EXHIBIT: ASSPIZZA X THE CART DEPARTMENT

Asspizza x The Cart Dept: Free Parking NYC — A New Art Collision in the West Village

New York, January 15, 2026, Kim Dynasty

New York City’s art world just got a bold burst of DIY energy with the Asspizza × The Cart Dept exhibition, running January 14 through January 25, 2026, at Free Parking, a pop-up gallery space in the West Village (16 Morton Street, NYC).

A Meeting of Street Art and Curatorial Vision

What happens when one of streetwear’s most enigmatic creatives teams up with a cutting-edge curatorial platform? In this case, Austin Babbitt — better known as Asspizza — brings his raw, marker-and-paint aesthetic into sharp focus through a collaboration with The Cart Dept, a collective celebrated for blending art, culture, and unconventional storytelling.

Asspizza, whose work began in underground fashion and DIY street culture, has spent years blurring the lines between art and wearable expression. This exhibition places that ethos front and center, offering an immersive experience that feels as much like a creative playground as a gallery.

What You’ll See at Free Parking

Unlike a traditional gallery show, Free Parking rejects the white-walled aesthetic in favor of a more lived-in, visceral presentation of contemporary art. The exhibit includes:

• Original artwork and installations showcasing Asspizza’s signature hand-drawn graphics and expressive iconography.

• An art car centerpiece, transformed into a rolling canvas that bridges automotive culture with street art — part sculpture, part statement piece.

• A mix of 2D and 3D work that reflects the artist’s layered influences, from self-taught graffiti motifs to motifs of youth culture.

The show’s aesthetic carries Asspizza’s ethos of personal touch and unpredictability — a deliberate break from convention that invites visitors to engage with art on their own terms.

The Cart Dept Influence

The Cart Dept has become known for cultural intersections that go beyond gallery norms, whether celebrating automotive iconography or reimagining how audiences interact with urban art. By teaming up with Asspizza in the Free Parking space, they’ve created a show that feels organic yet curated—a curated chaos that resonates with New York’s street art heritage.

Why It Matters

This collaboration marks a significant moment in Asspizza’s artistic evolution. Starting in fashion and DIY circles, he has steadily moved into spaces that validate street culture as contemporary art. The Free Parking exhibit isn’t just a display: it’s a moment of cultural crossover where fashion, street culture, and institutional art meet on equal ground.

For New Yorkers and visitors alike, this show offers a rare opportunity to see how underground creativity can become gallery-worthy without losing its original grit and spirit.