An intimate evening with solo artist Barret Lee and Moderator Russ White exploring distinctions of chaos and harmony in the world around us to create balance amidst our reality.
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We invite you to join us for an evening of conversation with exhibiting solo artist, Barret lee, and moderator Russ White. Balancing Act turns Gamut Gallery into a bright world of imagination full of unreleased works that encompass the characters Barret has been illustrating since childhood and subject matters he has expanded upon since graduating from MCAD in 2016. His unique approach to surrealism through the use of squids, birds, bears and humans stimulates the audience’s imagination and emotions, communicating unrestrained thoughts and softening the discord of everyday experience.
His use of poppy, saturated colors will draw viewers in as you are given an opportunity to explore the macro- and microcosms that Lee has unleashed from his mind. Like many of his previous bodies of work, Balancing Act features constructs of paradisal wonderlands, however, this solo exhibition focuses on satirizing the state of the world and how it affects our mental wellbeing and existence.
BALANCING ACT ARTIST TALK: Wednesday, November 3, 2021 // 7pm Moderated by Russ White of MPLSART, followed by open Q & A $5pre-sales, $7door, FREE for members • This is 30 person limited capacity event • Pre-sales available and recommended • Entry will be available at the door if pre-sales do not sell out • Masks required indoors
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ABOUT THE ARTIST Barret Lee is a Minnesota based fine artist and illustrator with a BA in drawing and painting from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) in 2016. Barret is a multidisciplinary artist who works in a range of mediums. He paints a wide variety of subjects, including wide-eyed characters, playful landscapes, and pop culture.
Since graduating from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), Barret has participated in countless art fairs and exhibitions around the Midwest and has been displaying his artworks at Gamut Gallery beginning with our group exhibition Brightside in 2017. Barret has permanent collections on view at Rafter Lofts Minneapolis, Saluté Dental in Woodbury Minnesota, and Arete Lacrosse at the TCF performance center in Eagan. He currently works as a freelance fine artist and you may find him at his studio #385 in the historic Northrup King Building in Northeast Minneapolis.
Russ White is an artist, writer, and editor living in Minneapolis. After growing up in the Carolinas and Mississippi, White received a BA in Studio Art from Davidson College and has maintained a studio in the Casket Arts Building in Northeast Minneapolis since 2014, where he works primarily in colored pencil and mixed media. He has exhibited his work regionally and nationally (including a 2016 solo show at Gamut), is the recipient of two Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative grants (2018 & 2020), and works as the editor of written content for MPLSART.COM.
Memberships are still available, they will not give you access to this sold out event. However they will get you early access to our Holiday Market, Raging Art On. Only our Members will have a chance to shop the sale early on Wednesday December 1st!
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Our annual black tie event returns after a year hiatus, we are filled with gratitude for all the support we have received while navigating the past year. This evening is our thank you to the members that create Gamut, continue to support our vision and contribute to our vibrant community. Our annual black-tie event will be full of ambiance for all of your senses. The night will be kicked off by the legendaryKFAI disc jockey Spider Hamilton, followed up byKyle King & a live performance by XINA. And, for those of you that last all night, we will have a surprise guest performance. Provision Community Restauranthas created a special menu for everyone this evening and we are excited for up and coming Sober Sally’s mixologists! This year’s gala will be set amidst ‘Balancing Act’ – a solo exhibition byBarret Lee. We hope you dress to impress and step into the custom living floral photo booth created by Pansy Floral.
Beyond supporting the local art scene, members receive free admission to all exhibition openings and closings as well as invitations and discounted tickets to preview parties, such as early FREE access to our annual Raging Art On holiday market, which is right around the corner. The Platinum membership level receives additional benefits, most notably a 10% discount on artwork sales.
Become a supporting Member of the Gamut Gallery community and join us for this special black-tie celebration! The commitment and generosity of our members helps continue the innovative, community-driven art programming that Gamut strives to provide. Gamut Gallery has collaborated with artists, curators and performers to deliver thought-provoking art programming to the Twin Cities and engage our audience on a visual, visceral, and emotional level.
As always, we thank you for your continued support. The commitment and generosity of our members helps continue the innovative, community-driven art programming that Gamut strives to provide. Support Art. Support Gamut Gallery.
GAMUT GALLERY MEMBERS GALA – SOLD OUT Saturday November 13th, 7-11PM (no regular open hours this day in preparation for the event)
NEW THIS YEAR: To attend this year’s Members Gala, guests will need to provide proof of full vaccination, or a negative COVID-19 test (within 72 hours) on the night of the event.
Ambiance provided by Barret Lee, Pansy Floral & Sober Sally’s and photographer Caleb Timmerman. The evening will feature a Slam Academy Music Showcase with a surprise special guest!
• Spider Hamilton
• Kyle King
• Xina
Looking to become a Member? Membership levels range from $60 – $300.
As a Gamut Gallery member you receive free admission to all exhibition openings and closings, as well as invitations and discounted tickets to preview events, such as VIP access to our annual Raging Art On holiday market place. Gallery members are committed to the local art scene and we celebrate them bi-annually with a Spring Celebration and our black-tie Member’s Gala in the fall.
