Conexión

Conexión refers to the union-like relationship between two or more things, people, places, or elements within a system. It is what brings us together and builds a community where there once was none. For his first curatorial exhibition, Gerardo Morado, the founder of ACME Collective, bridges conversations between local and international artists across nationalities and generations to bring us a vivid reflection of our shared human experience. As a first-generation American and emerging artist, DJ, and curator, Morado, has assembled the vibrant works in Conexión as a vehicle to unite and inspire visitors and local, young POC creatives.  

Presented exclusively at Gamut Gallery, this group exhibition weaves together electric colors and engaging textures, challenging the boundaries of contemporary art. Many of the participating artists have profoundly influenced Morado’s perception of art and the subcultures that encompass it: the featured paintings, illustrations, and textiles aim to foster new connections between artists and their audiences. Morado celebrates our differences while simultaneously reminding us of the common threads that bind us. In this way, Conexión upholds art as the universal language we all share. 

EVENT DETAILS

PUBLIC OPENING:
Saturday, April 23, 2022 // 6-9pm
$7pre-sales, $10 door FREE for members
Music TEKK NIKK

CURATOR + ARTIST TALK:
Saturday, May 7th, 2022 // 10AM
$5 pre-sales, $7 door, FREE for members
Featuring: Curator Gerardo Morardo and artists, Nichole Showalter, John Alspach, & Cristian Ybarra

EXHIBIT FINALE + CLOSING PARTY:
Saturday, May 21, 2022 // 6-9pm
$7pre-sales, $10 door FREE for members
Music curated by Acme Collective
Featuring El Niño Indigo & a live Downtown Tempo Set by Heckadecimal 

GALLERY & GIFT SHOP HOURS
FREE open hours Wednesday - Friday, 11am - 6pm; Saturday 11am - 4pm - *Please note the gallery is closed day of events

ABOUT THE CURATOR

Gerardo Morado is a Mexican American Artist, Curator,  based in Minneapolis. In 2006 at the short age of 17, he was introduced to Underground Rave culture in Northeastern Mexico. This quickly became an obsession and he began to focus all of his energy to going to parties, collecting music, and learning how to DJ. 15 years later these are all tools Gerardo now incorporates as an event curator running his own event series/brand ACME collective. His main focus is promoting art, culture, and music in an intersectional, and inclusive way with a non-conforming approach. Gerardo is currently producing bi-monthly showcases which feature renowned and emerging artists in underground dance music and visual arts. These showcases intersect a full-fledged rave with a concert grade sound system, lights and visuals, and an informal art exhibition featuring a pop-up gallery and art installations.

ABOUT ACME COLLECTIVE

ACME is a collective of interdisciplinary artists from the Twin Cities promoting art culture and music in an intersectional and inclusive way. Throughout the years, ACME’s experimental, avant-garde stylistic events have been uniting artists from various subcultures and generations with the aid of dance music and interactive installations.  

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Claire Ethier Hickman is a mixed media artist and designer based out of Minneapolis. Her work uses a combination of embroidery, photography, illustration, and painting and centers on the messy absurdities, contractions, and power dynamics of America in the early 21st century. 

Cristian Ybarra aka DIE/ASPORA is an up-and-coming queer Afro-Chicanx artist, DJ & curator. Growing up in the Twin Cities, Ybarra found solace & in their community through the queer MPLS DIY art & music scene, while gradually being adopted into the local goth & techno scenes respectively. Ybarra’s main priorities nowadays include honing in on their visual art, deejaying & curating safe spaces always with the biggest emphasis on making local MPLS dance floors more inclusive, accessible and QBIPOC centered.

Evan Weselmann is a Minneapolis-based artist and designer working primarily in illustration, animation, and painting. He creates looping drawings that focus on carving a relationship between positive and negative space through subtle color variations. Evan has worked with clients ranging from local mutual aid funds to international advertising agencies. He is currently represented by Closer & Closer. 

Emily Quandahl is an abstract artist and muralist with a multidisciplinary background based in Minneapolis. Her work is created in layers by experimenting with techniques and mediums while maintaining a balance between organic movements and harsh lines united by her use of color. With over 12 years devoted to classical viola, her work is inherently musical in its movements, and her process finds parallels to her music education through practice and repetition

Joshe Montaño was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. He studied Graphic Design and worked for seven years in advertising agencies, currently, he has dedicated the last five years and himself painting 100% of his time. Joshe’s goal is to spread good vibes to viewers through the colors and the messages that his visual work contains. He currently lives in Mexico and works independently.

Joshua McGarvey lives and works in Minneapolis. He received his MFA from the University of Minnesota, and an MA and BFA from Ball State University. He has received a number of awards and grants including the 2018 Jerome Emerging Artist Fellowship, 2017 and 2020 Artist Initiative Grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board, and a 2015-2016 Art(ist) on the Verge Emerging Artist Fellowship.

John Alspach has been making art in Minneapolis for over 30 years, much of that time as the operator of the art studio Shiny Robot. He was a member of the artist collective Rosalux and curated shows in condo spaces through Broadcast Exhibitions. His works are inspired by the colors and energy of the city streets.

Nichole Showalter is a Minneapolis-based fiber artist. While she has been embroidering for over a decade, most recently, she has shifted her creative focus to crafting tufted wall hangings. Her subject matter is largely sex-positive and greatly inspired by Georgia O’Keefe. She creates work that celebrates and honors one's sexual autonomy and choice.