WHAT'S THE CONCEPT?

[ALT+SPACE] is a curatorial collective based in Saint Louis that gives form to what is frequently missing from institutional exhibition spaces: complete flexibility and accessibility. Many exhibition spaces rely on the “white cube” format - a visually distilled display strategy in which works are displayed on white walls and pedestals to enhance the appreciation of each piece. Although certain elements can be modified, added, or eliminated, the basic framework of such an environment is static, and while a permanent location provides stability, it can also lead to curatorial limitations. Like many other arts institutions in Saint Louis, [ALT+SPACE] is dedicated to the promotion, appreciation, and analysis of visual art. However, [ALT+SPACE] differentiates itself from its institutional counterparts in that it takes the form of a “pop-up” gallery - temporary, experimental, and improvisational exhibitions.

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Each call for submissions is open to all Saint Louis-based artists and imposes no strict parameters. In addition, no submission or processing fee is required, opening the door to artists with no academic training or affiliation. Artists may submit work in any medium including performance and conceptual art. The collective then considers the submissions, selecting works that are in dialogue. Based on those selections, [ALT+SPACE] works to find an exhibition space that might enrich viewer experience in unexpected ways.  

 

While a curatorial project, [ALT+SPACE]’s method is also artistic. The prerogative of the collective is to challenge exhibition traditions, integrate art directly into the community, and explore the effects of non-traditional art-viewing. Guided by submissions, [ALT+SPACE] identifies unorthodox exhibition sites such as pavilions, parks, gazebos, street corners, community gardens, thrift shops, and breweries. By co-opting spaces not initially designed to function as sites of art appreciation and analysis, the public is confronted with art unexpectedly, bringing to the fore essential questions that explore the relationship between the public, the artist, and arts institutions: How would an environment directly suited to the specific needs of artists and their work affect the relationship between the public and art? And how might that interaction change in familiar, accessible spaces and with local artists?