Unclaimed Luggage No Longer a Fear

For Immediate Release
Vashon, February 19, 2009.

New Gallery Opens March 6

A collective of artists have reclaimed the gallery space occupied one door south of Gusto Girls. The new gallery will be called VALISE. A valise is a traveling bag, a suitcase that hints of mystery and adventure. What’s inside? Where has it been? Where is it going? The bag is curiously anonymous, nostalgic, and worthy of a closer inspection.

VALISE stands for Vashon Artists Linked in Social Engagement. We chose these words for their humorous, ironic, and activist bent. The Ramos Zamfir Project is an example of artists linked in social engagement, a conspiracy of humor to be shared by all.

The artist for February’s smoke shop project is Vic Monchego. As a writer, interested in social commentary, he wanted to create “a fictional narrative that speaks to reverse gentrification, economic downturns, George Bailey’s Pottersville, xenophobia, and the dreams of immigrants.”

VALISE will be operated as an artist collective, by member artists. The gallery will be dedicated to presenting subjects and media that are daring, unexpected and emergent. We want to stir our audiences. We want to challenge members to initiate fresh work. We want to share the venue with the community and tempt new ideas.

Collective members will show about half the time, and artists from outside the Vashon Autonomous Zone will show the other half. VALISE hopes to be an important and accessible art venue for the community.

What’s inside?

VALISE will open March 6, 2009. The gallery’s first show will feature Seattle artist, Britt Freda. Ms. Freda’s show is titled “Fowl Brood.”