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Two Alternative Chicago galleries, The Butcher Shop and 7/3 Split, will
host a group of Philadelphia Alternative galleries in a show called BLUNT.
The show is part of an Alternative gallery exchange between Chicago and
Philadelphia. Approximately 30 artists from the Philadelphia galleries,
including Base Kamp, Project Room, Space 1026, and Vox Populi, will show
work at The Butcher Shop, and 7/3 Split, with a reception on Saturday,
May 12, at both galleries, from 7pm - 11pm.
The show was conceived and organized by Kait Midgett, artist and Director
of Project Room, and artist Rodger Cooley from The Butcher Shop. The two
were interested in creating an exchange between the artists who have shown
at their galleries. This was then expanded to include artists from other
galleries in their cities, which ended up with the city to city gallery
exchange. The galleries participating in the exchange are labeled "Alternative"
in that they are all interested in showing non-commercial, experimental
work in all different mediums.
The Butcher Shop has been having shows since 1997. Its aim has
been to provide a showing space for artists who are not interested in
showing at traditional art galleries, and tobring artists together from
different backgrounds, and create a sense of community by providing a
forum for these artists to interrelate. Most recently was a show spotlighting
public art, called Department of Space and Land Reclamation, which featured
a weekend of live public art happenings, ranging from street theater to
graffiti to social political billboard art, and more.
Seven Three Split, an artist run space, opened in October 2000 with
"I never thought I'd be a HalloweenCostume", a sound installation event
featuring all local Chicago artists. One of its aims has been to merge
different audiences- enticing people to make the effort to come out to
Pilsen. They have strived to infiltrate art systems and structures through
take home media and web based activities, and have had some succes in
establishing their space. www.seventhreesplit.org
Project Room is specifically dedicated to showing installation art.
It is a small gallery space housed within director, Kait Midgett's large
warehouse shop space, where she runs her mold making and casting business.
In the last two years it has been open, it has had mostly solo installation
shows of artists from Philadelphia, New York and California. Most recently
was its first group show called Cathartic Disgust Gestalt, with artists
Charles Burns, Tristin Lowe, Phillip Mott and Robert Beck.
The basekamp gallery is a non-profit studio and exhibition space started
in 1998. Currently The Basekamp site is dedicated to the facilitation
and exploration of large scale collaborative works, tocreating a dialogue
between artists both emerging and established,national and international.
www.basekamp.com
Vox Populi is an artist run cooperative founded in 1988 to support
the work of local and emerging artists in Philadelphia. At the core of
Vox's mission is to support under-represented artists. Vox Populi has
grown over the years into an accomplished alternative gallery that plays
a significant role in Philadelphia as a venue for emerging Artists. www.op.net/~vox
Space 1026 is an artist run cooperative, with both a gallery space
and a multi faceted studio facility. It opened in Nov. 1999, and has established
a reputation for showing aggressively non-traditional work, such as a
show called Revenger, with over 100 paintings on used and discarded skateboards.
Also, in March of 1999, well known propaganda artist, Andre the Giant,
showed over 50 prints, plus some large scale paintings. Space 1026 most
recently showed at CBGB's in New York City. www.space1026.com
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