THE SMOKING SECTION: GOTHAM CHELSEA UNVEILS FIRST ASHTRAY ART EXHIBITION FEATURING COMMISSIONED WORKS BY PREMIER ARTISTS

NEW YORK, Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Gotham, the world's first cannabis concept store, proudly presents The Smoking Section, a group exhibition celebrating the ashtray as both ritual object and cultural symbol. For its first commissioned show, on view from November 6, 2025, to January 5, 2026, Gotham invited more than 45 artists and designers to consider the intrinsic connection between cannabis and art and produce their own interpretation of an ashtray. The result is an exhilarating, inspired collection of original works that range from functional to conceptual, playful to profound, forming a dynamic conversation between material and meaning.

The Smoking Section at Gotham Gallery Chelsea
146 10th Ave (at 19th St), New York, NY 10011

Opening Reception
The public is invited to celebrate the exhibition's debut on Thursday, November 6, from 6–8 PM. Guests will enjoy refreshments, music, and an exclusive first look at the full collection. RSVP Here.

Featured artists include Ridykeulous (Nicole Eisenman and A.L. Steiner), known for their incisive queer-feminist collaborations; Daniel Gordon, celebrated for his hybrid of digital and sculptural work; Mika Tajima, whose multidisciplinary practice investigates the intersections of technology, control, and perception; Deborah Czeresko, acclaimed glass artist and winner of Netflix's Blown Away; Anna Sew Hoy, recipient of the Anonymous Was a Woman Award; Math Bass, recognized for geometric abstraction and performance-driven installations at MoMA PS1 and the Hammer Museum; and Peter Shire, founding member of the Memphis Group.

"Ashtrays were once ubiquitous objects that fell out of fashion as cigarette smoking declined, but for those of us who consume cannabis, the ashtray is both utilitarian tool and design object," says Rachel Berks, Gotham's VP of Product Development & Partnerships and curator of the exhibition.  "It's thrilling to invite this amazing cohort of contemporary designers to use the common ashtray as a medium for exploration and artistic expression."

From the countercultural revolution of the 1960s and '70s to contemporary conceptual art, cannabis has long fueled creativity and expanded consciousness.

The Smoking Section honors that lineage, examining how the act of smoking — and the objects that accompany it — serve as catalysts for reflection, rebellion, and release.

Since its inception, Gotham has captured the intersection of art, design, and cannabis. At The Mezz, the exhibition space at their Bowery flagship, they have cultivated a robust art program committed to showcasing emerging artists. Gotham's Chelsea location, the retailer's fourth, opened in April of 2025 with a full gallery space called Gotham Gallery. Its programming has ranged from the inaugural exhibition The World Is Yours, a collaboration between legendary rapper Nas, photographer Danny Hastings, and design studio Objects Are By, to a recent pop-up takeover by artist Derrick Adams. With The Smoking Section, Gotham continues to fulfill its mission of championing the creative dialogue between cannabis and contemporary culture.

Participating Artists:

Daniel Gordon , Ridykelous (Nicole Eisenman + A.L Steiner), Richard Haining, Tura Oliveira, Jake Clark, Piera Bochner, OKS, Dean Roper, Shauna Steinbach, Mika Tajima, Pap Souleye Fall, Kayla Mattes, Lerone Wilson, Emma Safir, Alma Berrow, Sasha de Lotbiniere, John Gill,Ford Bostwick, LikeMindedObjects, Jack Rabbit Studios, Brent Owens, Stefanie Haining, Anna Sew Hoy, Math Bass, Paula Greif, Gab Bois, Max Mustardo, Ceramicism, Rachelle Sawatsky, Carl Williamson, Recreation Center Ceramics, Grace Horan, Peter Shire, Jennifer Xiao, Kate Rusek, Angie Martell, Luka Carter, Deborah Czeresko, Studio SII, Stefanie Boyd-Berks, Body Language Studio, Lauryn Siegel, Rachel Berks, Caos Motē + Bond Hardware , Christian Moses, Ben R. Clement, Kim Mullis and more.

About Gotham

Gotham, the world's first cannabis concept store, is a female-founded, mission-driven brand pioneering a new era of retail. Curating premium cannabis alongside art, fashion, home goods, and beauty, Gotham transforms dispensaries into destinations for discovery and connection. Since opening its flagship in the East Village in 2023, the brand has expanded to Hudson, Williamsburg, and most recently Chelsea - where they operate a first-of-its-kind art gallery, called Gotham Gallery, within the legal cannabis store. Working to revolutionize the narrative around cannabis consumption, Gotham creates a sense of welcome for their local communities and has solidified their place within the cultural zeitgeist of New York. Learn more at www.gotham.nyc and follow @gotham.ny for the latest products and events.

Media Contact
Trailblaze for Gotham
[email protected]

SOURCE Gotham