Happy December!
It has been a year.
We closed one gallery, opened a new one, moved gallery locations, took part in online fairs, did online exhibitions, in-gallery exhibitions, signed new artists—I watched the CAMP team grow all from Westport, Connecticut! It has been an exercise in organizing and trusting the Miami and New York team, which has paid off. They all have done a great job, so a special thank you to the campers for bringing my vision to life!
We are closing the year out with our first ever online virtual gallery! I was approached back in May by Emperia out of the UK, and after some initial hesitation, I left uncertainty behind and dove head first into this new world. We had the chance to create our dream gallery, in our dream location, and the result is more than I expected.
The exhibition, Art from an Experienced Based Identity, features artists: Milton Bowens, Idris Habib, Dave McClinton, Evita Tezeno, Lisa Whittington, Keshya Rivera and Laetitia Adam-Rabel all through their different works showing the viewer how experience and in many ways, history, has shaped who they are, what they create and how they see the world.
This exhibition, and what stimulates it, has been a dream of mine since completing my Master’s Thesis, which explored a poem by Frank Horne “Harlem,” ( 1928) and how through references to many of the artists and thinkers of the Harlem Renaissance, he is able to articulate the goals and divides of the movement. I, though, have always been interested in seeing how the Harlem Renaissance and its artists have shaped the modern artist, and if they were aware of being influenced. Through the works exhibited, I can say that traces can be found in the works meaning that yes, influence is there, and though things have changed, subjects are different, but also a lot is still left the same.
This month we’re also launching our first online artist residency with New York emerging photographer Cai Dabbs-Crosby. The exhibition, curated by Brianna, explores Harlem today, paying homage to the place that drew the artists of the renaissance and was considered the destination and Mecca behind many migrations in American history. To make the exhibition, Brianna and I asked Cai to spend sometime in the streets of Harlem, to visit and document landmarks, but also to honor Harlem today, marking time and the changes in Harlem from the 1920’s to today. We will launch this online solo December 31, 2020 thereby officially closing out the year!
Lastly, I am so excited to let everyone know that we have launched our Vitrine, in the window at the gallery, which will be a monthly group exhibition of art objects.
This month’s collection is made up of works from Stefano Ogliari Badessi, Giulia Ronchetti, Leslie Sheryll, Laura Marsh, Evelyn Politzer, Katika, and Angela Costanzo Paris. The collecting of art objects has become one of the many paths collectors take these days to begin their art collection—it is something that I have been doing myself for years. The same amount of research is needed when acquiring objects just like one does for paintings, photographs, sculptures, new media and mixed media works, but it is a great way to own works of art from your favorite artists in the CAMP!
The other cool aspect of this new project is we have listed and opened our shop on The CAMP website: The CAMP Bazaar. Though this month’s Vitrine suggests the objects are for the holidays (they can be), they are all original, one of a kind works of art!
Happy Holidays, Stay well!
Melanie