HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2024 | Rockella Space

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2024!:

A Look Back At 2024

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the incredible year we’ve had at Rockella Space in 2024!

As 2024 comes to a close, we’re thrilled to reflect on a year filled with creativity, collaboration, and unforgettable events hosted across our thriving artistic community. Together, we’ve celebrated art, music, and culture through a range of public and member-run programs.

Here’s a recap of the magic we created this year:

CURATOR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM AT ROCKELLA SPACE

In collaboration with Level Gallery, a dynamic member-run gallery, Rockella Space proudly hosted the Curator-in-Residence Program, fostering meaningful connections between artists and curators. From February to May, curator Eunice Yuyue Chen engaged deeply with our creative community, conducting studio visits with Rockella Space members to gain insight into their practices.

Her residency culminated in the thought-provoking exhibition, Over-Compression, presented during Ridgewood Open Studios at One Eyed Studios. This exhibition showcased Brooklyn-based artists and delved into timely themes of information overload and identity, offering fresh perspectives on navigating both virtual and physical realities.

The program exemplified our commitment to nurturing collaboration, elevating artists’ voices, and creating opportunities for innovative curation.

OPEN STUDIOS: A CELEBRATION OF CREATIVITY

This May, Rockella Space proudly hosted its annual Open Studio event, bringing art lovers and the community together in an inspiring showcase of creativity. Members at One Eyed Studios, participating in the neighborhood-wide Ridgewood Open Studios, and Brown Bears Studios welcomed visitors into their creative workspaces.

Guests had the unique opportunity to explore works in progress, experience the artistic process firsthand, and connect directly with the incredible talent that fills our studios. This event highlighted the vibrant, collaborative spirit of our creative spaces while fostering meaningful connections between artists and their audience.

MEMBER-RUN EXHIBITIONS: SHOWCASING CREATIVITY

At Rockella Space, we empower our members to transform our empty spaces into vibrant hubs of artistic expression. This year, we saw an incredible array of exhibitions and public events curated and hosted by our talented members, celebrating diverse mediums, themes, and voices.

Highlights of 2024 Member-Run Exhibitions:

  • Urban Architects: Curated by Brown Bears Studios Member Sfera Louis with The Vandal Hour (February): A celebration of NYC’s graffiti culture, engaging audiences in one of New York’s richest artistic legacies

 

  • Barro: Curated by One Eyed Studios Member Alejandra Rojas (May): A powerful showcase of clay-based works exploring gender, culture, and history by Peruvian and Mexican artists.

 

  • Paul Rho: Ebbs and Flows Curated by Eunice Yuyue Chen (July): A captivating solo exhibition delving into time, space, and community engagement through photography, ceramics, and sound.

 

  • PRESENTATION: Curated by Brown Bears Studios Member Karryl Eugene (May): A multidisciplinary exhibition featuring sound, painting, sculpture, and interactive art by emerging creatives.

 

 

  • Presence//Absence: Curated by One Eyed Studios Member Britt Harrison (November): An introspective exhibition examining the tension between being and non-being, exploring themes of identity, absence, and memory.

 

These exhibitions exemplify the creativity and initiative of our members, creating meaningful experiences for the public and enriching our artistic community.

THE ART MARKET: A CREATIVE HUB FOR LOCAL ARTISTS

The Art Market at One Eyed Studios is a dynamic, member-run event that has become a go-to space for our talented artists to showcase and sell their original works to the public. Throughout the year, this market pops up in the building’s common area, offering a diverse selection of art across various mediums.

Don’t miss the final holiday market of the year on Saturday 21st from 12-6pm at One Eyed Studios! It’s the perfect opportunity to find unique, locally-made gifts while supporting the creative community.

MEMBER FEATURE: CELEBRATING OUR TALENTED ARTISTS

This year, we proudly highlighted ten exceptional Rockella Space Members, each contributing their distinct voices and perspectives to enrich our vibrant artistic community.

Highlights of the 2024 Member Feature:

  • Melanie Delach: Explores personal mythology and experiences of loss, love, desire, and growth, which are translated into her painting practice in her One Eyed Studios space.

 

  • Winslow Smith: Creates abstracted still life paintings that explore how objects form and deform our sense of the material world at Brown Bears Studios.

 

  • Spencer Patrick: Uses narrative paintings to portray life’s lessons in his Brown Bears Studio space.

 

  • King David: Creates abstract paintings to interpret memory and his Jamaican heritage at Brown Bears Studios.

 

  • Md Tokon: Uses abstraction as a tool to grasp the essence of the East and the West in his work at Brown Bears Studios.

 

  • Chimera Singer: Focuses on acquiring insight into their world of photo, gender, and materials in their Brown Bears Studio.

 

  • James Thomas: Creates dynamic sculptural works that draw on real and inspired natural forms and symbols to create a contemporary vision of nature’s dueling forces of divinity and decay at One Eyed Studios.

 

  • Meagan Jain: Harnesses a deep sense of inner spiritual knowledge, with a particular commitment to empowering individuals with vulvas through symbolism in her work at One Eyed Studios.

 

  • Mark Bissell: Addresses a lack of queer representation in the streetwear sphere, by pairing advocacy and community with familiar garments such as denim and tee shirts with his label IDNTTY at One Eyed Studios.

 

  • Sheila Lanham: Uses abstraction as a visual language to interpret our culture of accumulation at One Eyed Studios.

 

Through exclusive interviews, our Featured Members share insights into their artistic practices, inspirations, and how their studios at Rockella Space support their creative endeavors.

Stay tuned for more stories next year as we celebrate the heart of our creative community!

🌟 LOOKING AHEAD AT 2025

We’re excited to continue supporting our members and hosting unforgettable public events. Whether you’re an artist, curator, musician, or art enthusiast, there’s a place for you at Rockella Space!

From all of us at Rockella Space, thank you for an incredible year. We look forward to seeing what we can build together in 2025.

Wishing you a holiday season filled with inspiration and joy!

Warm Regards,
The Rockella Space Team

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