BROOKLYN LOCAL
by Emily Nathan



The outside of St. Cecilia’s Convent in Greenpoint on Feb. 5, 2011, was as eerie as a Hitchcock set -- cloaked in wet mist, framed by dead trees that arched and twisted in the wind, lights a-flicker -- but the informed Brooklynite knew that the inside was lit up by "Matinee," an exhibition of film and video curated by Patrick Brennan and Lauren van Haaften-Schick. The decrepit old convent has been given a shot of life in recent years, re-named St. Cecilia’s Gallery and transformed into a hub for rotating art shows and film screenings. People interested in booking it need only place a call to "Father Jim," the space’s guardian -- a priest! -- who will declare that he knows nothing about art and doesn’t care what your work entails as long as no damage is done to his building.

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