The 1980s in New York are long gone — the artistic collaboratives of the East Village, Club 57, the cheap rents, much of the climate of experimentation, gone. But there are still young artists in New York, many of them in the outer boroughs, subsisting on box mac-and-cheese and the drive to produce. That is, the drive is still here, and the visual stimulus, and the raw talent. These are qualities not confined to one generation. No one has any idea what this city will be like thirty years down the line, but the importance of honest effort remains a constant. Young artists keep your eyes open. Have faith.

“Victor Matthews: Alter Ego Paintings” is up through June 22 at Wendt Gallery New York, 41 East 57th Street, 8th Floor.