NICHE GALLERY: April 2011

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Call for Submissions & New Volunteer Staff

*Image courtesy of the Locker Gallery Association

It's a busy time of year - the end of the Spring semester, the Art Student Open House, and our inauguration into the Locker Gallery Association last week!

Now we have more exciting news: the niche gallery has openings for exhibitions and volunteer staff positions!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Please send your proposals to lisa.spinelli@uleth.ca if you're interested in having an exhibition at the niche gallery in Fall 2011 or Spring 2012.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Positions that are currently open are director/curator and any other contribution you can think of, such as assisting with installations, opening arrangements, etc. If you have any new ideas for the niche gallery, we'd love to hear them!

You can also e-mail lisa.spinelli@uleth.ca if you're interested in volunteering for the gallery.

Whether you're exhibiting work or volunteering, either experience is valuable for your CV! The niche gallery is also part of the U of L Art Society, so as part of a registered club through the U of L Students' Union, the niche gallery has access to club privileges (ex. - hosting an event in the Atrium). The idea of making niche gallery and Art Society buttons has also been bouncing around - the possibilities are endless!

The niche gallery has also been recognized by the Locker Gallery Association in Vienna, Austria, so we have international relations, too! You can visit www.lockergallery.org

Just a reminder that Brendan Matkin's exhibition Culture Machine will still be on view during the Art Student Open House this Tues. Apr. 19 and Wed. Apr. 20, on the 8th Level of the Fine Arts Building.

Looking forward to hearing from you in the near future!

Lisa Spinelli

niche gallery public coordinator

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

"Culture Machine" exhibition opening by Brendan Matkin

Another semester is coming to a close and the niche gallery has one last exhibition to stir your senses before summer hits. Brendan Matkin will be presenting his mixed-media installation titled "Culture Machine", which is a uniquely interactive work featuring a video and sound sculpture.

Join us for the opening reception on Wednesday, April 6th at 4:30pm for snacks and drinks.

"The niche gallery is set within the institution yet works outside the institution"

"The niche gallery is a place for anyone to show their work, whether it is a student, faculty member, or someone outside of the institution. The plexi-glass door also allows the viewer into the space as well, a space that is normally private. With niche gallery, the text panels are placed outside of the interior space because the gallery itself is art. When the niche gallery is between exhibitions, the space is still open. Although the space is empty, it is full. When another artist places his/her work in the space, it creates collaboration between the space and the artwork, between the artists and the viewers. Each piece has its place and remains separate, but also works together. There is a difference between inside and outside, but they co-exist"

-naomi sato, from her manifesto
"White Cube, Plexi-Glass Door"

gallery supporters

The gallery team would like to extend a special thanks to Professor Michael Campbell and U of L Art Gallery Administrator Fred Greene for their continuous support of the niche gallery project. As well we'd like to thank Professor David Miller for suggesting that we document the exhibitions on a website.

Also, thank you to the 2008-2009 U of L Art Society Executive for their decision to include the niche gallery in the group's agenda.

We also appreciate the collective interest and support of the U of L Art Department for encouraging students to continue to develop the existence of the niche gallery.

As the niche gallery is not-for-profit and has very limited funding from the Students' Union, if you would like to make a donation to the gallery, please contact us.