Tag Archive: Wundr

  1. Raging Art On

    Comments Off on Raging Art On

     


    [bscolumns class=”one_half”]

    FEATURED ARTISTS: Aeris Nadia, Alice Ferox, Alice de Lux, Angel Hawari, Annie Hejny, Anton Horishnyk, Ashley Nichole, Asher, Barret Lee, Ben Wuest, Brian Hart, Black Daze, Cory Favre, Derek Meier, Erin Nistler,Heather Renaux, Hilary Greenstein, Impeach, Jacob Eidem, Jade Huynh, Jake Spike, James Zucco, Jamie Owens, Jesse Golfis, James Kloiber, Jeremiah Soup, Kathryn Flora, Kevin Olson, Kim Heidkamp, Lauren Chadare, Lindsey Richardson, Linnea Maas, Matt Hintz, Meg Brown, Meghan Murphy, Michelle Nasvik, Miles Taylor, Meranda Turbak, Morgan Pease, Moustache Jim, Phaedra Odelle, Prettyhard, Rachel Andrzejewski, Renee Chartier, Rob Watt, Russ White, Scott Seekins, stace of spades, Steph Sperlak, Tamiko French, Tessa Warnke, Tierney Houdek, Wundr.


    Gamut Gallery’s annual holiday event “Raging Art On” (RAO) returns this December with half of the 50 artists new to the show, and will run for three full weekends through December 22nd. Like years past, RAO is a cash-n-carry holiday sale in a gallery setting where there is literally art from ceiling to floor. It is “uncurated” in the sense that, aside from selecting who participates, the rest is left entirely up to the artists: what artwork to bring, how much to bring, and where it is hung. What results is a gallery packed to the brim with paintings, photos, prints, collectibles, handmade apparel, jewelry, housewares, and more.

     

    RAO will kick-off with a proper party featuring DJ Baard on Wednesday, December 5th from 7-10pm. Admission to this “first dibs” opener will be $20 or FREE with gallery membership. Capacity is limited, so reserve your ticket today: https://ragingarton2018.bpt.me

    [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”one_half_last_clear”]

    WE ADDED 2 MORE PARTY NIGHTS:
    Thursday December 20th // DJ Juleana Enright 6-9pm // FREE
    Friday December 21st // DJ James Patrick 6-9pm // FREE

    OPENING NIGHT PARTY:
    Wednesday December 5th // 7-10pm
    Featuring BAARD

    $20 entry or FREE w/membership: https://gamutgallerympls.com/membership/
    Presales available at: https://ragingarton2018.bpt.me

    FREE OPEN HOURS:
    Thursday – Saturday December 6th – 8th // 1-7PM
    Thursday – Saturday December 13th -15th // 1-8PM
    Thursday – Saturday December 20th -22nd // 1-9PM

    [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]

  2. Writers, Rebels & Rejects: One more time!

    Comments Off on Writers, Rebels & Rejects: One more time!


    [bscolumns class=”one_half”]
    Feel the energy of Writers, Rebels & Rejects one more time. Be part of the experience during the exhibition finale.

    Writers, Rebels, & Rejects celebrates the street artists and graffiti writers who fill our public sphere with tags, wheatpastes, characters and stickers, bringing them into a gallery setting to focus on the “art” in street art. This group of talented writers, painters, and designers have collectively spent thousands of hours developing their craft on open-world canvases such as railroads, bridges, billboards, and dumpsters using a diverse arsenal of tools ranging from common latex house paint to rattle cans, paint markers to stickers, and mops to fire extinguishers, making work that ranges from simple tags to complex monikers, cute character designs to bold abstract color blocks.

    As well as original artworks, these artists have been asked to work their magic on one of two dozen miniature white box trucks, one of many blank canvases often found in the wild. Writers, Rebels, & Rejects brings the outdoors inside and shines light on work usually done in the shadows, giving these subcultural contributions the consideration they deserve.

    Curated by Cassie Garner[/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”one_half_last_clear”]
    FINALE NIGHT
    Saturday October 13th, 7-10PM
    LIVE painting from Black Daze Art & Flora
    DJ Bvckwoods
    $5 or free with Gallery Membership


    [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]


  3. Writers, Rebels, & Rejects

    Comments Off on Writers, Rebels, & Rejects


    Writers, Rebels, & Rejects: September 15th – October 13th // ​Graffiti and street artists will bring beautiful vandalism into the gallery, showing new paintings as well as commissioned street art on miniature 2-D white box trucks and 3-D electrical boxes.