MUSIC:
XINA (ZYE-nah) is a Minneapolis-based musician whose expressive abilities observe no boundary. A classical dancer from the age of five and a songwriter from the age of ten, she fully embraced her role in this reality as a recording artist before even graduating high school. XINA’s sophisticated songwriting, nuanced vocal prowess, intuitive production, evocative choreography, and inventive video direction conveys the raw, vulnerable aspects of the human condition with intensity, mystique, and finesse across each of her projects. Her latest releases, sister projects “Pull” and “Push”, were inspired by the physics of pole dance and the give and take of human relationship.
KYLE KING was born in Germany, and raised in North America. He developed a love of music at a very early age, his passion for all things music truly shows. Kyle is an electronic music producer, but also knows several analog musical instruments and is always looking to expand his repertoire. Reaching almost two decades as a DJ, Kyle’s selections draw from his experience, and his desire to weave new music with the classics, and always leave the dance floor blissful and exhausted. Choosing to focus on production in the last couple of years, Kyle has consistently challenged himself with various genres of music, refusing to become compartmentalized. Kyle now works as a teacher’s assistant and Instructor at Slam Academy, while also acting as the student ambassador.
SPIDER HAMILTON is keeping New Jack Swing alive and well in the care of his moniker, Spider “Original Ol’ Skooler” Hamilton on KFAI-Fresh Air Community Radio. A la his moniker, it’s time-honored, old school. As he attested, “My tradition and heritage roots…the style, finesse, and showmanship of the DJs of the era I cut my chops under—to them, I owe it all. Someone in 1969 gave me a break, provided me with an opportunity and believed in me.”
AMBIANCE: BARRET LEE is a Minnesota based fine artist and illustrator with a BA in drawing and painting from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) in 2016. Barret is a multidisciplinary artist who works in a range of mediums. He paints a wide variety of subjects, including wide-eyed characters, playful landscapes, and his take on pop culture. His first ever solo exhibit, Balancing Act will act as this evenings back-drop.
PANSY FLORAL is a no-foam flower studio owned + operated by Beck Kling. Based in NE Minneapolis, Pansy specializes in custom florals for weddings, installations and events. Beck’s designs are inspired by play and color, honoring each stem as it directs the composition of her arrangements. In the warmer months she sources flowers from fabulous local farmers and provides flower delivery to Minneapolis/St. Paul on a weekly basis.
SOBER SALLY’S are a Craft Mocktail Mobile Bar. Their mission at Sober Sallys is to create a sober option at any and all social events. They want to bring a sense of inclusivity to gatherings whether that be big or small. Sober Sallys is here to provide a hangout with out the hangover, cheers to glamorizing sobriety!
This is not your typical artist talk. This talk will be a Q&A Chain — a method where the curator begins by selecting a piece that intrigues them and asks the artist a couple questions. From there, each chosen artist picks the next one, opening up the dialogue and inviting the artists to respond to each other. There will be seven artists, each having the opportunity to speak about their piece for approximately 5-10 minutes, and will conclude with closing remarks from the curator, Blaine Garrett and Gamut’s director, Cassie Garner.
ABOUT the EXHIBITION
MPLSART and Gamut Gallery present the MPLSART Sketchbook Project Exhibition. The exhibition has no defined theme, only a set of guidelines – works had to be new originals and available for under $500. Many artists drew inspiration from their sketchbook pages. In addition to featuring 35 original works, the exhibition will also be an opportunity to see the five original sketchbooks first-hand before going to auction at St. Paul based Revere Auctions.[/bscolumns]
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MPLSART SKETCHBOOK PROJECT EXHIBITION ARTIST Q & A Chain
Saturday, May 1st, 2021 • 11am-12:30pm
Moderated by curator Blaine Garrett
• Pre-sales Required
• $10 General Admission
• $5 for Gamut Members
• 15 tickets available
• Masks Required
• We also livestream the talk on our Instagram: @gamutgallerympls
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ABOUT the ARTISTS
allison anne is a collagist, mail artist + graphic designer living in Minneapolis. Their work is the result of years of self-directed experimentation with many mediums, but explorations with paper collage have become their focus. Working with rescued, found or recycled materials as often as possible, allison uses collage, zine-making and correspondence art as ways to explore intersections and interactions between media, medium and function in their art practice. allison is a member of theTwin Cities Collage Collective that strives to provide an inclusive, safe space for individuals at all levels of creative ability to learn about collage.
Christopher Carr is a mixed media artist originating from Atlanta, GA. He has shown work in various Atlanta area galleries including AmericasMart, Elevation Gallery and Lambert Gallery of Art. Christopher moved to Minneapolis in 2008. Most recently Christopher has shown in group exhibitions at Shrine NYC and The Minneapolis Institute of Art. His work often explores themes of escapism through imagination, and typically reflects his perspective of the world around him at the time the piece is created. He is also a thoughtful and enthusiastic collector of folk art.
Derek Meier‘s work focuses on material exchange, immediacy, visual play and aesthetic dialogue. Deletion is a critical step in his creative process. He typically utilize paint and mixed media collage elements and work very fast and instinctively on many different pieces at once so that the body of work grows together. From there Derek identifies and isolates the moments he found to be successful and delete what he considers to be irrelevant. The deletion is often achieved by building small and large bodies of unmodulated color fields. Resting these next to other fields allows him to create honest, sculptural lines and forms by pinching paint together. The way landscapes are constructed is something that informs many of his paintings: the different ways their visual space is carved up and shared between natural and man-made elements and their varying agendas.
