Chuck Close on Bond Street

Art & Culture

Chuck Close's former home and studio

Chuck Close - Lou Reed NYC Subway Art

About Chuck Close on Bond Street

 & why it made the Carpe City list

Genius portraitist, Chuck Close, lived and worked on Bond Street for decades. His studio was on the ground floor of 20 Bond for thirty years, and he bought 48 Bond in 2008.

He loved the street so much that Close even sued developers in 2008 to ensure that nearby construction on Lafayette street didn’t damage Bond’s light and air.

Close, known for his large-scale photorealistic portraits, arrived in New York in 1967 and became a fixture of the downtown scene. His subjects included everyone from Lou Reed to Barack Obama.

Though he was paralyzed (from the neck down) in 1988, he never stopped painting or creating.

Beyond his Bond Street digs, Close had several other direct connections to NYC. He sat on the City’s Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission under Mayor Bloomberg, and in 2010 he was commissioned by the MTA to make twelve mosaics for the 86th Street/2nd Avenue Subway Station.

Carpe City Trivia

Fun facts:

Close, who created portraits, had a neurological condition called Prosopagnosia (face blindness). Since he couldn't remember faces, he painted them. He had said this condition inspired his artwork.

Close was not the only artist on Bond Street. This stretch of street has long been an artists' haven. For example, the artist Virginia Admiral (Mother of Robert De Niro) owned 22 Bond Street. Her tenants there included Robert Maplethorpe and the experimental Jazz legend Sam Rivers.

By: Lucie Levine

New York City Tours

Great Places Near Chuck Close on Bond Street

gene frankel theatre exterior noho
Art & Culture

Gene Frankel Theatre

A building with a historical celebrity cache and avant-garde art cred

24 Bond St, New York, NY 10012
Atla restaurant noho
Restaurants

Atla

Sophisticated Mexican with a casual vibe by renowned chef Enrique Olvera

372 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012
Vic's Restaurant Noho
Restaurants

Vic's

Great neighborhood spot for pasta and pizza

31 Great Jones St, New York, NY 10012
Bond No 9 perfume noho shopping
Art & Culture

Bond No. 9 Perfumes

"Making Scents of New York"

9 Bond St, New York, NY 10012
Animal Hospital Showfields Noho History
Art & Culture

Animal Hospital & Showfields

The first free animal hospital in the United States

350 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012
Blick Art Supplies interior noho
Art & Culture

Blick Art Materials

Invigorate your artistic journey

1-5 Bond St, New York, NY 10012
Robbins & Appleton Building noho architecture
Art & Culture

Robbins & Appleton Building

A landmarked legacy of art and manufacturing

1 Bond Street, New York, NY 10012
Brooks Brothers 670 Broadway Noho History
Art & Culture

Brooks Brothers & 670 Broadway

An ornamental building with a lavish past

670 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
The Schermerhorn Building exterior noho
Art & Culture

The Schermerhorn Building

It's almost The Plaza…

380 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10003

More Great Walking Tours

Subscribe

Sign up to our monthly e-mail about the latest and greatest places for food, wine art and history

Skip to content