    [bscolumns class=”one_half”]
    FEATURING: Flora, Sheva, Mavel, Biafra Inc, Wundr, Peak, Cybin, Impeach, Strae, Theory, Black Daze, Sherm, Groe, Value HM, Itse, Max315, Hank, Repo, Luis Fitch, Eric Inkala.

    Curated by Cassie Garner

    We have long taken for granted the idea of “property”. There is a clear divide between public and private spaces, and that even in public spaces, the deluge of images and advertisements barraging our senses on billboards and bus stops is legitimate because capital changed hands. We tend to think that money alone buys the right to our vision, but anyone with a sense of disenchantment with the status quo can spark a love affair with “getting up” that can be hard to extinguish.

    Writers, Rebels, & Rejects celebrates the street artists and graffiti writers who fill our public sphere with tags, wheatpastes, characters and stickers, bringing them into a gallery setting to focus on the “art” in street art. An eclectic bunch, these artists hail mostly from the Twin Cities, with a few from New York, LA, and Canada: familiar names will be on view like Theory, Wundr, Flora, Sheva, Mavel and Impeach. This group of talented writers, painters, and designers have collectively spent thousands of hours developing their craft on open-world canvases such as railroads, bridges, billboards, and dumpsters using a diverse arsenal of tools ranging from common latex house paint to rattle cans, paint markers to stickers, and mops to fire extinguishers, making work that ranges from simple tags to complex monikers, cute character designs to bold abstract color blocks.

    As well as original artworks, artists have been asked to work their magic on one of two dozen miniature white box trucks, one of many blank canvases often found in the wild. Repo, Fitch, and Biafra Inc will also be doing paste ups on 3-D printed faux electrical boxes just for the exhibition. Writers, Rebels, & Rejects brings the outdoors inside and shines light on work usually done in the shadows, giving these subcultural contributions the consideration they deserve.

    [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”one_half_last_clear”]
    OPENING NIGHT
    Saturday September 15th, 7-11pm
    DJ Sammy Figz and LIVE painting from Rogue Citizen & Friends
    $5 or free with Gallery Membership

    FINALE NIGHT
    Saturday October 13th, 7-10p
    Co Create Takeover and Live Painting from Black Daze & Flora
    $5 or free with Gallery Membership

    [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]

  4. Sq2 [Squared] :100 New works each 10″x10″

    Comments Off on Sq2 [Squared] :100 New works each 10″x10″


    [bscolumns class=”one_half”]

    FEATURED ARTISTS: Alex Poepping, Alexandra Motz, Amelia LeBarron, Ana Taylor, Andres Guzman, Barret Lee, Brett Early, Biafra, Blaster, Booka B, Boxy Mouse, Brian Matthew Hart, Bunny Portia, Cassie Garner, Chris Larson, Christopher Sorenson, Dalsen, Dana Schmakel, Derek Meier, Donny Gettinger, Erica Parrott, Genie Castro, Impeach, I.V. Hills, Jade Patrick, Jamie Owens, Jaye McGilvrey, Jane Wunrow, Jesse Aylsworth, Kyle Quinn, Lindsee Bee, Lizardman, Miles Taylor, Natalia Berglund, Nate Vincent Szklarski, Neal Breton, Nicholas Harper, Nicholas Knutson, Medusa, Paige Guggemos, Phaedra Odelle, Repo, Ry Johnson, Ryan Hughes, Shye, stace of spades, Tierney Houdek, Therd, Wundr and Yuya Negishi

    For her first solo curation, Gamut Gallery co-owner Cassie Garner hand-selected a roster of national and local artists whose artwork highlights the bold energy and aesthetics of her personal taste. Using a 10” x 10” dimension constraint, each artist was asked to produce two pieces which speak to the collectable nature of tiny art and showcased their unique skill and artistic voice. Running the gamut of art styles, Sq2 features illustration, street art, graphic design, collage, abstract, photography, glitch, and mixed media. Unobtrusive yet not to be overlooked, compact art is the digestible alternative to its counterpart. Perfect for the apartment dweller or first time art buyer, tiny art begs to be collected, pairs well with others and carries a non-committal feel.

    Uniting Gamut’s past with present, this exhibit welcomes back a handful of artists in Gamut’s repertoire, including Yuya Negishi, Bunny Portia, Paige Guggemos, Erin Sayer and members of the Rogue Citizen artist collective. A co-curator of last year’s Guerrilla Girls-inspired feminist exhibition, Second Sex, Genie Castro’s work explores the challenges of life as an artist, wife, mother and woman through the use of bold monotypes, masterful strokes, layers of vibrant color and subtle detail which brim with kinetic energy. Formerly a Minneapolite, currently NY-based, Kyle Quinn first showed at Gamut during the group exhibition medley, C4W. With nods to photographer icons Nan Goldin and Robert Mapplethrope and a splash of 70’s gay erotica, Quinn’s work explores the subversive and intensely personal.