Destiny Davison is a writer, illustrator, and multi-media artist exploring the real, the unreal, and the in-between from the Midwest.
Leeya Rose Jackson is a painter, designer, and Art Director born and raised in Detroit, Mi. Her paintings and linocuts largely explore Black femme identity.
Reggie LeFlore is a visual artist who creates to praise individual and collective stories through human portraiture. His inspirations are drawn from the concepts and philosophies of Street Art culture and Illustration – using aerosol, acrylic paint and various graphic design techniques to construct pieces in varying styles, scales and surfaces. Reggie uses visual arts to amplify both his surrounding environments and the narratives contained within them.
Stacey Combs aka stace of spades, is a freelance artist + illustrator living in South Minneapolis. She is self-taught, but have had a little help here and there. Stacey enjoys good food, music, travel, grungy ink line work, and walks (of any length) on the beach. 75% of the time she works while listening to classical renditions of video game soundtracks. Much of the work that she does is portraiture. While she does make a fair amount of fan art, Stacey often works with themes of environmental and social justice, drawing attention to unfairness and outdated social norms. Looking at her work, it might seem that she draws inspiration from the darkness in life. While that may be true, it all comes from a place of compassion and appreciation. she tries to shine light on, and even make light of, that darkness when she can… which is really the best that any of us can do.
We’re ready for you, new works, new artists, new year.
UPCOMING EXHIBITS in 2021
December, 2nd 2021 – January, 10th 2021 Raging Art On 2021 – Our annual “uncurated” holiday shop in a gallery setting.
Gamut’s 10th annual holiday market Raging Art On (RAO) is back! We’re bursting at the seams with locally sourced art, helping you answer that age old question: what do you get the person that has everything? The gallery is transformed, filled from floor-to-ceiling with paintings, fiberart, prints, jewelry, sculptures, and stocking stuffers to choose from. You’ll never find yourself agonizing over holiday shopping again! Raging Art On provides a unique, consumer-conscious experience that allows any adventurous shopper to find the perfect gift for anyone on their shopping list! With the exception of selecting the participants, Gamut leaves the rest up to the local artists to decide the amount of work they show and where to show it.
FEATURED ARTISTS: Third Daughter Restless Daughter, Astralchemy, Alexis Politz, allison anne, Anton Horishnyk, Amit Michael, Ashley Nichole, Bekah Worley, Benja Wuest, Biafra, Black Daze, Cassie Garner, Carter Casmaer, Destiny Davison, Eli Libson, Emily Forbes, Emily Quandahl, Evan Weselmann, Flahn Manly, Heather Renaux, Jamie Owens, Jenna Richardson, Jordan Wiebe, Jorie Kosel, Juliana Ferguson, Kathryn Flora, Lauren Storm, Linnea Maas, Liza Ferrari, Lora Hlavsa, Lucy Comer, Manthra Studio, Martzia, Marne Skusa, Nichole Showalter, Pompa Goods, Olivia Kor, Phaedra Odelle, Philipo Duyali, Rachel Schroder, Roland & Darwin Patrick, Russ White, Sara Kahn, Scott Seekins, Sherstin Schwartz, stace of spades, Suyao Tian, Tierney Houdek, Tiffany Lange, Tom Jay, Trace, Zach Julen
PAST EXHIBITS in 2021
Cancelled – We regret to inform you, but Future Forms has been cancelled due to logistical complications. Keep following both orgs to see what other exciting events they have planned for the year.
Future Forms – Juxtaposition Arts and Gamut Gallery present Future Forms, a multimedia exhibition featuring artwork from current JXTALabs youth apprentices and recent program alumni. These exhibiting artists affirm that the visionary genius and interdisciplinary approaches of our young people are integral to the growth of the Minneapolis community and beyond.
Featuring: Alex Vaquerano, Avahnii Lewis, Bereket Weddall, Cameron Downey, Elijah Buchanan, Essence Enwere, Ethan Nevelinen, Hans Forsline, Hawwa Youngmark, Isaiah Hunter, Justice Jones, Makeda Parrish, Micah Brekke, Namir Fear
Curated by: Alex Smith, Adrienne Doyle, Greta Kotz
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April 10th, 2021 – May 8th 2021 Minneapolis Sketchbook Project –MPLSART and Gamut Gallery present the MPLSART Sketchbook Project Exhibition, representing 35 new original works from local artists featured in the project. All works will be available for $500 or less!
The 2020 MPLSART Sketchbook Project is a unique survey of the Twin Cities visual arts community during a most challenging year. 68 local artists contributed 120 pages of original work to a series of five traveling sketchbooks. The sketchbooks have been compiled into a beautiful 88 page hardcover book available for presale via Kickstarter March 2nd with all net-proceeds split among the featured artist.
MPLSART is also partnering with St. Paul basedRevere Auctions to auction the original sketchbooks. All net proceeds from the print book and the originals will be distributed among contributing artists! This is MPLSART’s way of helping artists during this difficult year.
