Current Exhibitions – Upper Gallery

“Sirens in the Night: Drawings from the 1980s by Tim Daly”

From a young age, Tim Daly was drawn to comic books and comic strips in newspapers. He recalls fond memories of reading the comic “Prince Valiant” growing up in his native Jersey City. This was Tim’s first exposure to the power of storytelling in art.

Tim attended Hudson Catholic Regional High School, from which he graduated at the age of 17. Here he was able to enroll in art classes for the first time. Tim had found his calling and received an excellent foundation in the arts.

Determined to continue his creative journey, Tim enrolled in the School of Visual Arts in 1971. While photography and videography were gaining popularity among his peers, Tim drew inspiration from impressionist painters, including Edgar Degas, Eugène Delacroix, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. These artists left an imprint on Tim’s consciousness, and deeply influenced his point of view as an artist.

A pivotal moment in Tim's life was moving to uptown Hoboken in 1977. Tim has witnessed firsthand dramatic changes in our city, most especially in housing. He initially moved into a 1000 sq. ft. apartment with a view of the Empire State Building for $100 a month. Meanwhile, his Puerto Rican neighbors were confronted with a different reality. Within 10 short years, 7 tenement buildings occupied by Puerto Rican families were gutted and converted into condominiums.

“Sirens in the Night: Drawings from the 1980s by Tim Daly” references, and is influenced by, the period of Hoboken Fires that led to a drastically different housing landscape and rapid gentrification. Tim recalls the inescapable smell of smoke and how entire families perished. Puerto Rican families, and other tenants of color, were steadily driven out of Hoboken due to arson, intimidation, and the subsequent rising cost of living.

Political changes were also underway and Tim jumped into the scene. He became involved in Thomas Vezzetti’s campaign for mayor, who walked the streets with a bullhorn. Tim along with his wife, Sheilah Scully, rolled up their sleeves and became advocates as founding members of the 1108-1116 Upper Park Avenue Tenants Association. Thanks to their efforts, they won a condominium conversion battle that spanned four years. Through this experience, Tim and Sheilah met the documentary filmmaker Nora Jacobson, tenants’ rights advocate Tom Olivieri, and many of their dearest friends. Tim shares: "Never doubt the great power in finding common cause with your neighbors. My life proves that."

Tim Daly’s profound exhibit captures cityscapes of a lost era, including carefree children playing on the street, and men sitting outdoors smoking, deep in discussion, with graffiti in the background. Rent was cheap, and the vibrant sense of community ever-present. Tim honors this unique time in Hoboken history, and invites us as the viewers to do the same.

A special thank you to the Hudson County Office of Cultural&Heritage Affairs/ Tourism Development for supporting this exhibit.