With “Hold On, It Won’t Last Long,” Jon Burgerman transforms the gallery into a temporary site of joy, gathering, and shared presence in the heart of Manhattan.
Now open through March 7 at A Hug From The Art World, the exhibition occupies 515 West 19th Street in New York, welcoming visitors from 10am to 6pm (closed Sundays and Mondays). More than a presentation of works, the show unfolds as a moment—fleeting by title and design—inviting audiences to participate in an atmosphere that resists permanence.
A Celebration of Ephemerality
The title Hold On, It Won’t Last Long suggests transience. Burgerman frames the exhibition not as something fixed, but as something to be experienced in real time. The phrasing carries both urgency and tenderness: an encouragement to grasp a moment precisely because it will pass.
That sense of immediacy was palpable during the grand opening on January 22. Burgerman described the evening as a convergence of “old friends, new friends, weirdos, young people, old geezers, stinkers, moochers, mensches and more,” all gathered in one space. The language is playful and expansive, collapsing hierarchy in favor of shared presence. The opening became, in his words, “like all my birthdays rolled into one.”
Community as Medium
While the exhibition centers on Burgerman’s work, the artist’s reflections foreground community. His gratitude extends specifically to Adam, Tim, and the Hug gallery family for shaping the show collaboratively. The acknowledgment underscores a dynamic in which the exhibition is not simply installed but assembled—constructed through relationships and collective effort.
The atmosphere described—guests mingling, laughter circulating, even attempts to “steal the hot dog balloons”—suggests that the event functioned as a social artwork in itself. The gallery space becomes porous, animated by interaction rather than defined solely by objects on display.
The Gallery as Gathering Point
Located in Chelsea at 515 West 19th Street, A Hug From The Art World provides the framework for this encounter. Open daily except Sundays and Mondays, the exhibition remains accessible until March 7, inviting those in New York to experience it firsthand.
Burgerman’s invitation is direct: “Go and check out the show if you’re in New York.” The tone is informal, almost conversational, reinforcing the exhibition’s emphasis on accessibility and immediacy.
A Moment to Hold
In an art world often structured around scale, spectacle, or institutional framing, Hold On, It Won’t Last Long emphasizes something more intimate: time-bound connection. The exhibition exists within a specific window, shaped by who enters, who gathers, and who lingers.
By foregrounding gratitude and shared celebration, Burgerman situates the show as both an artistic presentation and a communal event—one that, true to its title, asks viewers to hold on, precisely because it will not last.
For more international art opportunities, deadlines, and curated selections of global calls, explore our updated listings in the Open Calls section at https://lemonartmag.com/open-calls/.
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Claire Wooden