Featuring: AK Garski, allison anne, Annie Hejny, Ben DiNino, Betsy Alwin, Black Daze, Christopher E. Harrison, Christopher Carr, Christopher Aaron Deanes, Colee Recke, Derek Meier, Destiny Davison, Hend Al-Mansour, Jamie Owens, Jennifer Davis, Jesse Quam, Jon Reischl, Kar-Keat Chong, Kelsi Sharp, KJ, Krista Anderson-Larson, Kristine Fretheim, Leeya Jackson, Lora Hlavsa, Lizardman, Nicholas Straight, Niky Motekallem, Noval Noir, Philipo Dyauli, Reid Olson, Russ White, Sean Ferris, stace of spades, Tony Cheng, Tyler Faketrap
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May 29th 2021 – June 26th, 2021 Setting the Groundwork– a solo exhibition by Reggie LeFloreexploring his take on the multidimensional elements of creating, storytelling, and relationships with space and time.
Setting the Groundwork is Reggie LeFlore’s visual autobiography. Through the use of six portraits, each representing a different chapter of creativity in his life, viewers will have the opportunity to get a look into his inspirations as a child and to his collaborations across his life, highlighting his connections to community and the environments that surround it. Each foundational portrait represents a piece of LeFlore’s methodology, supported with elements containing his past, future and his current bookmark resounding on identity, afrocentricity and purpose. These experiences and influences create a larger than life, bold, vibrant story; a mural per se of his life, from his roots in Omaha to his life in Minneapolis.
Reggie Leflore is visual artist who creates to praise individual and collective stories through human portraiture. His inspirations are drawn from the concepts and philosophies of Street Art culture and Illustration – using aerosol, acrylic paint and various graphic design techniques to construct pieces in varying styles, scales and surfaces. Reggie uses visual arts to amplify both his surrounding environments and the narratives contained within them.
Curated by Cassie Garner
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July 15th, 2021 – August 21st, 2021 Singula – An international group exhibition honoring rare elements that shape our identity
Singula (adj.) derives from the Latin word, singulus, meaning single or separate; each one being individually unique and particular, possessing its own essence. As individuals experiencing and interpreting distinct realities– from our physical surroundings to our imaginations deep within the subconscious realm; Singula honors the distinguishable and rare elements that continuously shape our identity and understanding of the world.
Singula is curated by Rodrigo Oñate and features muralists he has invited from Mexico, Chicago and Minneapolis, all whom incorporate whimsical characters and dream-like imagery to explore their cultural origins and storytelling practices that embolden critical connections across identities. Through a combination of colors, textures and intricate shapes and figures, this collection of muralists reveres the accessibility of public spaces to create vibrant and eclectic works that connect directly with the community. By highlighting everyday human experiences and marginalized narratives, this exhibition affirms street art is a powerful form of expression and solidarity among communities, stimulating the imagination and activism necessary for transformative change.
We hope this work engages the viewer to reflect upon their own innermost identities and the dreams that we carry with us throughout our lifetime. This Summer, we invite you to enter the gallery filled with environments most commonly found in our flights of fantasy.
Curated by Rodrigo Oñate
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September 10th , 2021 – October 9th, 2021 C4W:2021 –Gamut Gallery’s annual Call-4-Work exhibition.
The beauty of C4W is that there’s no predetermined theme and it is not a show that influences what art should be. Instead, Candida Gonzalez, this year’s guest curator, brings their unique perspective and interpretation of the submitted works ranging the full “Gamut” of visual media.
Through our guest curators lens & perspective they have curated the theme Elemental for this C4W. This exhibit will feature artworks that Cándida has chosen to represent one of the building blocks of life, from the four elements and human connections to life and death. For Cándida, these selected works represent some form of elemental energy that invites us to drop down from the chaos into the essential foundation of existence as life twists & changes around us.
C4W:2021 Features: Aidan Dillon, Alexandra Beaumont, Alondra M. Garza, Atzín Rayas, Ayana Figueroa, Ben DiNino, Ben Hering, Benjamin Wuest, Bo Young An, Buddah Jankey, Caryn Ann Bendrick, Christopher Harrison, Christopher Palbicki, CL Martin, Corinne Teed, Daniel Allyn Lee, Derek Meier, Emily Forbes, Helene Woods, Human Shaped Animal, Ilya Natarius, Ivonne Yáñez, Jacob Docksey, Jessica Kitzman, Jes Lee, Jordan Wiebe, Jorie Kosel, Kat Moon, Katie Robinson, Kristine Fretheim, Laurie Borggreve, Liza Ferrari, Lucy Comer, Lynda Mullan, Madison Rubenstein, Maria Quinn, Margaret Vergara, Nate Woodard, Sarah M. Sosa, Tchana Pierre, & Tiffany Lange
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October 22nd, 2021 – November 20th, 2021 Balancing Act – A solo exhibition by Barret Lee.
Balancing Act showcases an unreleased body of work from Minneapolis painter, Barret Lee, encompassing the characters he has been illustrating since childhood and subject matters he has expanded upon since graduating from MCAD in 2016. Drawing from his biggest inspirations: surrealism, graffiti and cartoons, Lee utilizes a combination of acrylics, spray paint and occasional collage, expressing a whimsical theme throughout his work, personifying fantastical worlds that encourage the viewer to escape from the chaos of reality.
Barret sees painting as a form of communicating unrestrained thoughts and softening the discord of everyday experience. His unique approach to surrealism stimulates the audience’s imagination and emotions. Naturally, this exhibition reveals that when we maximize our creative capacity, chaos and balance do not merely coexist but can actually live in harmony with one another.
