I maybe should wait for a return visit to write a more comprehensive review but Toledo is an hour away, Yelp ain't paying us for our professionalism, obviously, and I take more pride in racking up Firsts than in running up my total reviews so away we go!
This place used to be a tattoo parlor and it shows in the layout. It might not be optimum for all shows but I kind of liked it for the Midwest and Beyond graffiti show I attended with some fellow Detroiters. One of the tattooing rooms was the cofounder's studio that he had opened up as a chill spot and it was fun trading sketches in black books with others who sought a place away from the hubbub of the main room. Connor Degnan's Art was on full display, too, and it was a fun side quest from the main exhibit. A back room also had some brightly colored pieces that seemed to be part of the permanent or semi-permanent collection.
Turnout was just right; the room was filled up but not overstuffed to the point of claustrophobia. The curators maximized the wall space with a lively and varied collection. Quality varied but there were definitely some standout pieces. To me the big problem with reproducing graffiti style art in a gallery is it loses a lot of its vitality stripped of its proper lawless context. It loses a lot of its street cred if you take it off the streets. Nevertheless it was fun to see and a good crowd to see it. A DJ played old school hip hop and the snack table was legit.
The rap letters over the front door with the gallery name was a nice touch; I feel like that's not just for this show and is gonna be around. I hope so. Hope this gallery is gonna stick around, too. It could really go either way with this type of establishment. read more