Fri 2/7 @ 6pm
East Meets West is a unique, collaborative exhibition between Loren Naji’s Studio Gallery in Ohio City and Bryon Miller’s Gallery One Sixty in Collinwood’s Waterloo Arts District. Nine of Cleveland’s own artists will have work at both spaces for this unusual event.
East Meets West is an effort to help unite Northeast Ohio and dissolve the artificial barriers between East, West and South in our region. By coming together for important common goals, we become more influential politically, socially and economically on a national level. While the art in this exhibition is not specifically Cleveland-themed, this event is a celebration of our mutual home.
“Our city is divided by a river into the East and the West sides,” explains Naji. “Due to the advent of hip waders, the bicycle, the automobile, the postal system, computers and smart phones, there is no reason that the art worlds on either side of the city should be divided by a river!”
“It’s our responsibility as artists to cross over boundaries,” adds Miller. “In this case, it’s a boundary as old as the city itself. East side/West side politics are somewhat of an illusion in my mind. We all essentially want the same things. We all essentially bleed the same ethics and attitude that make this city great. Cleveland needs to become a cohesive force no matter what side of the river you happen to lay your head. Maybe it will take art to make that happen.”
Participating artists include Justin Brennan, Amy Casey, Julie Morgan Cavanagh, Dan Corrigan, Kat Francis, Jake Kelly, Scott Pickering, Grace Summanen and Douglas Max Utter.
In addition to the artwork, the openings will also feature additional entertainment elements. Loren Naji Studio Gallery will have 3 music acts performing: TWK, a psychedelic mood guitarist; Archie and the Bunkers, a garage rock band; and 3Sb, a DJ who incorporates cool video projections with original house music. It’s sure to be a preview of what Naji has in store for everyone at this year’s Brite Winter (Sat 2/15).
Gallery One Sixty will also be hosting the Home and Garden Avant BBQ – followed by a live performance by Home and Garden and a live reading by A Guide to Kulchur’s RA Washington – who has deep roots in both Collinwood and Ohio City – as well as classic video game stations sponsored by Waterloo’s own toy store Star Pop Vintage + Modern.
Stay tuned to the event page on Facebook for more info on a possible shuttle between galleries for the opening reception on Friday evening. Additional events for Friday’s Walk All Over Waterloo include Artist Receptions for two recent graduates of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Mike Meier’s Frequency and Nikki Woods’ Arranging Your Sentiments presented by Popeye Gallery in Native Cleveland’s Annex.
Also, Space: ROCK’s current exhibition of photography from Pats in the Flats’ concerts will have an additional 30+ photos of bands not featured at the opening reception. Be sure to check out Loren’s Moon3 — featuring nearly 40 local artists. It’s outdoors at the intersection of E. 156th Street and Waterloo Road in front of Waterloo Arts. You can’t miss it.
All events are FREE and open to the public. Can’t make the openings? Both galleries’ exhibitions run until Sat 3/1. Additional viewing hours at Loren Naji Studio Gallery are Fridays Noon-6pm and by appointment. Additional hours at Gallery One Sixty are Saturdays and Sundays 1-6pm and by appointment.
[Painting, top: Neighbors by Scott Pickering. (Our condolences to Scott on the recent passing of his mother.)]