New York: Where to Shop: Neighborhoods A-Z: Chelsea

Chelsea

You can’t really call Chelsea the new SoHo—few SoHo galleries were ever this spiffy or big. In the old days, the market for contemporary art was not this hot, and there was barely an interest in contemporary art furniture. Now Marc Newson’s chairs are as sought after as Damien Hirst’s fish tanks. Chelsea’s art district spans 10th and 12th avenues from 21st to 29th streets. If you don’t have much time for exploring, concentrate on 21st and 24th streets; they’re packed with heavy hitters. On 21st, you’ll find Tanya Bonakdar (521 West 21st St.; 212-414-4144; www.tanyabonakdargallery.com), Gagosian (522 West 21st St.; 212-741-1717; www.gagosian.com) and Paula Cooper (534West 21st St.; 212-255-1105); on 24th, Gladstone Gallery (515 West 24th St.; 212-206-9300; www.gladstonegallery.com) and Matthew Marks (523 West 24th St.; 212-243-0200; www.matthewmarks.com). Galleries tend to be open from Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Call to confirm. In the fashion world, Rei Kawakubo is considered an artist. So it’s fitting that her boutique, Comme des Garçons (520 West 22nd St.; 212-604-9200), was one of Chelsea’s pioneers. Its aluminum-tunnel entry and raw industrial interior by the British firm Future Systems still look cutting-edge.