“Those three worlds I look to mold into one of modern escapism. I create fantastical characters and floating landscapes in search of a utopian outlook on life”, says Barret. Like many of his previous bodies of work, Balancing Act features constructs of paradisal wonderlands, however this solo exhibition focuses on satirizing the state of the world and how it affects our mental wellbeing and existence. His use of poppy, saturated colors will draw viewers in as they are given an opportunity to explore the macro- and microcosms that Lee has unleashed from his mind.
This year has truly taught us what the word resilient stands for. We navigated social isolation, the loss of loved ones, social injustices, and major financial challenges for most. We have been bent, stretched, and compressed over & over again. With that, we became pliable & flexible, creating growth with determination and creativity to handle the unprecedented adversities that came our way. Within our community at large we prevailed, revealing to us that we could not be broken and instead, we became stronger to withstand the next blow the world had to offer.
After cancelling multiple events & exhibits in 2020, we shifted with the times, operating out of dining rooms, garages and front porches, personally delivering artworks, creating a virtual gallery space for attendees to visit us safely from their homes, provided multiple opening nights to reach as many patrons as we could safely, collaborated with local organizations in fundraisers and finally, were left still standing to close 2020 with the event that spurred our very beginning in 2011.
Our most recent show, Raging Art On, offered a sensation we hadn’t felt in the gallery for nearly 9 months while we have been operating in many new capacities. The presence of you all, the presence of community and the power of gathering together…again had filled with room with ooos, awes, giggles, excitement and, most importantly, the community that we have missed dearly. I am so very thankful to the 50 local artists that gave bits & pieces of themselves to create the joy that has filled our space. This year’s Raging Art On single handedly brought back all the feelings that are Gamut. We are not just a room with four walls, but we are an inclusive and safe space for individuals to gather and feel like they belong. Whether it be in-person or virtually, we remain glad to be here as a space for art and creativity to thrive.
Entering the New Year, I am filled with hope. We know that the distance we have experienced in 2020 will only continue to bring us closer together, emerging stronger than ever as we move through 2021. We will be taking all of January off as we navigate what this year of Gamut’s programming will look like. However, similar to previous years, we look forward to presenting a diversity of exhibitions reflecting the full “Gamut.” It can’t be said enough, without you we would not still be here; your support and energy keeps my heart meter filled!
Wishing you health, happiness and moments of joy – Cassie Garner Gallery Director
Visit our Online Gallery & Shop!
As our shop and gallery is currently closed for in-person shopping you may continue to support vibrant community of local artists and makers through our online shop. We will continue local deliveries & U.S. shipping while we are on break. Shop through our many collections featuring paintings, prints, sculptures, apparel, jewelry & more from local & national artists.
Our collections have a wide range of accessible pieces for every collector!
Comments Off on Blank Slate: Social Web XR Happy Hour
EXPERIENCE THE BLANK SLATE OPENING NIGHT RECAP VIDEO
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Art & Technology have merged with Gamut Gallery’s first virtual reality (VR) exhibition, Blank Slate. Our virtual Web XR platform, is accessible all over the world for those who wish to enter from the comfort of their own homes via laptop or VR headset from your web browser (Firefox/Chrome). This virtual exhibition space, created by Brian Skalak of REM5, has been digitally simulated to look and feel like our brick-and-mortar. It is full of bright, bold colors, abstract line works and non-traditional portraits in our new virtual environment.
Our WebXR opening was the beginning of the new virtual gallery space, now it will continue to serve as an event and meetup location for the foreseeable future. Gamut members and guests can check in 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without leaving their home. Meet the artists, hang out with your friends, and make your way through Gamut Gallery & our back courtyard that contains a few new twist & turns. This new platform also creates accessibility allowing collectors from around the globe to expand their art collections through the click of the mouse.
From the Curator:
“As many of us have participated in creative, alternate art avenues through live streams, Zoom meetings & Instagram take-overs, we believe the VR world will transcend us to the immersive connections we have been missing. Designing virtual places to gather, discover community & enjoy art is the direction that spaces like ours will be heading.” – Cassie Garner
Blank Slate Social Web XR Happy Hour:
Wednesday, August 10th 2020
ONLINE: 4-6pm // FREE
Gamut’s Gallery courtyard take-over by created by Brian Skalak
Join curator Cassie Garner & Artists Aaron Schmitz, Evan Weselmann, Derek Meier, Maiya Lee Hartman, Neal Breton & Ron Brown in Gamut’s Virtual Gallery. Choose your own “avatar”, invite your friends to join you online and mingle.
JOIN VIRTUAL GAMUT GALLERY
• Late to the party, you’ll be able to wait in a virtual lobby until a spot opens up so don’t leave if we’re full.
• Attend from your home, via laptop or VR headset from your web browser
• Click to Learnhow to onboard & navigate the space
FEATURING: Alejandro Zhang, Amina Harper, Andrea Osterhout, Anna Brauch, Anna Johnson, Barret Lee, Brandon Movall, Canaan Mattson, Christopher E. Harrison, Claire Hickman, Colee Recke, Corrie Steckelberg, David Mueller, Destiny Davison, Eduardo Salgado, Erin Paradis, Jacqueline Nuzzo, Jamie Owens, Jessica Kitzman, Justice Jones, Kate Sciandra, Kehayr Myles-O’Shaé Brown-Ransaw, Kelsi Sharp, Leah Edelman-Brier, Leeya Jackson, Lora Hlavsa, Lynda Mullan, Margaret Lindahl, Martzia Thometz, Matthew J. Bindert, Merick Reed, Nicole Thomas, Philipo Dyauli, Reid Olson, Ron Brown, Russ White, S. Catrin Magnusson, Sherstin Schwartz, Sidney Coleman, Stephanie C Friest, Suyao Tian & Torey Erin.
