My mood dramatically altered today, wandering into the little den of deformity that is the Stranger…read moreFactory. I'd been pacing the sidewalks of Route 66, seriously bumming out on the scars and pangs and aches of Albuquerque Rapid Transit construction, and I was really worried about the future of Nob Hill. And I'd been meaning to pop into Stranger Factory for the better part of, oh, two years, but they're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and that's when I tend to visit the 'hood. Today was an exception, and I was exceptionally swooned.
Simply put, I absolutely love every gift and piece these guys stick on the wall. With a similar sensibility to Santa Fe's Meow Wolf, the voice of the work in this gallery is sly, enveloping, winsome, somehow innocent, and deliciously dark. The sculptures, paintings and curiosities simply must be seen to be only somewhat understood, and I'm really impressed that the focus around here isn't about selling shiny objects, it's about showcasing incredible artists that would otherwise remain stuck on some website somewhere. I honestly feel like I have to make this shop my go-to for gifting, prices are reasonable and some of this s*it is just brilliant.
I also couldn't help but note the coincidental cultural obsession with Stranger Things, which is starting a second season. Like the show, this gallery doesn't compel us with content so much as mood, context, tone. I left the store with a handful of goodies and the strong impression that, A.R.T. construction be goddamned, with businesses like Stranger Factory on main street, Nob Hill will always be a jewel of the Duke City.