Future Presence hosts last show in its permanent space
Categories: Art
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| Flyers, posters,T-shirts by Lizardman |
Future Presence Gallery offers a glimpse of the underground art scene
A little over a year after forming for Art-a-Whirl 2011, Future Presence Gallery is hosting its final show at its current space after losing its lease. "Sound Perspective: The Art Surrounding the MPLS Music Scene" includes art that is associated with local music. That includes music videos, concert photography, CD covers, fliers, T-shirt art -- both the originals and the finished product. For example, 5th Element will be choosing the T-shirts that represent them best, picking 20 different bands and 20 different designers. "It's pretty wide open," says Future Presence member Nathaniel Smith.
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| Matt Scharenbroich - 'Bed Player' Flyer |
The show has switched dates a couple of times, in part because many of the artists were also involved with SoundTown (which was eventually canceled). Then, their landlord announced that he needed them to move out at the end of July. After a little negotiating, Future Presence was allowed to stay an extra five days. "We had a very generous agreement with the landlord," Smith says. "But he needed to turn the property into condos." The news wasn't a surprise to the collective, who had been warned since the very beginning that their arrangement there was temporary.
This is the last show at the Future Presence Gallery, and there are no plans to acquire a new permanent space. However, the collective will have a few pop-up shows in temporary locations with artists they had already established would have shows. Smith will be working with artist Mike Carney, and will also be spending some time travelling to a few other cities in order to create a network of like-minded DIY galleries where exhibitions and artists can travel and make work. This is a solo project, though it will employ help from Future Presence collaborators. Smith plans to call the network Night Gallery.
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| Shari Simonsen- The Japhies |
Smith says he doesn't see Future Presence going away, however. They're just taking a step back and seeing what happens.
In total, since opening a little over a year ago, Future Presence has hosted 12 shows at a rate of just about every month (except in the winter, when there was no heat).
A highlight of the final show will be the work of Daniel Corrigan, who did all of the Replacements covers, as well as covers for Soul Asylum. "He gave us his portfolio circa the late 1980s and early 1990s," Smith says. This also includes images of Babes in Toyland, Wilco, and other local and regional bands. "We're super excited about it," he says. According to Smith, this will be the first show by Corrigan in 12 years.
Other artists showing will be Jesse Draxler, Chuck U, and Matt Wells (a.k.a. Lizardman), Bo Hakala, Matt Scharenbroich, Allegra Oxborough, and more. City of Music and MPLS TV will also be curating a separate room of their favorite videos. Smith himself will be showing a drawing that was turned into an album cover for Dearling Physique.
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| Justin James Sehorn - Monoprint, Original Work |
Future Presence had a unique approach in finding the middle ground between larger, for-profit galleries, non-profit galleries, and garage/warehouse shows that are completely DIY. "We framed things and we gave them context," Smith says. "We were taking time, but also taking things that are a little more raw and exciting. We were right in the middle of a total DIY and an actual art gallery."
In the end, he hopes Future Presence encourages people to go out and see more art. "For a city like Minneapolis that considers itself arty, not that many people are going to see art," he says. "There are so many talented people here, and so few that turn it into a career or make it to that next level. There's no infrastructure. People who have money spend it on art in other cities."
Smith says that running Future Presence has been a lot of hard work, but he hopes that the success and energy of the place will inspire others to pursue putting on their own shows, "even if you just rent out a storefront and throw a show," he says.
"I just feel like galleries that are mostly run on grants do not have any pressure to put together good shows, just 'safe' shows with proven artists or no hope of controversy," he adds. "I hope that more DIY spaces start springing up, and more importantly staying up, because consistency is key to helping people develop their careers. I am always willing to talk to anyone who has plans to do this and give any advice or shortcuts I have learned from the Future Presence experience."
IF YOU GO:
"Sound Perspective: The Art Surrounding the MPLS Music Scene"
6 p.m. to midnight Thursday and Friday
Future Presence
1126 NE Second St., Minneapolis
futurepresencewords.blogspot.com
6 p.m. to midnight Thursday and Friday
Future Presence
1126 NE Second St., Minneapolis
futurepresencewords.blogspot.com
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