A couple of blocks off Main Street, an eager crowd waits in front of a turn-of-the-century farmhouse. As the clock approaches the top of the hour more visitors steadily appear, gathering near the door of the residence. Soon the door is opened and the crowd enters, warmly greeted by their hosts. Within the space the visitors discover videos, paintings of television characters, floating lights, and colorful sculptures throughout the rooms, spilling onto the front lawn and hovering above the house. Throughout the coming hours, more guests arrive to view the work, meet the artists, and converse with their neighbors by the warm campfire.
New London, Minnesota is a small town two hours west of the Twin Cities, known more for its ski team and lake resorts than its contemporary art scene. Andrew Nordin and Lisa Bergh first conceived of ARThouse shortly after relocating to New London in the fall of 2005. A few evenings each year, Andrew and Lisa convert the first floor of their home and front yard into an exhibition venue. Both are working studio artists with extensive gallery and museum experience, and they were anxious to realize their dreams of starting an exhibition space of their own. After ruling out more traditional gallery formats due to cost or other practical concerns, the couple decided to begin by using their own home. ARThouse is the result: an ephemeral art gallery, a temporary exhibition space offering one-night art events.
Phantom galleries are gaining popularity with many artists and curators looking for alternative venues and exhibition formats (e.g. Will Work for Food, Placement Gallery, The Occasional Art Gallery). With the financial and institutional structures of traditional galleries and museums removed, phantom spaces like ARThouse have the freedom to foster an environment of experimentation, performance, and inclusiveness.
ARThouse openings are events both eagerly anticipated and stumbled upon. Neighbors may notice the spectacle of a lighted chandelier floating above the treetops or a white glowing snowmobile on the front lawn, and then find themselves stopping by, unconsciously drawn towards the activity for a closer inspection. However, many of the visitors are active members of a statewide art community, traveling from the Twin Cites, St. Cloud, and beyond to search for interesting work, regardless of its location. Perhaps because of this diverse audience, ARThouse openings percolate with energy, offering a welcome respite from the stale sameness of the kind of work on display in many established, more traditional institutions.
"The idea to do this really germinated from our belief that viewing artwork, contemplating art, is, and should be, an activity for people not just in metro areas, but rural areas as well," explained Andrew. For Andrew and Lisa, the residential phantom format, the merging of art opening and a neighborhood block party, was a perfect strategy to introduce contemporary art to their local community. "ARThouse events are based on the idea of the open house," said Lisa, "a common social gathering in small towns and rural communities. However, instead of celebrating a birth, graduation, or anniversary, we create an art happening. The setting is intended to be laid back, friendly, and far less formal than a traditional gallery or museum reception. You can come for the art or just come to visit and catch up with your neighbor."
Using creative and inexpensive methods, Andrew and Lisa effectively market the ARThouse events through sites like Flickr and mnartists.org, free arts calendars, email lists, and word of mouth. Flickr is particularly effective, allowing ARThouse to post images of past events and to communicate with a broader network of similar ephemeral spaces and alternative galleries. However, the most interesting marketing tool Andrew and Lisa have devised gives something back to their audience. For each event, the exhibiting artist is asked to create an edition of fifteen small pieces. The pieces are then given away as door prizes to the first fifteen people who arrive at the ARThouse opening. The word is out and at the last opening the door prizes lasted for only a few minutes.
It's time for full disclosure of my personal connection to ARThouse. I grew up in the New London area and most of my relatives still live there; I also exhibited my work at ARThouse this past October. Actually, my wife can attest to my anxiety prior to the event. It felt as if I were back in high school again. My worries evaporated shortly after the opening began and my experience demonstrates just what distinguishes an ARThouse show from those of its larger counterparts. A few local students, neighbors, and a couple of my brothers lined up at the door near opening time, and all left a while later clutching a small painting as their door prize. Throughout the evening, people I knew, people I should have known, and complete strangers asked intriguing, challenging questions, and studied the work. It was an intimately engaged environment unlike any exhibition I'd been part of before.
Later in the evening, I talked to Minneapolis artist and New London native Jonathan Gomez Whitney, who confirmed that my homecoming anxiety was not unique. Whitney's stunning installation at ARThouse last summer floated a chandelier above the house, casting wonderful golden rays on the front yard.
This year's ARThouse season is an intriguing mix of regional and local artists; you can see what I'm talking about for yourself. In April, Chicago artist Ashley E. Towne presented elegant and formal mixed media works on paper. She will be followed in July by St. Cloud-based multimedia artist Bill Gorcica. They'll close out the year with a collaborative installation by Duluth artists Kristina Estell and David Bowen in October. Along with this impressive line-up of artists in 2008, Andrew and Lisa hope to build upon the success of the first year, expanding their offerings to include more educational programs related to the exhibitions. The response from the community to the ARThouse has been overwhelmingly positive thus far.
Lisa observes, "Andrew and I have been pleasantly surprised at the sincere gratitude people extend to us for bringing such dynamic art and artists to the community. The most common feedback we receive is ‘Thank you. This is so great for our community.' As an artist, I find that response incredibly meaningful. It tells me that my community appreciates new experiences in the visual arts and understands the power of art to positively impact communities. The city of New London is working hard to increase tourism and create new opportunities for artists, performers and audiences. We are proud to be part of that process."
Concept Drawing for ARThouse Croquet Project by Bill Gorcica, the ARThouse featured artist for July, 2008.
Prelude to a Claptrap (Prussian Field) by Andrew Nordin, oil on panel, 61" x 97"
Bait by Lisa Bergh, mixed media on paper, 25" x 41"