Curated by: Katie Garrett
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Gamut Gallery’s annual Call-4-Work exhibition is not a show that influences what art should be. Instead, the chosen guest curator brings their unique perspective and interpretation of the submitted works ranging the full “Gamut” of visual media. When Katie Garrett accepted the challenge of curating this year’s C4W: 2020, she practiced an exercise in responsive curation, empowering the 175 artists to lead the way through all 745 submissions.
On par for C4W, the 2020 submissions were a wild slice of the local art scene. A cross section of who saw the call, and who felt compelled to contribute. It was especially heartening to discover a collection of submissions from artists novel to the gallery. As a step toward more balanced representation, Gamut Gallery waived all submission fees for Black Artists and Artists of Color. This is a practice that we will continue with progressing into the future, opening the door to artists that may not have had the accessibility in previous years.
A theme emerged around ideas of projection, optimism, truth, and action – creating a wild, saturated world that breathes life into us from every angle. Revealed in a body of work by 42 artists, these elements convey a hopeful and restorative life ahead. Biological elements invite inspiration of growth through texture, material, pattern, and figure. This rich, fertile ground features jewel tones pulling everything together, welcoming wet, magnetic pieces to pull at the imagination and occupy your whole mind. These chosen 43 works tell you stories and let everything else slip away for a moment, releasing judgement allowing the art do the work.[/bscolumns]
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Back to Back Openings:
Friday October 9th & Saturday October 10th
7pm – 10pm • $5 // FREE for Gamut Members Shop the Collection!
• 45-minute ticketed tour times
• 4 tours each night
• 20 visitors per tour
• Masks required
• Temperature taken upon entry
• Please stay home if you are feeling unwell
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ABOUT THE CURATOR:
Since 2005, MPLSART has been the Twin Cities’ best resource to access local art. Katie and team have been running the site since 2014. MPLSART is dedicated to building a larger art audience, and being a voice for under represented and emerging artists. Since 2017, Katie has used a curatorial role with The Hive Salon in Minneapolis as an experimental opportunity to develop her relationship with local artists and introduce new work to the clientele. In early 2019, Katie was selected to jury Wintertide, produced by Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA), facilitated by Public Functionary.
Katie delights in applying her decade-long background in advertising to the fine arts, elevating the role of art in everyday life. She wants everyone to know how much better life is with meaningful art on your walls and artists as friends. She is determined to make an art-lover (and art-buyer) out of every resident in MSP.
FEATURING: Arianne Zager, Aaron Schmitz, Black Daze, Derek Meier, Evan Weselmann, Maiya Lee Hartman, Neal Breton, Ron Brown, and Yuta Uchida. Curated by Cassie Garner
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Just when you thought we were done, we had another trick up our sleeve! We are excited to announce our virtual Web XR platform, accessible all over the world for those who wish to enter from the comfort of their own homes via laptop, cell phone or VR headset from your web browser (Firefox/Chrome). This virtual exhibition space, created by Brian Skalak of REM5, has been digitally simulated to look and feel like our brick-and-mortar.
This opening event will be the beginning of our new virtual gallery space that will live online and serve as an event and meetup location for the foreseeable future. Meet the artists, hang out with your friends and make your way through Gamut Gallery & our back courtyard. Capacity will be around 30 people connected at a time so get in early. If you are late to the party, you’ll be able to wait in a virtual lobby until a spot opens up so don’t leave if we’re full.
Blank Slate is a time for new ideation and beginnings. As many of us have participated in creative, alternate art avenues through live streams, Zoom meetings & Instagram take-overs, we believe the VR world will transcend us to the immersive connections we have been missing. Designing virtual places to gather, discover community & enjoy art is the direction that spaces like ours will be heading.
If you have visited our space before, we cannot wait to get together again in this new innovative virtual experience. Even when this pandemic is over, Gamut’s VR world will continue to be a sister experience to physical art exhibitions moving forward. Please join us for this special inaugural event as we step into the future.[/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”one_half_last_clear”]
Blank Slate Social Web XR Opening:
Saturday, August 15th 2020
7-9pm // JOIN VIRTUAL GAMUT GALLERY
Attend from your home, via laptop, cell phone or VR headset from your web browser
Capacity will be around 30 people connected at a time.
If you are late to the party, you can wait in a virtual lobby until a spot opens up so don’t leave if we’re full.
Make an avatar from a photo of you: https://readyplayer.me/
*Sometimes this doesn’t work, try from mobile or from a computer with a webcam.
ABOUT REM5: REM5 Virtual Reality Laboratory is a full-service, vertically integrated immersive technology company. Founded in 2017, REM5 operates a flagship event space in St. Louis Park, MN that serves over 10,000 guests a year. REM5’s impact-driven arm, REM5 For Good, is a global leader in using VR to enhance K-12 education, arts, and social equity initiative.