    Sq2 also features a few culturally known Gamut newcomers, including Booka B, Erica Parrot, Shön Troth, I.V. Hills, and Nicholas Harper, owner of Rogue Buddha Gallery. Best known for his portraits of women with elongated necks, Harper’s work examines magical realism and is heavily influenced by Russian and Orthodox Iconography, as well as literature and philosophy. Based in Las Vegas, street artist and zine writer, Shye creates anime-inspired illustrations and paintings. Whether using floral pastels, stark monochromatics, or captivating hues, her linework is sharp, leaning towards geometric shapes, patterns and mandala designs. Mash-ups both in concept and method, newcomer, Chris Larson’s illustrative works use digital, printmaking and bookbinding techniques to create queer meditations on beauty, identity, the environment and the esoteric. [/bscolumns]

    [bscolumns class=”one_half_last_clear”]

    OPENING RECEPTION
    Saturday, August 26th 7-11pm // $5 or FREE with membership
    Featuring MODWELL & PFunkus

    EXHIBIT FINALE
    Friday, September 8th 7-11pm // $10 or FREE with membership
    Featuring a live DJ set from BOOKA B + a variety of
    performances that will take place in a 10’ x 10’ square

    EXTENDED GIFT SHOP OPEN HOURS
    Thursday, Friday & Saturdays 1-7pm
    Or by appointment

    [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]

  5. Raging Art On : 2016

    Comments Off on Raging Art On : 2016

    OpenHouse_Web

    Join us the 2nd weekend of December for Gamut Gallery’s annual holiday shopping event! #RagingArtOn is five days of floor-to-ceiling “uncurated” artwork and handcrafted merchandise from more than 50 local artists. Come for the art; stay for the party – every night features local DJ’s spreading the good holiday party vibes.

    FEATURED ARTISTS: Amanda Weber, Ana Taylor, Andrew D. Wiechman, Angel Hawari, Barret Lee, Benjamin Wuest, Ben Sagmoe, Bethany Birnie, Biafra Inc., Boxy Mouse, Brant Kingman, Brookita Corazón, Cassie Garner, Chromanttica, CL Martin, Don White, Erin Sayer, Fabrik Marge, Inna Royzenfeld, Jacob Eidem, James Kloiber, Jennifer Hunt, Jesse Golfis, Jesse Quam, Jodi Bee, June Moon, Kate Renee, Katie Anne, GOAT, Cheeky Hendricks, Lauren Ries, Lindsey Rivera, Linnea Doyle, Lizardman, Mari Navarro, Matthew Huck, Matt Massive, Miles Taylor, Morgan Pease, Moustache Jim, Neal Breton, Phaedra Odelle, Pseudo Manitou, Rachel Andrzejewski, Rachel Schroeder, Renee Chartier, REPO, Rodrigo Oñate, Russ White, Shanna Allyn, Scott Seekins, Tierney Houdek, Tony “Etones” Larson, Wundr, Yuya Negishi

    DATES & HOURS: Wed – Sat, Dec 7th-10th, 1-10pm  & Sun, Dec 11th, 1-5pm

    A holiday sale in a gallery setting, Gamut Gallery provides a fun-filled, consumer conscious alternative to chain stores and mass mall shopping with the 6th annual shopping event, Raging Art On. Described as an “art-happening meets holiday party meets pop-up boutique,” an “uncurated” art experience awaits the adventurous shopper on the hunt for the perfect gift for the artist, musician, writer or other creative maker on their holiday season shopping list. This year, Gamut has extended the annual sale to include an additional day, which means five days, extra hours of epic rummaging and, of course, more time to enjoy the party. We’ve hand-selected the 50+ local artists involved, but they decide what to show and where to show it. What results is a gallery packed from floor to ceiling with paintings, photography, prints, collectibles, handmade apparel, jewelry, housewares, and more.

    The five-day-long event will see performances from DJs James Patrick, Modwell, Danny Sigelman, Juleana Enright, Bobby Kahn, Tony “Etones” Larson, Jesse Lingenfelter, and The Headspace Collective. Come for the art; stay for the party.

    Raging Art On reflects Gamut Gallery’s ethos of community, collaboration, the art of the happening and eco-consciousness. Gifts for sale at this event are handmade locally and are in harmony with the values of those concerned by mainstream holiday effects on our environment and our world — landfills, factory and shipping-caused pollution, issues of outsourcing and fair trade, consumer culture, etc. Raging Art On offers a place to join like-minded people together through art, music, performance and conversation.

    Sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon

  6. PBR Art Showcase: Minneapolis

    Comments Off on PBR Art Showcase: Minneapolis

    PBR_FBv4


    [bscolumns class=”one_half”]FEATURED ARTISTS: Wundr, Goat, Amy Bambi Wendt, Pseudo Manitou, Caitlin Karolczak, Brian Matthew Hart, Greta Claire, Angel Hawari, Dan Wieken and REPO

     

    When you open a crisp can of Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR), it’s unlikely that your immediate thought involves art. PBR has been working to change that with “PBRart,” a boundary-less “call for art” devoted to merging the brand logo with artists from across the country. This year, Gamut Gallery is proud to be part of the second Minneapolis edition of a nation-wide art showcase series dedicated to the iconic PBR logo which highlights our own local visual artists.

     

    Beyond simply ubiquitously known and frequently drank, PBR has been a heavy supporter of the Minneapolis arts scene for many years. This year Gamut Gallery celebrates three years of sponsorship and this exhibit embodies our appreciation. For this one-night only event, we’ve selected 10 artists – as eclectic as the PBR drinkers themselves – to create new, original, PBR-inspired art pieces which incorporate elements of the logo and capture the essence of its culture. In addition to the PBR pieces, the participating artists are invited to showcase non-PBR-related works that represent each artist’s individual style, setting the stage for an eclectic exhibition of unpredictable nature.

    The exhibit’s reception will feature live painting in Gamut’s back courtyard from local creative collective, Rogue Citizen, plus sets from DJ Truckstache and friends.

    [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”one_half_last_clear”]ONE NIGHT ONLY
    Friday, Sept. 9th 2016, 7-11pm
    Free and open to the public


     


    [/bscolumns][bscolumns class=”clear”][/bscolumns]  

  7. Farewell Handicraft…

    Comments Off on Farewell Handicraft…

    new_FHF_banner

    MINNEAPOLIS – Saturday, September 19, 2015, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. – A celebration of the last three years of art exhibitions and events at Gamut Gallery’s original location. Join us one last time at 1006 Marquette Ave as we bid farewell to the Handicraft Guild and prepare to move to our new space, just 6 blocks away in Elliot Park. Classic fundraiser antics will include a dunk tank with loud members of the Gamut Gallery community tempting the crowd to send ‘em for a splash, and a silent auction of the PBR commissioned murals created on site last year by Erin Sayer,Lizardman and Wundr. A group art exhibition organized by Nathan R. P. Young titled, “The Alleyway Institute” will adorn the walls of the back alley, and live music will include performances by Keith MillionsGarrison Grouse, Midnight Mustafa, and James Patrick. The cost of admission is a suggested donation of $10-$20, but no one will be turned away. Relive the good times shared in this beloved place and show your support.

    UPCOMING EVENTS

    • Sat Sept 19th, 5-9pm: “Farewell Handicraft…Gamut Moving Fundraiser Party”
    • Thurs Oct 1st, 4-8pm: “Open House: Welcome to the New Gamut Gallery”
    • Sat Oct 24th, 6-10pm: Inaugural exhibit featuring new work by J.M. Culver
  8. “Gamut Faces Change” by MPLSART.com

    Comments Off on “Gamut Faces Change” by MPLSART.com

    Guest writer Wahida Omar gets an exclusive look at the past, present, and future of Gamut Gallery

    “There are so many indicators that tell me Gamut Gallery should continue,” Jade Patrick, Gallery Director, says. “That’s how my gut and heart read the situation. That said, we want people to be with us in the reality of where we are. Things are up in the air and a lot is uncertain right now. We really hope that this isn’t our last show, but there’s a chance that it could be.”


    Minimum Wage—Rogue Citizen at Gamut Gallery (3/6/2014)

    I’ve joined Jade and Gallery Manager Cassie Garner for the tail end of their weekly meeting. We soon realize that today, June 9th, happens to be Gamut Gallery’s third anniversary.

    “How serendipitous,” Cassie says, her voice characteristically warm and just slightly raspy. “Maybe that’s a good sign.”

    It’s one of the first truly hot days of summer, and we sit on the porch of the Patrick home in South Minneapolis, ice cream bars from the corner store melting on their sticks. We watch Jade’s three-year-old twin sons bound back and forth through the sprinkler on the lawn, their bright red hair wet and glinting in the sun.


