Released on: January 25, 2008, 7:49 pm

Press Release Author: BECA gallery

Industry:

Press Release Summary: A new programme for emerging contemporary art has planted
itself among the arts and cultural renewal of New Orleans, LA, a city that has
historically been one of the most international of US cities.

Press Release Body: New Orleans, LA, USA - A new programme for emerging contemporary
art has planted itself among the arts and cultural renewal of New Orleans, LA, a
city that has historically been one of the most international of US cities. In the
midst of the post-Katrina landscape BECA gallery is surfacing as a bridge by which
emerging contemporary art flows between New Orleans and the larger contemporary art
community abroad. The artist run gallery is an 1100 square foot renovated warehouse
space situated in the heart of the New Orleans arts district. It is located directly
across the street from the Contemporary Arts Center and within close walking
distance to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. BECA gallery will host 12 exhibits
each year. Six exhibits feature local and regional emerging contemporary art and 6
exhibits feature international emerging contemporary art.

The gallery was founded by co-directors Melissa Roberts and Kurt Schlough as a place
for both innovative local and international emerging contemporary art to grow and
flourish in an environment that is accommodating to both artists and collectors. A
unique component of the gallery program focuses on the introduction of innovative
international contemporary art to the city of New Orleans and its surrounding region
via physical exhibits as well as future virtual exhibits and exchange partnerships
with other galleries and projects. The latter will serve both future local artist
members as well as those artists exhibiting from abroad.

The theme of the gallery's first international exhibition, opening February 9, 2008,
is 'Connection' curated by Caroline Worthington, Curator of Art, York Museums Trust,
York Art Gallery. She looks forward to her pioneering position and writes, "As BECA
gallery's first international curator, it seems to me that the theme of connections
is an obvious choice to reflect the aspirations for their programme. Working from
the UK, I'll be weaving together those invisible threads that spin outwards from
each of us, connecting you with each other as well as to BECA and me." It is of note
that Caroline had no knowledge of the artists names nor which cities or states
within the US or countries outside of the US they were submitting from. 'Connection'
will run from February 9 - March 1, 2008 with an opening reception on Feb. 9th from
6-9pm.

The gallery is pleased to announce the following 16 artists from 9 countries have
been chosen for this inaugural international exhibit:

Richard Bennett (Alabama, USA), Matthew Derezinski (Missouri, USA), Naomee Guest
(Florida, USA), Pat Jolly (Louisiana, USA), Master Sun-Don Lee (Taiwan), Alberto
Accettura + Florian Lüdde (Milan, Italy + Berlin, Germany), Margaret McLeish
(Scotland, UK), Mary Anne Morrison (England, UK), Robert Peters ( Northern Ireland,
UK), Jane Ponsford (England, UK), Zack Smith (Louisiana, USA), STASS+VOTSIS
(Cyprus), Francine Stock (Louisiana, USA), Hansen Thiam Sun (Bali, Indonesia)

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Web Site: http://becagallery.typepad.com

Contact Details: BECA gallery - Bridge for Emerging Contemporary Art
527 Saint Joseph Street
New Orleans, LA 70130