You know how sometimes things travel in waves over the brains of many? When I was an undergraduate at Auburn University, we had a group of artists who continued to communicate outside of the college arena. We posted mail that traveled the circuit of maybe eight artists in whatever creative whim might strike us from the correspondences. We had many inspired and inspiring moments by mail, one of which was a collage that circulated called the Meat Market. Of course, it included a nude and had all the subtleties of a jackhammer but then those were creative times. The Meat Market image has stayed in my subconscious until recently when I stumbled into a brick and mortar gallery. This new gallery is a connection to my past (in concept) and I like to think that synchronicity plays a bit of a part/prank in these shenanigans. I've walked by this gallery space daily over the summer and watched it's transformation from a Hispanic meat market and grocery to a bright white-walled gallery featuring cutting edge artists from South, Central and North America - disbelieving all the while that my "meat market" was materializing.
Today, I went in to see the exhibition "Emergent Behavior," which features five artists "exploring how perception can transform the prescribed everyday qualities of the banal and the benign." Plastic is everywhere in Malia Stenerson's protruding frolicking tubes and other household plastics that travel the galley walls. Other works by Reuben Breslar, Chad Yencer, Judy Tsai and Sir Christopher II invite a playful yet unsettling look into the artists observations of the world. It's a good exhibition and a welcome addition to the DC art scene. As for the Meat Market name, well, we'll have to dream up some new ideas. I have to meet the new owners...Soon.
enter site
Meat Market Gallery
1636 17th Street
Washington, DC
202.323.6328
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