    Chido // Serene Supreme x Ramses Alarcon (8/18/2014)

    Jade tucks an asymmetrical length of periwinkle blue hair behind one ear. “The gentrification of the Handicraft Guild has provided the impetus for us to say—Okay. We need to really look at our business model and change if we want long-term sustainability. We are really hoping to be able to expand Gamut Gallery in some meaningful ways. But right now we can’t really say what the future holds.”

    THE CLOSURE

    “There are some developers that are looking to convert the Handicraft Guild into condos,” Jade says. “About a year ago there started to be a lot of tours, a lot of inspections, a lot of folks in suits coming to look through the building. A few months ago, we heard from the management that it looked like this deal was going to go through. And then a few weeks ago, we got the paperwork. It’s really setting in now.”


    Minimum Wage—Rogue Citizen at Gamut Gallery (3/6/2014)

    “On February 20th an article came out in the business journals,” Cassie adds. “That’s how this deal really came onto our radar. A week later I went to the city planning meeting, and that’s how I learned what sections of the building would be preserved and which wouldn’t.”

    Cassie looks away, emotion showing in her dark eyes. “They’re only preserving the north-facing section of the building, the section on 10th Street that houses Devil’s Advocate, the restaurant. The section on Marquette that Gamut is in, and Josi Severson’s store, and OOTN—none of that is under historical protection, so the developer’s plans are to demolish it all and start from scratch.”

    “Right,” Jade says. “The wing that Gamut is on was added a couple of years after the original section of the building. When the [Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission] came in and deemed it historical, they only had the grounds to protect the original section. So when the developers come in and build, they’re going to have to work around that section. They’ll preserve it in the sense that the protected portion will stay there because they have to let it stay there. But they’re not preserving the actual integrity of why the building was built in the first place.”


    Chido // Serene Supreme x Ramses Alarcon (8/18/2014)

    Jade’s sons are on the porch with us now, and she briefly holds the hand of one of the boys before he ambles past her. “The building was founded by the Handicraft Guild, which was a leader in the Arts and Crafts movement in the early 1900s. The founders of the building would no doubt be ecstatic to see an organization like Gamut Gallery operating there and would want it to continue. Even still, I’ve always had a sense of gratitude for what we’ve had. I always thought, hey. We’re a start-up art gallery. We’re across from the Hilton. We are so lucky just to be here at all.”

    “It’s true,” Cassie says. “I’ve gone through waves of emotion with it. I’ve always known it wasn’t permanent, but I was really frustrated that this was happening for another condo to be built downtown. We don’t need any more condos. They’re building all these spaces for people to inhabit downtown, but nobody actually experiences downtown. That’s what Gamut has been. A reason for people to go downtown and really experience our city.”

    Cassie reaches for her glass of iced tea. “I’ve gone through the process of grieving. I was angry, and then I was really sad. And now I’ve reached a place of acceptance.”

    Past, Present, and Future

    Gamut Gallery is one of three entities operating out of 1006 Marquette Avenue—Gamut Gallery; electronic music training institute Slam Academy; and the private studio of Jade’s husband, electronic artist James Patrick.


    Northern Spark Festival 2012: Gamut Gallery/Slam Academy Grand Opening (6/9/2012)

    Jade explains that Gamut will be the first to leave. “So that we can focus our efforts on planning for the future,” she says. “Slam Academy and the studio of James Patrick, Artist will maintain their space through the end of September.”


    CoLab Art Night (3/19/2015)

    “Six years ago when we first got a space in this building, we knew that there was a sense of impermanence. There had been a serious bid for the building ten years earlier, where tenants were told to evacuate, and somebody was going to come in and develop. That deal fell through, and that’s how we were able to afford to be downtown. We moved into a space that the current owners weren’t really doing anything to maintain.”


    Gamut Gallery’s First Anniversary (6/15/2013)

    “The reason Gamut came into being was an awareness that we were a part of a community of talented artists. I remember going to dance parties, and meeting people, and saying—‘Oh wow, you paint too, oh and you’re a photographer, let’s make art together sometime.’ That’s what made us start CoLab as a community art-making night. We did that in the basement space every Thursday for a solid two years before the upstairs store-front became available, and JP [James Patrick] said, ‘Why don’t we start an art gallery?'”

    From left: Jade Patrick, Mark Dean, Cassie Garner, James Patrick, Juleana Enright, and Kurtis “Kujo” Johnson at the Middle Class Aspirations exhibit opening (6/11/2015)

    “Gamut Gallery was started by a group of friends,” Jade continues. “Everything nice in the physical 1006 Marquette Avenue space was done by the hands of Kurtis ‘Kujo’ Johnson, our gravity-defying handyman, art-installer, and jack-of-all-trades. And by the rest of us, the rest of the Gamut team: James Patrick, Tierney Houdek, Wendy Thomas, Mark Dean, Juleana Enright, Hannah Howard, Dan Frame, Bobby Kahn, Jennifer Hunt, Sarah Knapp and so many others. We’ve busted our butts down in that basement, in the whole space, and with the entire project of Gamut Gallery.”

