Andrea Wolf, Unsolicited Memories, Archival Exercises N.5. 2015.
We’re all familiar with the traditional “white box” art gallery— it’s bright, clean, sterile, artificial and unshadowed. Keeping this in mind, BFP Creative made a space that does the opposite–a black box, void of any light, designed to showcase the glowing works that inhabit it. Unlike most art, work by the eight artists in the show “Luminary,” opening tonight, thrive in the pure darkness.
The opening reception will take place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Brooklyn Fire Proof’s Temporary Storage in East Williamsburg. “There will be two separate galleries, a large room and small room and they’re both light tight, windowless rooms, so it will look good no matter what time of day you come visit,” said Hazel Lee Santino, who curated the show with Oliver Warden.
Melissa F. Clarke (in collaboration with Susan Ngo), Cities are Natural. 2015.
“The smaller room has five pieces, and they’re delicate, quiet pieces and smaller, for the most part,” she said. “They’re more demure and gentle but really beautiful. The larger room has four pieces in it, and they’re much larger and more dramatic.”
Opening night will feature a one-night-only, top-secret interactive sculpture; we asked Santino for some hints about what it could be, but she said she’s sworn to secrecy. “The artist really wants it to be a surprise,” she said.
The full list of artists participating in Luminary: [dNASAb], CHiKA, Melissa F. Clarke, Lindsay Packer, Christine Sciulli, Oliver Warden, Andrea Wolf, and Natalia Zubko.
To prepare you for the show, below are some examples of work from artists showcased in Luminary. These are all past works, but they’ll give you an idea of what you can expect to see when you walk into the dark gallery.
A video sculpture by [dNASAb]:
Propulsion, by Christine Sciulli:
Untitled Antarctica, by Melissa F. Clarke:
Galaxy, by Linday Packer:
“Luminary,” July 17 to August 5. Opening reception on Friday, July 17, from 6-10 p.m. at Brooklyn Fire Proof, 119 Ingraham Street. Gallery hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. by appointment only (please call at least one hour in advance). Email creative@brooklynfireproof.com, or call/text 646-491-1730 to arrange a visit.