From the McColl Center for Visual Art Art Buzz, June 1, 2009
It can be argued that during difficult economic times, new and innovative business models emerge and catch on. Could the same be true of the gallery and art scene? A group of former Center Affiliate Artists, including Ashley Lathe, and Center Board member and Contemporaries Board Chair, Marc Gustafson are both bringing something new to the Charlotte art scene. I talked to Ashley and Marc to talk about their projects.
Q: Marc, describe Gallery Pantone 278, how you came up with the idea, what made you decide to do it, what motivated (motivates) you to operate a gallery?
A: I've always seen art galleries as a place for people to interact with artists. Seeing that Charlotte lacks a lot of galleries that encourage this type of interaction, I decided to open Pantone 278. I see the gallery as a place for local and regional artists to not just display their work but to further the discussion on contemporary art. The most fulfilling part of being a new gallery owner is being able to share that experience with all of my friends and the people I have met working with Arts & Science Council and McColl Center for Visual Art.
Q: Give me a rundown of how your first show went (featuring the work of Ashley Lathe) the lead-up, the opening, selling work after the show – how it went overall (brag a little!)
A: The first show was a huge success! I had a great turnout at a private reception on Thursday night, and the Gallery seemed to be the focal point of the South End gallery crawl on Friday night. We sold a number of pieces not only at the show but since then. The Gallery has received a bunch of really good press, including a great column by Lawrence Toppman in the Charlotte Observer.
Q: Lastly, how do you think Charlotte is growing and changing in the cultural realm – through your involvement with the Center, the Contemporaries, ASC Young Donors Society, and now as a gallery operator, have you seen Charlotte making positive strides?
A: It's a little disheartening to see that galleries are going out of business, but I think just like everything else, the art community has to learn to adjust to different economic times. This might mean non-traditional spaces, increased online marketing or social networking (blogging, Facebook, Twitter), or it might be new forms of artwork. I don't see any of these things as necessarily negative. In fact, many of these things, I believe, will expose even more people to the arts and take away some of the stigma of art being reserved for the elite. We have seen this in the tremendous growth of groups like the Contemporaries, the Young Donors Society, the Paparazzi at the Light Factory and Pecha Kucha. Clearly, there are people in Charlotte who are interested in art and in supporting art. The key will be to harness that energy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment