Miniature model maker and artist, Danny Cortes, celebrates Hip-Hop with artifacts in the Landmark group exhibition hosted by Gotham NYC.

Baking bread, binge-watching television, and building makeshift home gyms. These are just some of the hobbies people turned to with their new-found abundance of time during the pandemic. But for most, little became of the activities necessitated by self-preservation or the desire for productive leisure. Maintenance man turned miniature model maker, Danny Cortes, is an exception to this. In less than three years, he has emerged as a sought-after artist, but more importantly a shepherd of New York City?s unappreciated landmarks. The self-taught artist?s decorated résumé includes the sale of his signature IceBox at Sotheby?s in 2022 for nearly $2,000, as well as custom requests by Hip-Hop stars and professional athletes for their personal collections. Danny Cortes
Cortes? latest foray into exhibiting works is the group show, Landmark, curated by Kate Storch, and hosted by Gotham, NYC?s premiere licensed dispensary located in the East Village. More of a cultural institution than shopping destination, the airy, two-story retail and gallery space is designed by multidisciplinary creative studio Cinema Vitae. It features fashion and lifestyle brands as well as premium cannabis programmed on the ground floor around a central tree, which is a permanent installation by local multimedia artist Molly Lowe. The mezzanine affixed above the st...