    “It’s always been a team effort. That fits with our view on community and what we’re really here for. This whole time, it’s never been to make money. We’re grateful to have reached a point, up until the coming changes, where the project self-sustains. But nobody’s really getting paid. We’re definitely doing this as a labor of love.”

    “And to support local artists,” Cassie adds. “Always to support local artists.”

    “Yes,” Jade says. “I could book exhibits for the next five years. I don’t necessary have enough people to come and buy their artwork, but the talented artists are there. Entering the gallery world a few years ago as a total newbie, I learned that the Twin Cities has a really strong nonprofit arts sector, and a strong community of arts supporters. But those supporters are used to making their contributions to the arts by making charitable contributions to nonprofits. Rather than through direct sales, rather than from buying from artists themselves.”

    “Gamut wants to work on fostering a collector culture here. We want to celebrate each purchase. We want to encourage people to get excited about buying a piece of art, allow people to feel that sense of joy.”


    CoLab Art Night (3/19/2015)

    Gamut Artists

    “We’re really strategic about who we choose,” Cassie says. “We don’t just choose people who are creating art, but artists who are very focused, very dedicated to their art form, really driven to build a customer base, who are working hard to get their names out there.”

    Kate Renee is just one artist who we feel a lot of pride about. She was in Colors: Gamut’s first call for works, and then she had Imaginarium, and Beauties Behaving Badly. Kate Renee has that drive, and it’s so deep in her, and it’s so visible.”

    Opening for Kate Renee’s Beauties Behaving Badly exhibit (1/18/2014)


    Beauties Behaving Badly Immersive Theater Exhibit Finale (2/22/2014)

    “We really embrace our name,” Jade says. “We show a wide array of media, content, and style. That’s in our mission statement, and you can see it in our shows. We go drastically from one concept to another, and with each idea we want to push it as far as we can. Quality is the equalizer, and a sense of innovation. I love to show people who are taking chances and doing things that we’re not seeing in other places.”

    “Gamut Gallery is more than just an art gallery, as compared to your typical commercial gallery,” Jade continues. “We’ve taken on this idea of social space and experience, the art of the happening. When we have openings, we want to celebrate the work of our artists. Performance, movement, music in response to or in conversation with the work on our walls—that’s a critical ingredient of what we do at Gamut. We’ve had artist talks with Robyne Robinson, Drew Peterson, Joan Vorderbruggen, Tricia Khutoretsky, Nathaniel Smith, Jesse Draxler, Ash Marlene Hane, Angela Sprunger and more. We’ve had shows like Minimum Wage, If These Walls Could Talk, Chido, the list goes on.”


    Post Mo’ Bills Exhibit Finale (7/26/2014)


    Post Mo’ Bills Exhibit Finale (7/26/2014)

    “We’ve worked so far with two artists who were recipients of the Minnesota State Artist’s Initiative Grant, and—if we are able to find a new space—our next exhibit will feature a third.”

    “Likewise, with the street artists responsible for Middle Class Aspirations, our current show. In my humble opinion, Wundr and Biafra Inc. are currently the city’s best and most prolific graffiti artists. And photographer Urban Camper has been right there with them.”

    Middle Class Aspirations

    “Middle Class Aspirations makes a lot of sense for us as a final exhibit in this space,” Jade says. “Everybody behind Gamut Gallery is a quote-unquote ‘regular person.’ We’re not trust-fund inheritants, we’re not born and bred into art school. We’re definitely not disadvantaged, either. We realize we have a lot going for us. But we really have a by-the-people, for-the-people outlook. That’s part of our character and the character of the space.”

    Photo from Middle Class Aspirations - Courtesy Gamut Gallery

    Middle Class Aspirations Opening(6/11/2015)

    “We are the middle class,” Cassie says. “Middle Class Aspirations really fits who we are.”

    Photo from Middle Class Aspirations - Courtesy Gamut Gallery
    Middle Class Aspirations Opening(6/11/2015)

    Jade nods. “If we’re able to go on and expand, I can tell you for sure that we will not be following the path of the typical commercial art gallery, who, frankly, has to cater to and chase around millionaires to get them to buy ten, twenty, thirty thousand dollar pieces to be able to sustain their business. We want to go in the opposite direction. We want to be accessible to anyone. We want to have artwork that people can afford, and to have other ways that people can show their support for us, too.”

