Located in the borough's Brooklyn Heights neighborhood in New York City, the gallery first opened on January 22, 1958, with the purpose being to "provide facilities where artists may display their work to the public at a minimum cost and without red tape.
The Gallery's exhibits of paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, and ceramics reflected many artistic movements of that era, including expressionism, realism, modern, non-objective, and abstraction.
The case was heard by Municipal Court Judge S. Reymart Alter, although he was ultimately unable to render his decision as claimants withdrew their complaint.
A 64-year-old painter, Andy Johnson, was working as the custodian and superintendent of a local building and had converted a basement coal bin into his art studio and painted by light bulb.
[8] August Satre[9] was a Norwegian painter who, had once been popular but whose artwork had been forgotten when Dwyer saw the 85-year-old painting at the Christian Home for the Aged.