Making art transforms artists. It can also revolutionize the world around them. St. Louisans like , , and are making their mark with clay, spray paint and outreach.
Today, 漏 2024 外网天堂 begins an with a profile of fort gondo's gallery owners, known for giving local artists their first break.
He's like a dog, leaping enthusiastically toward new ideas. She's more cat-like, cautiously sniffing out the details. Combing their instincts, and Jessica Baran have launched the careers of numerous St. Louis artists.
Gondolfi doesn't call himself an artist. He works in microfinance. But he does troll for found treasure, from vintage suitcases to a giant wooden coat hanger, dangling from the ceiling of their sun porch.
鈥淚鈥檓 just a glorified junk collector,鈥� Gondolfi said.
A dozen years ago, Gondolfi began a small collection of buildings on Cherokee, then a withering, forgotten street. He and business partner Dave Early opened Radio Cherokee music venue and 鈥� originally slated as a dog shelter.
Even though fort gondo ended up as an art gallery, it still harbors four dogs (and one cat) in the couple's own apartment upstairs. One pooch from the early days, 14-year-old Lilly, is still around, bearing witness to the project's longevity.
鈥渇ort gondo is kind of a cockroach on Cherokee Street; you can鈥檛 kill it if you wanted to,鈥� Gondolfi said.
Now Gondolfi's known as a seven-block stretch filled with art spaces, restaurants and other businesses. He laughs about the old times, when an abandoned building lacking basic resources could morph into a gallery.
鈥淵ou鈥檇 run a garden hose over three different backyards to plumb the toilet, and people actually thought that was an installation piece,鈥� he said.
In 2008, Baran, a poet, curator and art-criticism teacher, came into the picture. She ushered in 鈥渁n era of reform,鈥� according to Gondolfi.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 eager to change anything,鈥� Baran said. 鈥淏ut I imported a lot of the bureaucratic skills I have, developing a stronger web presence and things like Facebook.鈥�
In this video, Baran and Gondolfi talk and laugh about their relationship, and some of Gondolfi鈥檚 unusual exhibits and escapades during fort gondo鈥檚 early days. (Story continues below.)
For many artists, their show at fort gondo and next-door beverly gallery is a first exhibition. Several of the hundreds who鈥檝e debuted at fort gondo have gone on to much bigger careers. Five have been selected for the including current Biennial exhibitor
Another, recently a found a photo of his fort gondo show.
鈥淎nd he sent it to us. It was really a neat thing,鈥� Baran said.
Others who鈥檝e just had their first Cherokee experience may not come into their own as artists for several more years. This past December, fort gondo and Beverly hosted and its exhibition of Judd鈥檚 more colorful works, in which kids created 鈥渇aux Judds鈥� from trash.
鈥淚t was wonderful to offer something to an organization that鈥檚 so esteemed,鈥� Baran said. 鈥淲hat could the Pulitzer possibly need from us? Well in fact, it was actually our very scrappiness.鈥�
The scrappy organization was just awarded its first grants: $5,000 from by abstract impressionist painter Robert Motherwell; and $10,000 over two years from the Regional Arts Commission, part of which they'll share with in Florissant.
While grateful for the stability, Gondolfi still reminisces over those leaner, simpler days.
鈥淚鈥檓 a little bit maudlin about it, 鈥淕ondolfli said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of sheer joy along the way 鈥� it鈥檚 been an interesting ride.鈥�
Look for this week and during the coming weeks and months.
Follow Nancy Fowler on Twitter: @NancyFowlerSTL
