Apartment Art Gallery Comes to the East Side - Inside Art with Michael Rose

Apartment Art Gallery Comes to the East Side - Inside Art with Michael Rose

 

When most people think of a gallery, they think of a crisp white cube, perhaps in a storefront downtown. Galleries come in a variety of formats, but there is also a long tradition of exhibitions taking place in apartments and domestic spaces. At 44 East Manning Street in the heart of the East Side, a new apartment art gallery has emerged. The result is an exciting and inviting venue to see contemporary art.

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The space, called East Manning Projects, was started by local artist and RISD Painting Critic Scott Lerner. Describing the mission of the gallery, Lerner points to hopes for greater connectedness on the local art scene. He says, “I started East Manning Projects hoping to allow artists and art lovers to meet one another. The arts community in the greater Providence area is pretty fragmented, divided up across cities, towns, universities, local organizations, and age groups. By putting together shows, I wanted to see if I could create opportunities for more paths to cross.”

 

 

The current exhibition at the venue opened March 1st and will be on view for three weeks. Curated by Matthew Napoli and titled True Ecology, the show features work in a range of media by Amanda Arruda, Mason Burns, Mary Connell, Ruth Douzinas, Anna Foro, Julia Gould, Christopher Huff, Kobe Jackson, Jordan Long, Zeph Luck, Heather V. McLeod, Chloe Mosbacher, Hannah Nahas, Matthew Napoli, and Jeff Smudde.

 

 

There is a great deal of compelling art in the exhibition, fit for a variety of tastes. One of the most interesting is an installation work made up of a pile of earthenware cinder blocks in the dining room by ecologist, environmental engineer, and artist Ruth Douzinas. A nearby painting by Amanda Arruda is full of crisp brightness and features a potted plant against the backdrop of a cityscape. A large oil on canvas by Mason Burns titled Into the Cattails centers the wall of the apartment’s living room, and highlights the tension between the built environment and the natural world. Jordan Long’s delicate pastel diptych on view is surrounded by a remarkable handmade frame.

 

One of the core issues with traditional gallery settings is the baggage that comes along with them. People can easily feel intimidated and even stupified by the perceived elitism and coldness of gallery spaces. Exhibiting art in a domestic environment can be an antidote to that. At Lerner’s space on Manning Street, the unique qualities that come with an apartment gallery are evident. The current exhibition successfully shows off artworks across media with a shared environmental message.

 

 

Asked about what he wants visitors to learn from the show, artist and curator Matthew Napoli replies, “I hope that, through the works of these young and emerging artists, it becomes clear that there are people in this community- and across the country- who revere and care for the natural world. That even now, in a time seemingly dominated by social media, AI, and environmental crises, Americans are taking the time to plug into something more substantial: slow down, look at birds, touch grass, and celebrate this gift of a planet as it truly is.”

 

Two of the artworks Napoli selected for the show are intricate graphite drawings by RIC graduate Hannah Nahas. Her images illustrate figures in the context of nature. Featuring nocturnal garden scenes, the works are entrancing in their high level of draftsmanship.

 

 

Speaking about what participating in the show means to her, Nahas says, “Being included in this exhibition is a tremendous honor and privilege for me. East Manning Projects is close to home, (literally) and having Matthew and Scott recognize my artistic voice and vision within the larger creative community exploring similar themes was great. Being a part of this exhibition also allowed me to connect with other artists and art enthusiasts within my home community of Providence. It was such a meaningful experience through and through.”

 

At the recent opening for the current exhibition, artists and art enthusiasts gathered in a homelike environment to look at, and discuss, work by contemporary makers. The space was vibrant and full of artistic spirit. This new gallery promises to add a valuable dimension to the local art scene.

 

 

Looking to the future for his new endeavor, organizer Scott Lerner says, “Moving forward, I hope the gallery can provide a much-needed space for people to encounter contemporary art and meet the folks who make it!”

 

 

East Manning Projects is located at 44 East Manning Street in Providence. Learn more and follow upcoming exhibitions at the space on Instagram at @eastmanningprojects.