Video: Transforming Shinders into Art
Matthew Bakkom's little art show sure has taken the corner of 8th and Hennepin by surprise.
"This is art in the raw," says Bakkom, curator of the new gallery show "Shinders: An Installation". "And that gives this a different momentum, a different energy."
Bakkom, supported by arts patron Ralph Burnet and a team of artists has transformed what was the old Shinders building into one of downtown Minneapolis' only art galleries.
"It's inspired by some of the associations I have with the space," adds Bakkom. "It's been sitting empty for a year and a half and a group of artists and i thought we should do something."
The art in the show pushes boundaries and makes political statements. It's not your traditional gallery paintings and sculptures, but contemporary and locally inspired art. Many of the artists showing here have garnered international acclaim, including Minnesotan Alec Soth who was recently profiled in the New York Times.
"And then there are some artists that are showing for the first time. So it's not that this show is just featuring the latest stars. It's just a real portrait of a certain moment in a certain space," says Bakkom of the show.
Beyond the art, though, there is purpose in picking this rundown old building. Bakkom, Burnett and others see this vacant corner of downtown as an eye sore, and hope this show will raise money to transform 8th and Hennepin into an arts district.