FEATURING: Arianne Zager, Aaron Schmitz, Black Daze, Derek Meier, Evan Weselmann, Maiya Lee Hartman, Neal Breton, Ron Brown, and Yuta Uchida. Curated by Cassie Garner
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Gamut Gallery &REM5 Virtual Reality Laboratory are excited to announce Blank Slate, Gamut Gallery’s first virtual reality (VR) exhibition, opening on Friday August 7th. On opening weekend, Blank Slate features an innovative experiential event, attendees will be shocked as they enter an empty gallery bearing only blank walls. After putting on fully immersive VR headsets (facilitated by REM5) the gallery will be transformed with bright, bold colors, abstract line works and portraits with a non traditional ideation in this new virtual environment. This mind-bending format is the first of its kind!!
This virtual exhibition space, created by Brian Skalak of REM5, has been digitally simulated to look and feel like our brick-and-mortar. Artworks will be curated and “hung” on the replicated walls, identical to our traditional exhibitions. Additionally, the show will be accessible all over the world for those who wish to enter from the comfort of their own homes via laptop, cell phone or VR headset.
Blank Slate is a time for new ideation and beginnings. As many of us have participated in creative, alternate art avenues through live streams, Zoom meetings & Instagram take-overs, we believe the VR world will transcend us to the immersive connections we have been missing. Designing virtual places to gather, discover community & enjoy art is the direction that spaces like ours will be heading.
If you have visited our space before, we cannot wait to get together again in this new innovative virtual experience. Even when this pandemic is over, Gamut’s VR world will continue to be a sister experience to physical art exhibitions moving forward. Please join us for this special inaugural event as we step into the future.[/bscolumns]
[bscolumns class=”one_half_last_clear”] BACK to BACK OPENING NIGHTS:
Friday, August 7th 2020
5-9:30pm // $15 per ticket • Members Only $5 tickets
Capacity 4 attendees per tour • Must wear a mask
Pre-sale ticket required to attend the VR Opening
8 Ticketed tours will include 30 minutes in the gallery, with an opportunity to discuss your experience in the courtyard afterwards with your tour group.
Saturday, August 8th 2020
7-9:30pm // $15 per ticket • Members Only $5 tickets
Capacity 4 attendees per tour • Must wear a mask
Pre-sale ticket required to attend the VR Opening
6 Ticketed tours will include 30 minutes in the gallery, with an opportunity to discuss your experience in the courtyard afterwards with your tour group.
Elliot Park Art Walk: Saturday, August 15th 2020
FREE // 1-4pm, Masks Required
Tour begins at Finnegans, leading through Elliot Park & EPAQ Celebrate a summer day with amazing local art, laughs & local Twin Cities Makers Las Ranas Jewelry, Made in Mpls, Thraxis Threads, Martzia Thometz & Cross Stitches by Juliana!
Return to FINNEGANS for live painting by Reggie LeFlore RSVP today, 8 spots available per time slot
FREE OPEN HOURS: WEEKLY OPEN HOURS WILL NOT INCLUDE VR HEADSETS Wednesdays – Fridays, 11am – 5pm & Saturdays by Appointment [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]
*Opening Night attendees walk through Blank Slate, only visualizing the art from the VR Headset.
ABOUT REM5: REM5 Virtual Reality Laboratory is a full-service, vertically integrated immersive technology company. Founded in 2017, REM5 operates a flagship event space in St. Louis Park, MN that serves over 10,000 guests a year. REM5’s impact-driven arm, REM5 For Good, is a global leader in using VR to enhance K-12 education, arts, and social equity initiatives
Celebrate a summer day with amazing local art, laughs & local Twin Cities makers!
Experience historic Elliot Park neighborhood through a comedian-led tour from Theater of Public Policy. Learn fun facts about the neighborhood, check out historic landmarks, and explore exclusive promotions and experiences in the Elliot Park Arts Quarter featuring Gamut Gallery, Kristi Abbott Art,Fades Of Gray Inc. Bee Ink Tattoo, Rose Salon, Bandbox Diner & FINNEGANS Brewery. Enjoy a pop-up makers market at Gamut featuring Las Ranas Jewelry, Made in Mpls, Thraxis Threads & Cross Stitches by Juliana!
Join us for an evening of celebrating the incredible art here in the Twin Cities and the Elliot Park neighborhood! Stay tuned to the Elliot Park Arts Quarter Facebook Page for details!
ELLIOT PARK ART WALK Saturday, August 15th // 1-4pm • FREE
Party begins at Finnegans 1pm
Tour times at 1:30pm, 2:30 pm & 3:30pm
Return to FINNEGANS for live painting by Reggie LeFlore
FEATURING: Abraham Lule, Alexis Politz, Anne Ulku, Briana Layne, Booka B, Christopher Alday, Dan Souligny, Dana Christopherson, Destiny Davison, Evan Weselmann, Fiona Avocado, Gina McMillen, Jamie Owens, Jared Maire, Lindsey Made This, María José Castillo, Maximilian Mauracher, Meghan McDilda, Melissa Sisk, Miles Taylor, Milton Un, Molly McDougall, Nicholas Straight, Paige Guggemos, Sara Paul Kahn, Schuyler Huber, Shivani Parasnis, Studio on Fire, Ted Kusio & Thy Doan.
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We began with thirty untitled and unauthored poems by Molly-Margaret Johnson & Kareem Rahma. By eliminating titles and byline for each poem, the audience is given an opportunity to connect more viscerally with the work by having to read between the lines without preconceptions of race, gender or sexual orientation. The outcome is an ouroboros of words written by two uniquely different individuals coming together.
