I've been asked from one of my professors to create a theoretical gallery in which I would be the curator for. I'd like to take inspiration from a gallery I've been to in NYC called Cosm. By day, the gallery hosts a number of 2D works by artist Alex Grey. By night the gallery becomes a music space with each room hosting a different music act. Most of the acts were DJ sets but there was an acoustic room as well.
Since my thesis work revolves around electronic music, I would probably set up a gallery in a similar fashion to Cosm. I would send out a call to other music and sound artists within my circles to come and enjoy a few scheduled nights to show off their sound work. Options would include DJ sets and acoustic acts. Not stopping at sound, I would also offer a chance for visual artists to set up in the gallery space. Depending on how the spaces would be divided I would expect installations to intermingle with the sound intuitively. Installations don't have to be the focus of the visual arts however. Alex Grey's Cosm is my source of inspiration and most of his work is 2D.
Previous posts of mine included a number of sound artists, all of which I would contact. In regards to my hypothetical gallery however, I would like to focus some attention to 2D artists that would share space with the sound artists. Newgrounds recently opened up an art portal, so I might try to contact artists from this spot. A few of my favorites from newgrounds include:
Jared Africa: I'm not sure if that's his real name but his work is mostly sharpie and pen. Psychedelic in nature, his work compels visuals that I think would work hand in hand with some of the sound work I'd expect.
Tyra White: Another artist with excellent work, I can see her pieces falling in perfectly. In case you haven't noticed, the names are links that lead to their digital galleries. you can investigate these artists if you'd so choose :)
Rtil: This guy is a tough one. I've followed him for a number of years but I have never been able to find out his real name. I've also never tried contacting him but at the same time I've never had reason. He's European so if I included him in the show I'd have to find a way to fly him over but if it was possible, his sci fi landscapes would fit right into a gallery of electronic music. He's an animator so most of his work focuses around anime characters, but I'd really like to emphasize his landscapes. Click the image for a full screen view.
Upon: Another artist of whom I'm unfamiliar with on a personal level. He's based out of Washington D.C. and I have a number of friends there. I would travel to meet him if I had the chance. Upon's work has that style I'm looking for. He's also a musician so he could probably jump into the sound festivities if he so choses.
The night I went to Cosm, there was a large group of people dancing in a hall. It was much like a rave, except for the fact that Alex Grey was working on a painting in the middle of the crowd of dancing people. There was a feeling of community at Cosm that I would hope to style my gallery after. After having attended that show, it felt less like I had attended a gallery and more like I attended an experience. That is the feeling I would hope to achieve with my gallery. With so many young artists coming together for a few nights of art and music, I would want the gallery to have a sense of love and community. While most of the work would be 2D and sound I would encourage these artists to collaborate on installations that would help transport gallery spectators to another world. It's a tall order but considering all factors realistically, I'd say that it would be entirely possible down the road with enough advanced planning. Cosm originated in a gallery space in NYC but after a few years they were able to build a "church" and what seems to be a cult. While I'm not interested in building a cult out of a gallery, I'd say that creating a similar experience would be a lot of fun and not out of the question. I only listed four potential artists, but newgrounds is a community with a lot of talent and there would be plenty of leeway for additional artists. As initially stated this is theoretical gallery, but the opportunity for it in the future feels real enough.
