An ultra-hip gallery: The Hinge

 

Lauren Pressler and Brian Laughlin, above, are co-directors of The Hinge, an art gallery housed within their large CWE
apartment. How they manage to live their lives while running an art
gallery in the same location is beyond me. True, The Hinge is open by appointment only, so there would be time to run around and remove traces of daily living before a visitor arrives, but this arrangement takes "living where you work" to a whole new level. When I stopped by a couple of weeks ago there was nothing visible in the multi-room apartment that wasn't part of the current exhibition, "Tainted Love," other than the couple themselves and Jillian Gallery Cat.

The objective of the gallery is to be a "hinge" between the community and gallery owners, and emerging artists
without gallery representation. Lauren and Brian's partner in the project is Eileen G'sell, a professor in the
English department at Washington University who runs the literary side of the gallery (see more info about events below). The Regional Arts Commission gave the couple
invaluable help and advice to get the gallery off the ground. Lauren added that they are also indebted to VLAA (Volunteer Lawyers & Accountants for the Arts)
for help with legal issues related to opening the gallery.

Lauren Pressler, curator of The Hinge,
is also an artist who earned an MFA
from Washington University. Last fall she was Visiting Assistant Professor of Art
at Williamette
University in Oregon. Currently her work, "Bees," is exhibited at La
Porte Peintre Centre for the Arts in
Noyers sur Serein in Burgundy. Although none of Lauren's spectacular art is included in the current exhibition, be sure to visit her website to see examples. 

In addition to co-directing The Hinge, Brian Laughlin is in the antique furniture restoration business (The Option B Designery at 2533 Brentwood). His restored furniture is on view in "Tainted Love," and includes pieces such as a 20th century Majestic Stove butcher's table (from St. Louis) with a galvanized metal and wood top, $1750, and two sofas covered in a soft grey silk blend fabric in the living room. The smaller one is "tainted" with scratches in the armrests. In Brian's words, "the whole environment is for sale"…except for Jillian, of course.

Lauren and Brian said gallery patrons have enjoyed seeing how to live and interact with the art and seem freer to comment on a piece because of the home environment. On the French sofa is Megan Collins Post Exodus of altered needlepoint & fabric (see photo below too). Chris Lujan's Jockey, $550, hangs on the wall, and a lovely pair (only one shown) of walnut & gold-leaf Chinese Chippendale Revival tall stands is $1275.

The exhibition explores love through the relationship of the artists. Artists include a couple in a traditional marriage (work is shown above), in a long-term
relationship, another in a long-term relationship distanced by
geography, and a lesbian couple.  One artist lives in New York
and was in the same Washington University graduate program as Lauren Pressler.

I.E. Thurston Belmer's triptych Academie, $925, hangs on the dining room wall, above, while below it Caitlyn Concascia Belmer's Bound to You, $195, sits on a 1960s John Widdicomb walnut & marble-top server, $895.

Chris Lujan's Untitled, coffee & ink on Japanese paper, $225, hangs in a niche. Rare Antique Latticino Continental blown-glass spirit bottles, $600, are displayed on shelf.

Amanda Elise Bowles sculpture sits in front of Jieum Kim's neon cityscape in the library.

The Hollywood Bowl (oil on canvas) is by Reid Norris, price available upon request.

"Blaine's" oil painting, Balanced in a Precarious Position, $575, is shown above. On the table is a sneak preview of The Hinge's next exhibition, Flora, Phallus, Fauna, non-digital poster art by Polish artist Ryszard Kaja, who will be in attendance at the opening Saturday, April 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. It is not necessary to make an appointment to attend the opening.

Lauren and Brian like to play up cliches, so each exhibition will highlight an object of antiquity used in an unusual way. You may have noticed in some of the photographs above, and especially this last one, antique toasters displaying singed valentines. "Tainted Love" ends April 1.

Check the website for other events at The Hinge. During the month of April, while Polish artist Ryszard Kaja's work is on view, Apop Records on Cherokee will be screening Polish films at The Moolah Theater. There are also readings at the gallery on occasion.

The Hinge, 410 N. Newstead, Ste. 4W, call for appointment: (314) 535-3010, or (314) 398-8862.