhol began renting out the second floor to Basquiat shortly after they met and became friends. It is where Basquiat would create much of his well known pieces until his death at the age of 27.
The three-floor, 60,000 square feet building was originally constructed in the 1860s, and was first bought by the gangster Paolo Antonio Vaccarelli–known as Paul Kelly, who opened the Brighton Athletic Club there in 1904.
Jolie will use the space as a boutique but also as a workshop for under-represented artists and tailors from around the world, who will be able to work and showcase their creations at the loft, which will operate under the name Atelier Jolie.
In an Instagram post shared by the Atelier Jolie account, the shop claimed “Atelier jolie wants to join others in their effort to democratize the fashion industry, allowing the customers to have access to a collective of emerging designers and master artisans.” The post also read that “There will also be an inclusive online resource for finding garment makers, making use of curated dead stock and vintage materials to create one-of-a-kind pieces that embody personal creativity and purpose.”
Despite changes to the space’s interior, Jolie will be leaving the graffiti done by locals artists on the front of the building to preserve the art and keep the “Basquiat feel” to the space, according to the directors of the Meridian Capital Group.
Garrett Kelly of the retail leasing company claimed, “She loved the facade of the building and it being tagged up with the street art as a memorial for Basquiat.”
This past February when 57 Great Jones Street went on the market, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation added it to their list Civil Rights & Social Justice Landmarks in NYC, making it a significant property in a variety of contexts.
