Star date June 6^th 2014, Satellite Gallery, at 442 East 156 Street, Earth will open its hatch, with a stellar celebration, exposing a host of installations to be explored by the people of this planet. The Satellite will change installations every 2 or 3 months, creating a constant evolution of the space. This venue will be guided by Astronaut Grace Wen and me, in search of new installations, explorers and creators. Contact satellitegallerycollinwood@gmail.com with ideas or proposals!

 

Earth galleries seem to be galaxies apart, so I am creating a free art shuttle bus that will transport explorers around Cleveland during art walks and art events. It will connect Collinwood to Downtown, Ohio City, Gordon Square and University Circle. This modified school bus will serve as a rolling art gallery, art billboard and explorer shuttle system. Instead of RTA, this vehicle will be dubbed “ART “(Artist Regional Transport), An Intergalactic East West Astronaut Shuttle Transport System. It will have the seats removed, to be replaced with comfortable couches, a coffee table and interior gallery hanging area. The exterior will feature a wildly painted spaceship appearance, porthole windows, changeable signage, announcing evening art events, exterior art hanging apparatus and a satellite dish for interstellar communication! It will be piloted by an astronaut in uniform, who announces local art sightings and events. ART will celebrate its first launch on Saturday, June 28^th at The Waterloo Arts Festival!!!

 

Starting May 6th, I will be pioneering The Cleveland Art Scene Virtual Gallery for Scene Magazine! Each week, Scene will print a small column with a QR code, website address, exhibition title and artists’ names. This code, when scanned or searched, will direct its readership of 50,000 people to a webpage that will display ten or so images of works by the featured artist for that week, along with his/her and my statements. This “column” will appear in each issue for a year, allowing for 52 consecutive shows. The website, www.najiscenevirtualgallery.com will be presented in a format that allows viewers to scroll through images and even continue scrolling to view shows from previous weeks.

 

Talented artist, Grace Summanen and I will lead children on an art exploration, starting with a Lake Erie beach clean-up, finding debris and garbage on July 11^th. The following day, July 12^th, we will bring our beach “treasures” to Loren Naji Studio Gallery and make art from our flotsam combined with glue and paint! The following week, on July 19^th, we will present these works in a show titled Erie Art Treasures. We will donate proceeds from this show, to a cause that benefits children. Email Loren Naji Studio Gallery to sign up your 5 to 13 year old kids for this exciting show!

 

On August 8^th, CWAL and Loren Naji Studio Gallery will present The 3^RDTall Walls, Unjuried, Uncensored show with a twist. Honoring The Gay Games, which will be presented in Cleveland that weekend, we will highlight art that celebrates or addresses sexual freedom and alternative lifestyles.

 

Finally, I am proud to thank the supporters who have made these projects possible. The Satellite Gallery rehab project was completed with the support from Art Place.  The ART Shuttle is part of Collinwood Vibrancy Program by Northeast Shores Development Corporation and is made possible through generous support of The Kresge Foundation and is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County, through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.

 

Loren Naji Studio Gallery

2138 West 25th Street

Cleveland, Ohio 44113

Satellite Gallery

442 East 156 Street

Cleveland, Ohio 44110

lorennaji.com

216.621.6644

 

June 6: Satellite Gallery opening

June 28: Artist Regional Transport Launch at Waterloo Arts Festival

July 19: Erie Art Treasures opening

August 8: Tall Walls, Unjuried, Uncensored