Phoenix’s First Friday Artwalk is postponed
Roosevelt Row’s popular First Friday Artwalk is postponed until further notice.
The event once brought thousands of art fans to downtown Phoenix on the first Friday of every month to support local artists, restaurants and art galleries. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the First Friday Artwalk has been virtual since April.
“First Friday, it’s such an organic way to roam around the neighborhood and because it’s a free event, it’s very hard to transition it to provide an infrastructure that will make people feel safe and healthy,” Nicole Underwood, communications director for the Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation, said.
“To host a 20,000 plus person event is impossible to maintain unless you have it in a very controlled environment.”
Some Roosevelt Row galleries have reopened
Roosevelt Row independent art galleries have been hosting exhibitions online, some, like Bentley Art Gallery, have reopened.
The Roosevelt Row CDC created a virtual artwalk, a list of artists and their websites.
“Our mission is to continue to support artists and local businesses, they aren’t a once a month entity to experience, they are 365 days a year. There’s art to experience, artists to support and business to enjoy,” Underwood said.
In an effort to support those Roosevelt arts district businesses and artists the Roosevelt Row CDC will launch “The Rowwards,” program on Nov. 1. It’s a rewards program with prizes to redeem if you make a purchase in the district.
“We are humans behind the businesses that we operate and we want to make sure that we’re keeping local alive. So when there’s tons of uncertainty in times of need that’s when community really can come together to invest in the places that they love.”
While the First Friday artwalk is postponed, here are some local arts exhibitions you can still see on Nov. 6.
First Studio Gallery
“Kollasch3”
tells
the
story
of
two
Phoenix artists who found out they were cousins.
The great-grandfathers of Kris and Sheila Kollasch were brothers who landed in the United States from Germany in the 1870’s. Joined by Kris’s father, Keith Kollasch, who is also an established artist, the three Kollasch cousins have come together for the first time for “Kollasch3” at First Studio.
The show is on display at First Studio until Dec. 30.
Details: First Studio Gallery, 631 N. First Ave. Phoenix. 602-957-7760, firststudio.net.
Eye Lounge
This artist collective gallery currently has an exhibition titled “Of Heaven and Earth” with new work by Gina DeGideo.
This show invites viewers in for a deep breath and a contemplative look at photographic images of the place we inhabit between earth and spirit.
Details: Eye Lounge, 419 E. Roosevelt St. Phoenix. 602-430-1490, eyelounge.com.
Phoenix Art Museum
The museum is currently open to the public.
Many of the exhibitions the downtown Phoenix museum has on display have been extended, including “Teresita Fernandez: Elemental,” “India: Fashion’s Muse” and “Ansel Adams: Performing the Print.”
“Stories of Abstraction: Contemporary Latin American Art in the Global Context” features 112 contemporary Latin American paintings, installations, sculptures and works on paper, from Nicholas Pardon, co-founder of the former SPACE Collection, one of the largest collections of post-1990s abstract Latin American art in the United States.
Details: Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., 602-257-1880, phxart.org.
Heard Museum
The “Larger Than Memory: Contemporary Art from Indigenous North America” show features more than 40 works of art by 24 Indigenous artists.
Encompassing nearly 13,000 square feet and spanning four gallery spaces, this show is the Heard’s largest exhibition of contemporary art in its 90-year history.
Artists in the show include Nanobah Becker, Elisa Harkins, Brian Jungen, Brad Kahlmamer, Marie Watt, Steven
Yazzie and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith.
Details: Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-252-8840, heard.org/larger-than-memory.
{9} The Gallery
While this downtown Phoenix art gallery is temporarily closed for in-person visits, there is a new exhibition online. The gallery presents “The Capsule Collection” a virtual exhibition co-curated by artists Michael Beitz and John “MDMN” Moody.
The show highlights five pillars of artistic discipline: pop art, figurative, abstract, realism, and photography/collage/print. There is an open call for art for “The Capsule Collection,” each opening of the series will be released virtually over the next five months. You can submit art at 9thegallery.com/submit-your-art.
“Pop” is the first installment of the series and features the work of Judith Aram, Jared Aubel, Benjam, Phalen Booker, Snack Braff, Reese Brown, Lee Davis and more. “Figurative” the second installment will be launching soon.
The gallery will also release interviews with the artists and their works across social media accounts at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Details:
9thegallery.com.
Elizabeth Montgomery is Arts and Culture Reporter for The Arizona Republic, azcentral.com. Reach her at emontgomery@azcentral.com or 602444-8764. Follow her on Twitter @emontnews.
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