"Urbane Expo" will showcase emerging artists under 21 with a black-tie-optional night of performance, music and art.
"It has a dual meaning," organizer Amy Dalness said. "You think 'urban,' like street, city, kind of hip - urban has a lot of meanings. But 'urbane' means kind of refined and sophisticated. It's supposed to be a red-carpet event but kind of funky. It's just for fun, and we're going to have a red carpet at the gallery, but the idea is it's faux fancy, pseudo fancy."
The event will take place Saturday at the VSA North Fourth Art Center, at 4904 Fourth Street N.W.
Dalness said she put a call out to artists through Albuquerque Public Schools and every avenue she could think of that would reach local youth.
Steven Nery, who runs Thursday open mics at Winning Coffee Co., will host a small open mic, with Rachel Langer and Margit Jean Hammer scheduled to play. A guitar class with students ranging from 6 to 30 years old will also perform together. And Minie Gonzalez from Holiday Sail may do an acoustic set, Gonzalez said, but she also has photographs in the show.
"(Dalness) told me about this show and begged me and begged me to enter, and she kept reminding me about the deadline," Gonzalez said. "I was walking down the street, taking photographs Downtown, and one of her friends was passing out fliers, and she gave me the actual flyer so I wouldn't forget. So, all the forces lined up to make sure I was in the show."
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She started off taking snapshots of her friends and her cat, and when she realized she had a knack for photography she bought a more professional camera.
"I realized I really like taking photos of people and animals," she said. "I go to the zoo. At least three of the photos are from the zoo. There's a giraffe and some birds in (the show). I actually just hook them up to the computer and do Photoshop editing. A lot of the editing is this kind of out-of-control, extremely contrasty editing."
Artist Chris Romero painted cartoon characters inspired by street art.
"The canvases are all spray paint and regular ink paint - that's usually how I do my art," Romero said. "I went to TVI for a while and took some art classes there."
He also runs a DIY silk-screening company called My Destructive Side.
"I'm still kind of starting out on it," he said. "I've been getting shirts made and selling them to people I work with and friends, people at the skate park. I do my designs, and then I have friends that do tattoos of that design."
"Urbane Expo" is an initiative of Warehouse 508, a nonprofit youth-outreach art space that is under renovation until halfway through next year. The city put out a request for proposals from nonprofits to operate the building, and New Mexico Xtreme Sports landed the contract, said Dalness, who is operations director of Warehouse 508. They will host events at other venues until the warehouse is finished being renovated.
"We're starting renovations at the new year," she said. "We won't be open possibly until May or April depending on how long it takes. They're going to renovate in three stages. First in January - hopefully at least part of our space will be open in May. This event over at the North Fourth Art Center is one of many outreach events to make people aware of Warehouse 508 and what we're about."
There are also charcoal and acrylic and sculpture submissions, and nine film students from the Public Academy for Performing Arts are bringing four projectors.
Dalness said it's an opportunity for young artists to display their work in a place that's not tied to their school. Six professional artists will jury the show with categories such as best of show, most unique medium and best film.
"A few local artists are kind of stepping up to view the youth work and give an opportunity for the young people to meet with art professionals and gain those connections so they can learn more how (to take their art) out of the classroom and make it a career, take it beyond a hobby," she said.
Urbane Expo
VSA North Fourth Art Center
4904 Fourth Street N.W.
Saturday, 5-10 p.m.
Free
