by Eva Dameron
Daily Lobo
There's a new warehouse art space in town, and everyone's invited to the grand opening Friday.
Local artists Matt Righter and Arjan McNamara got The Curio up and running a little over a month ago.
"This is a space for artists primarily to use and to maintain and to create here," Righter said. "I like the idea of people working together to make something easier for each other. I think that's the only way we're going to really do anything right now in this world."
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He said the warehouse's reception has been promising.
"The response has been almost ridiculous in a way," he said. "Just as soon as we started opening the doors, we've had so many different types of people come through here."
To keep up with expenses, The Curio is charging $5 per person. Patrons are also encouraged to pay more if they feel like supporting the local art scene.
"That can't be a bad thing," McNamara said.
Righter said that, historically, it's not the individual artist that sells, but it's their participation in an art movement that draws attention.
"Artists traditionally have really worked hard for gallery space and studio space - it's in their best interest," he said. "We have artists getting a really good chance to package or promote themselves alongside other artists."
Righter has organized an exhibition of painted door panels, which will hang and spin.
"The door project is a collaborative project, and it's a visual spectacle," Righter said. "We have artists from all over the community who worked on this project. It's a really interesting piece because you couldn't say the art falls into any certain classification, 'cause there's so many contributions. Yet, I will say, I think all of it is really worthwhile - there's a lot of really amazing stuff that was put in."
The Curio existed last year as El Curio, a small, two-room art space, but they took a break for winter even though they had a good thing going, McNamara said.
The warehouse, at 1451 12th St. N.W., boasts three floors, 1,500 square feet of working space and a huge parking lot.
"As far as the opening night goes, we're intending to reveal ourselves to the community again," Righter said. "We're going to continue the same momentum as we had last year, working with different artists and trying to draw different participants. The one big change is that we have studio capability down here now."
Friday will mostly be a social event, he said, to reconnect with artists they worked with in the past and to make new connections. There will be everything from indie rock to grunge to DJs spinning hip-hop, reggae and trance music.
"There's also kind of a punk band and very experimental rock, as well as an experimental jam band," Righter said.
The next day there will be an art-making and art-selling collective called Plea Bargain Flea Market from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the parking lot.
"There's going to be a painting project for anybody to work on," Righter said. "I got some materials and paint set up, and people can bring supplies."
Participants are invited to set up a booth to sell their art.
"We don't even know what's going to happen," McNamara said of Friday night. "One night, the Bandito Man showed and gave us a tour of the place. He said he's coming. We never know exactly what to expect."
The Curio
1451 12th St. N.W.
Friday 8 p.m.-4 a.m.
Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