Johnson & Rahma’s poetry was then shared with local and national typographers, illustrators and designers who were challenged to conceive a personal rendition of the selected poem of their choice. Through screen print, letterpress, hand lettering, and various illustrative elements, they will produce posters that push the viewer’s interpretation, adding yet a third layer of complexity to the written prose.
The culmination of this process extends to those who will visit the gallery to experience From Us. Featuring bold, fluid, high contrast, and vibrant visual representations, the gallery walls will be filled with content that will connect with viewers. We anticipate engaging, perception-bending conversations filled with an appreciation and respect for differences as the outcome.
ABOUT THE POETS Molly-Margaret & Kareem are from Saint Paul, MN living in Brooklyn New York. They are gay, straight, Egyptian, American, male, female, depressed, hilarious and love Hamm’s on tap.
Molly-Margaret Johnson is a gay, sagittarius, sex-positive internet freak and writer. She is based in Brooklyn, NY and runs the instagram account @whatswrongwithmollymargaret which covers dating, sex, confidence, queerness, self love and romance.
Kareem Rahma is an Egyptian-American poet, media entrepreneur, and writer/actor/producer living and working in New York City. He runs the instagram account @kareem and his debut poetry collection We Were Promised Flying Cars was released by Pioneer Works in 2019.[/bscolumns]
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OPENING NIGHT: Thursday March 5th, 2020
7pm – 10pm // $5, Free for Members Music selections by Ramses Alacron & Ruby Hind
A collaborative exhibition of multidimensional artistic processes between poets,Molly-Margaret Johnson andKareem Rahma, alongside 30 local and national designers.
ARTIST TALK: Saturday March 7th, 2020 11am – 1pm // $10 pre-sale. $15 door • Free for Members We recommend purchasing in advance. Sweet treats, sparkly beverages, and coffee from Segue will be provided. Join moderator Jade Patrick alongside poets Molly-Margaret Johnson & Kareem Rahma in a discussion of engaging, perception-bending conversations filled with an appreciation and respect for differences.
LEVEL UP:POSTPONED 6:30pm – 8:30pm • $40/artist for a 90 minute group session, 30 seats available. Join Amira, of AMF Artist Business Management Services, for an interactive presentation covering strategies to enhance audience engagement. This event is mostly intended for artists who are looking to increase current sales, though artists at any stage will learn techniques and concepts that will help them sell their art.
COLAB ART NIGHT – Art 4 Shelter // CANCELLED 7pm-10pm // $5 • Free for Members This spring we were going to be creating works to be sold at the Annual Simpson Housing Fundraiser: Art 4 Shelter. Find original artworks on paper by emerging and established artists -and- a benefit for Simpson Housing Services. Each 5×7″ piece will sell for $35, the cost of housing someone for one night at the overnight shelter : www.simpsonhousing.org/shop –
BEHIND THE POSTER FINALE: Wednesday, May 27th, 2020 7pm // Click link: www.mplsart.com
Hosted with mplsart & Gamut Director Cassie Garner FEATURING DESIGNERS: Alexis Politz, Anne Ulku, Evan Weselmann, Destiny Davison, Gina McMillen, Fiona Avocado, Ted Kusio, Nicholas Straight, Maximilian Mauracher, Melissa Sisk, and Sara Paul Kahn [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]
We began with thirty untitled and unauthored poems by Molly-Margaret Johnson & Kareem Rahma. By eliminating titles and byline for each poem, the audience is given an opportunity to connect more viscerally with the work by having to read between the lines without preconceptions of race, gender or sexual orientation. The outcome is an ouroboros of words written by two uniquely different individuals coming together.
ABOUT THE POETS
Kareem Rahma is an Egyptian-American poet, media entrepreneur, and writer/actor/producer living and working in New York City. He runs the instagram account @kareem and his debut poetry collection We Were Promised Flying Cars was released by Pioneer Works in 2019. He is the founder of Nameless Network and The Museum of Pizza. Before becoming a full-time artist and entrepreneur, he was a Growth Editor at The New York Times and the Associate Director of Global Marketing at VICE. Kareem is an alum of NEW INC., “the world’s first museum led incubator program” created by The New Museum. He is a recipient of the 2019 Above The Fold Awards from The University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism and in 2018 was named one of the most impactful Egyptians in the world from CairoScene.
Molly-Margaret Johnson is a gay, sagittarius, sex-positive internet freak and writer. She is based in Brooklyn, NY and runs the instagram account @whatswrongwithmollymargaret which covers dating, sex, confidence, queerness, self love and romance. Graduate of Rutger’s BFA conservatory and Rutger’s conservatory at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Molly-Margaret is very passionate about experimental theater and performance art. She is keen on mixed media and interdisciplinary collaboration in her works.
Saturday March 7th, 2020
ARTIST TALK – 11am – 1pm
$10 pre-sale. $15 door • $5 for Members
Purchase your ticket today!
First 30 tickets have seating, additional tickets standing room.
Sweet treats, sparkly beverages, and coffee from Segue will be provided.
Join moderator Jade Patrick alongside From Us: Together Forever Sometimes poets Molly-Margaret Johnson & Kareem Rahma in a discussion of engaging, perception-bending conversations filled with an appreciation and respect for differences.
ABOUT THE CURATOR:
*Opening Night attendees walk through Blank Slate, only visualizing the art from the VR Headset.