    We’ve been talking for a couple of hours now, though Jade and Cassie and I had originally thought to chat for an hour at most. The twins are ready for their nap, and we grownups are ready to get out of the heat. I ask Jade and Cassie if they have any last words to impart.

    “We are just so grateful,” Jade says. “I want to express our sincere gratitude to the Twin Cities arts and culture community, including the press, and all the ways that everyone has supported us. We have these great artists and their amazing artwork, and we can put it up on the wall. But if nobody comes to see it, it doesn’t work.”

    Photo from Middle Class Aspirations - Courtesy Gamut Gallery
    Middle Class Aspirations Opening(6/11/2015)

    “On opening night when people come and get excited about what they’re seeing, and go home to tell their friends, there’s this ripple effect,” Cassie says. “It’s just the best feeling.”

    Middle Class Aspirations is the last exhibit for Gamut Gallery in the 1006 Marquette Avenue space. The exhibit finale will take place on Thursday, June 25th from 6pm to 10pm. Friends and staff of Gamut will speak about the gallery and toast to the good times. Carnage the Executioner will close out the night with his signature vocal stylings.

    “We’ll have a goodbye-for-now party, one last hurrah, probably near the end of July,” Jade says. “Stay tuned!”

    Wahida Omar

    All images provided courtesy of Gamut Gallery -used with permission.

    See Also:

    #mplsart
    If you are making art or looking at art in the Twin Cities, use the hashtag to show it off.
  9. Middle Class Aspirations Exhibit Finale with Carnage!

    Comments Off on Middle Class Aspirations Exhibit Finale with Carnage!

    middle class web version revised

     

    Join us this Thursday for your last chance to see the Middle Class Aspirations exhibit in person. But this isn’t just any ol’ exhibit finale – it’s our last in this space! We will open our doors beginning at 2pm for viewing, then at 6pm we will shift gears into celebration and kick off the finale party. Around 8pm we will pass the mic to some friends of Gamut to toast to the good times, then Carnage The Executioner will bring it home with his signature vocal stylings.

     

  10. Middle Class Aspirations

    Comments Off on Middle Class Aspirations

    middle class web version revised

    Minneapolis – Thursday, June 11, 2015, 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.opening for the group exhibition Middle Class Aspirations. A collection of all-new work by Wundr, Biafra Inc., and Urban Camper, this collaborative street art show explores the experiences and people of Middle Class America and those struggling to achieve middle class status. Through prints, photography and paintings, the three artists merge their media and political activism for an exhibition that shines a prudent spotlight on class division, exposes inequality and celebrates those who are attempting to rise above the hardships and better themselves.

    Acknowledging both the pride and despair of being at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, Wundr’s paintings depict scenes with his distinctive characters from middle and lower class living. Some of the characters are striving to make their lives better, while some have simply accepted their status at the bottom. One of the most prolific and recognizable local street artists, Wundr has developed a way to bring his art into a gallery atmosphere without losing the street elements and city-feel. In 2013, Wundr debuted a widely received solo show,  Almost Yesterday, at Gamut Gallery that highlighted his signature style of artistic reclaiming.

    Biafra Inc.’s pieces examine home décor of the middle and lower classes. Subverting kitschy catch phrases ubiquitously found in cheap home decoration stores, he creates new dystopian home décor. An aesthetic critique of capitalism, his new works inspire dialogue that addresses the “American Dream.” Biafra Inc. is known for the use of stickers, stencils, spray paint and posters to proliferate imagery here in the Twin Cities and beyond.

    Urban Camper’s photographs vividly and intimately document the acts of local graffiti writers. His work exposes scenes from what is generally considered a lowbrow culture and invites a visual excavation of the alleyways and underground environments that transform outdoor cityscapes into canvas. His work migrates towards shooting stationary objects and streets scenes. His long-held passion and appreciation for graffiti is the catalyst for his photography.

    Wundr, Biafra Inc., and Urban Camper consider themselves blue collar artists, creating a name and a history in a subculture with no promise of financial gain or reward. Immersed in this culture for the past decade, these three artists are not simply contemporary commentators on the plight of the middle class, but are operating within its system and attempting to break free from its perimeters.

    PRESS
    City Page’s A-List / Free Things To Do
    City Page’s Dressing Room
    Secrets of the City
    L’étoile Magazine

    Click here for pictures from opening night!

