Photo courtesy of Atrium Gallery
Last Friday afternoon, just as I was about to click the "publish now" button on this blog post about artist Gregg Louis's exhibition at the Atrium Gallery, the power went out…for the second time in as many days. When the power came back on I realized that I had lost all that I had written. Completely frustrated, I gave up and put it aside until now. For me, cooler weather equals more energy and patience.
As I was writing Friday afternoon, one of the many rewards of living in an urban neighborhood like the CWE is the opportunity to attend art gallery openings, which occur almost every month in the McPherson Gallery District. Whether you know a lot, a little, or absolutely nothing about art, you are bound to learn something new and become part of the “art scene,” hopefully for more than one night.
I was not able to attend the June 3 opening of Gregg Louis's "Down to Earth" at Atrium Gallery, see photo above. I did, however, stop by the gallery last week to view the artist’s sculpture and photographs. Louis, who was born in St. Louis, attended the School of Visual Arts in NYC, and now lives and works in Brooklyn. (No, I don't know where he went to high school!)
Photo courtesy of Atrium Gallery
The artist works in a wide range of media including photography, text, video, and drawing. In his playful "Down to Earth" exhibition, Louis created UFOs out of ordinary household objects and explained in an artist's statement, "I am using a UFO as a symbol of an unknowable thing and also as an object of imagination and fantasy." The photograph above is an archival inkjet print titled "Everyday UFO No. 15."
Throughout the summer, gallery owner Carolyn Miles is promoting "Hot Thursdays" at Atrium Gallery. From 5 to 7 p.m. you can visit over a glass of wine and discuss a piece of art, usually from the current exhibition.
Gregg Louis at Atrium Gallery until July 24, 10 to 6 Weds. – Sat., 12 to 4 Sun., 4728 McPherson, (314) 367-1076.