NARROWS

Santa Fe Community Gallery
201 W. Marcy Street
May 20-June 10, 2016

Opening Reception: Friday, May 20, 5-8 pm
Zine Workshop: Saturday, May 28, 1-4 pm
Artist Talks with Santa Fe Art Tours: Wednesday, June 1, 6-8 pm

Santa Fe, NM— There’s revolution in the air in Santa Fe this spring, as emerging and alternative art projects by young creatives take the spotlight. New art districts are forming on Baca Street, Hickox Road and Siler Road, fostering experimental art spaces and collectives. In May, Strangers Collective will stage a daring takeover of Santa Fe’s downtown arts district. Narrows, an exhibition of 35 local emerging artists and writers, opens at Santa Fe Community Gallery on Friday, May 20 from 5-8 pm. 

“We’ve seen a significant shift in the community since the collective formed, and it has emboldened us,” says Strangers co-founder Jordan Eddy. The art group started in fall 2014 as a grassroots effort to build a supportive network of emerging artists and writers. Living room salons quickly grew into full-fledged exhibitions, with showings at ART.i.factory Gallery and Wheelhouse Art in 2015 and events at Caldera and David Richard Gallery this year. “Santa Fe is waking up to the fact that young artists are ushering in a radical new era of contemporary art here,” says Eddy. “We’re carving out space in this scene, and there’s no going back.” 

Narrows is Strangers Collective’s fourth public exhibition, featuring visual art in diverse mediums by 17 artists, and zines by 16 writers. The show’s title is a reference to the small apartments and studio spaces where the artwork takes shape, and the process of ferrying emerging art into the public sphere. Narrows is an examination of this invigorating and at times perilous voyage. During the three-week run of the show, Strangers will host a zine workshop on Saturday, May 28 and artist talks with Elaine Ritchel of Santa Fe Art Tours on Wednesday, June 1. 

“It’s such a diverse group,” says co-founder Kyle Farrell. “We have artists who grew up here, and people who came from all across the country. One thing that unites us is the battle to be heard. We’re moving from private spaces onto much larger stages, and it’s invigorating.” Featured artists include A. Jason Coleman, Kyle Farrell, Alex Gill, Julia Haywood, Erikka James, Shannon Latham, Katherine Lee, Drew Mc, David O'Brien, Sarah Palmeri, Leah Devine Pokrasso, Stephanie Thompson, Ben Putnam, Dion Valdez, Emmanuelle John, MaryEllen Whitmoyer, Marcus Zuniga and Rebecca Waldron. Participating writers include Daniel Bohnhorst, Jordan Eddy, Austin Eichelberger, Juro Gagne, Kendyll Gross, Elliot Jackson, Ariana Lombardi, Chris Quintana, Elaine Ritchel, Bucket Siler, Kelly Skeen, Rachel Miller-Howard, Maxwell Lucas, Sarah Weisberg, Emmaly Wiederholt, Mariah Romero, Darnell Thomas, and contributors to Genghis Culture and 1905 Magazine.