    ARTWORK

     

  11. #GalleryCrawl

    Comments Off on #GalleryCrawl

    GalleryCrawl

    Isn’t it time to bring the gallery crawl back to Minneapolis? Where people can wander from one gallery to the next, view art that is professionally presented and smartly curated, and meet up with other art enthusiasts? Six galleries across the downtown arts district are working together to make this happen, and bring back this element of a ‘gallery scene’.

    The Exhibitions (by Gallery):

    SooVAC: Black and Yellow. Oregon artist Donald Morgan’s exhibition will combine two complimentary bodies of work. His concepts are generated from reworking narrative elements from books, a loose process of adapting and re-territorializing text into sculptures and paintings.
    + Kulture High, by Kelly O’Brien, explores a tongue-in-cheek examination of how contemporary art and pop culture compete and complement one another.

    Groveland: A summer-long spotlight on local artists takes place in June with two new exhibitions at Groveland Gallery. Pictures from a Trip is a travel-themed exhibition featuring paintings, prints and drawings by 41 gallery artists. Love Letters from Artists, an invitational group show curated by St. Paul architect and artist Peter Kramer, presents over 75 letters from artists across the Twin Cities. Artists were encouraged to “paint, weave, paste, fold and print what’s in their hearts,” promising a unique exhibition that celebrates the tradition of writing and receiving letters.

    Gamut: Middle Class Aspirations features Wundr, Biafra Inc., and Urban Camper in a merging of their media and political activism. Through prints, photography and paintings, the three street artists shine a prudent spotlight on class division, expose inequality and celebrate those who are attempting to rise above hardships and better themselves.

    Instinct: Art On Air. Through the work of seven visual artists, this exhibition is designed to help us appreciate the ubiquitous, essential, invisible ocean of air that we live in. One could experience life in the envelope and hardly give air a second thought. This show is meant to put us consciously in touch with our atmosphere, air quality, the beauty of big skies, the essence of breathing, and the virtue of the invisible.

    Burnet: In ‘sugar sugar’ Ashely Peifer’s deceptively simple, candy-colored abstracts intentionally evoke impressions of simpler times and childlike innocence. Inspired by Mary Heilmann – with suggestions of Lisa Frank, Peifer’s works are intentionally vague, reflecting the emotional nature of nostalgia to distort memory.

    Circa: OMFORME + CIRCA features an eclectic mix of modern and vintage repurposed furniture and accessories, and recent contemporary abstract artwork. The exhibit is a juxtaposition of textures, palettes, inventive materials, and art and design influences.

  12. Post Mo’ Bills: Finale

    Comments Off on Post Mo’ Bills: Finale

    PMB_Coverphotoclosing

    Minneapolis – Saturday July 26, 2014, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. – Grand finale of Gamut Gallery’s “Post Mo’ Bills.” This event brings to close a one-month exhibition of prolific local street and poster artists. “Post Mo’ Bills” will be on view at Gamut Gallery every Thursday and Saturday from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. through July 26th.

    Please join us on July 26 for an evening of music, interactive art and live screen printing, beginning at 7:00 pm. Jackson Kenny of The Abstracted will be conducting live screen printing demonstrations throughout the night. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase a T-shirt featuring a commemorative print for ten dollars, or for five dollars, they may bring in any cotton garment to be printed on (even the shirts off their backs). Visitors to the gallery are also encouraged to post their own bills on the community collab wall, while The DJ Bob Marino delivers a 90’s musical history lesson with a decidedly urban tone. Marino’s signature mix of hip-hop and house will keep our community of artists and art lovers feeling upbeat.

    Gamut Gallery was transformed into a graphic communications hub through the display of editioned screen prints and wheat paste installations. The exhibit has issued a challenge to civil authorities’ warnings to “post no bills” – the criminalization of regular citizens posting messages or handbills in public space. Curators Erik Farseth and Jade Patrick ask: How is someone supposed to find their lost cat? How should political activists communicate their messages supporting social change? Where is the place for artists’ expression in the public space? Right now the answer is at Gamut Gallery.

    Featured Artists & Organizations: Burlesque of North America, TOOTH, Ruthann Godollei, Chuck U, WUNDR, Andrew Gramm, Biafra Inc., Boxy Mouse, Emily Janning, Erik Farseth, Gilpin Matthews, Heather Wayne, Jonas Criscoe, Lauren Schuppe, Maura K. Williams, Pseudo Manitou, Lizardman, The Abstracted

    Sponsored by: Pabst Blue Ribbon

    Gamut Gallery opened in 2012 with an official Northern Spark Festival location event that drew more than 500 people.  Since then, Gamut has exhibited a diverse array of regional and international artists, for which it has received local and national press coverage, including a 2013 nomination for “Best Art Gallery” and several A-listings in the Minneapolis City Pages.