Fusebucks
Mawney.
It's what makes this crazy town go round, from Abramoff to baseball-bunting council members to Marion-the-pipe-Barry. So when you got it, you gotta spend it.
When Fusebox announced it would close its doors last month, you could see gallery owners' eyes, from Alexandria to Logan Circle, glaze over with heat and lust and cartoonish $$$ signs. With Sarah Finlay and Patrick Murcia moving to San Francisco as the gallery apperates this Saturday, there was what looked to be an all out grab for the space, with Transformer, Conner Contemporary, and Irvine all in the running. The winner will come out with the challenge of meeting the bottom line while not becoming--what one gallery board chair called--"a fundraising machine."
How will the space change? The 2001 Core designed 1600 square foot space still surpasses all other fronts with the closest competition being Numark.
Yesterday morning the Washington Post reported that Irvine Contemporary Art will take the space, moving out of its current Dupont Circle location. From what I've heard it's a fine sum, at $6,000 a month. Hope that's with utilities and I wish Irvine good luck.
posted by adrian at 4:49 AM
3 Comments:
I found it disappointing news: is it me, or is 5 years a really short life span for a DC art gallery? I admit, I don't know the turnover rate, but it felt like Finlay/Murcia "gave up" or "changed their mind" on the whole thing. There was no mention of financial struggles.
I hope Irvine comes with more dedication and makes an even stronger contribution to the 14th St. arts scene. Goodbye, Fusebox.
Despite what I said about the glare, I really liked the design of the gallery. It's very open and inviting, and draws you into the almost hidden back area. Especially since I had just come from Hemphill, which I felt was kind of dark and cramped - I was the only one in the gallery, and I still felt like I was going to suddenly run smack into someone every time I turned the many, many corners in the small space. The point is, I hope they don't change Fusebox.
I think fusebox's commitment was the top of the DC scene. This has been said before but they were the first dc glallery to go to miami basel and have a chelsea style front to their gallery, prodding others to follow in both (expensive) frontiers.
I agree that more can be done, but I believe that getting five years is a long time for a gallery willing to challenge DC like fusebox has.
Heather, you're right. I also think after spending so much, Matt won't change a thing.
Post a Comment
<< Home