Growing Eye Level
Any good art walker knows there are plenty of galleries to choose from in Charleston. However Queen Street is one lighter with the disappearance of a favorite: Eye Level Art. Don’t fret. It’s simply moving to a bigger (nearly 2,000 square feet of raw space), better (“You could have a hotdog stand in it and it’d still be the coolest space,” says the gallery director) location. Only they won’t tell us where, those sneaky devils. We know it’s downtown, has a “huge” outdoor space and will open this summer. So let the guessing games begin.
Eye Level Art is all about creating a much-needed resource for artists, keeping them here through creative outlets and opportunity. It understands that it’s harder to build a creative community in Charleston than to insert itself into one in a bigger city, but that’s half the fun. Featuring pieces from Max Miller’s classical paintings to Ishmael’s graffiti art, the new gallery space will offer a home and longer shelf life to its featured artists.
Now let’s talk about what we really love about Eye Level Art: the parties. If you haven’t been to a party at Eye Level Art’s secondary space, known as The Warehouse, go immediately. While The Warehouse is primarily a workspace (when it’s not serving as a place where the “boys” – gallery owner et al – play, project TV on the walls and even host “America’s Next Top Model” viewing nights), it is best known for its hip, stylish parties. There will be many on the agenda this year, including larger ticketed events with guests overflowing into tented parking lots. Come this summer, The Warehouse will remain the site of underground parties while the new space will become host to many events, hoping to bring the community together in a fun and inspiring way, collectively giving a little “F U” to the failing economy.
Oh, and buy some art. That’ll really show the economy.
