Creating a Community
By Autumn Steam

The mass exodus of talented Lowbrow artists to cities and communities that will accept and support them, is a problem happening all over the world. White Lady Art is about to change that in their own town of Dublin, Ireland. “I was working for a website a few years ago called Tattoo TV and came across a tattoo by a mad looking artist called Natalia Fabia from LA. I googled her and saw her art work, and learned that her style of working had a name, Pop Surrealism. I fell in love with her work, and learned about the gallery where she shows, and submerged myself in learning about the scene. It's very much based in America but is definitely finding itself filtered into European cities, like Berlin and Paris and Barcelona. Italy is amazing for Lowbrow at the moment. I thought there has to be at least someone in Ireland working in this style, and exhibiting, but found it a very barren place for this style even though there were disparate artists in Ireland who could be called Lowbrow artists. I was at a loose end job-wise, and wanted to find some gallery work, and while doing this I learned a bit about running exhibitions and galleries. I eventually decided that if my city didn't have a gallery like this, and if I was going to live here indefinitely I couldn't carry on without one, then I was going to be the one to do it first! There's more to it than whimsical job-hopping, but this is how I want to remember it!”

White Lady Art was created to fill a need for “Lowbrow” artists to have a place to show, sell and grow. “[It] is website, and (soon to be) gallery that will champion styles of art like Pop Surrealism, Lowbrow, Outsider, New Contemporary, and many other catchphrases. It's hard to narrow the styles of art I will have into a few words, but in essence they will be works that take from contemporary culture, have strong technical skill, and have something to say - subversive or otherwise, as long it's not just 'pretty' (like many landscape watercolours found in my fair city: they have their place, and it's not near me). The artists I'm going to have are mainly Irish, but also foreign artists who have made Ireland their home. The amalgamation of cultures, homelands, and influences are vast in the city, and the art really reflects this. So far there are NO galleries in Dublin that have lowbrow artwork being sold as a main style, other than small shows that pop up every now and then, and great for them! We need other styles in Dublin that challenge people. I hope that White Lady Art is going to be the flagship place for Lowbrow art in Ireland.”

“White Lady has curated five shows in different venues over the last 9 months: Dublin's first tattoo art show; a solo show by Mexican street artist Kathrina Rupit; Food Fight, a group show that was part of an art festival called Offset that was attended by Shepard Fairey; Painting Ladies, an urban art market; and lately a live street art show called Graff House. The public seem to love seeing art that's a bit different to the watercolour landscape and carpet-loving crowd, and I'm more than happy to organize it! The last few shows I organized with Iljin Project, a bloke who is going to become part of the White Lady organizing crowd when the gallery opens. Artwork is selling in a recession, and that's what's getting me motivated to provide Dublin with a place where the artists can sell their work, and this style can thrive and inspire younger people who are just starting out to work at it too, and not leave the country for Australia! The competition is fierce, they have sun and barbeques and we have flooding and Guinness. “

After curating a few shows and working on White Lady Art full time, there is a sense of which artists will thrive and benefit from what White Lady Art has to offer. “When I look for artists for the website or the gallery, I look for humour, quality of work, volume of work, and where their particular talent lies and if it would fit well with the other artists I love. I am particularly in awe of artists who can create photo-realism, but I am also looking at their colour schemes, composition, detailed work, and what kind of narrative their work creates. Artists are story-tellers in pictoral form, so for me figurative work appeals the most. I'm not really into conceptual work (or the Square of Carpet in a White Room factor).”

White Lady Art and Iljin Project have joined forces in a collaborative effort for some of their most recent shows.  “… every show is always a collaboration between the artist and the curator. The first port of call is to find out what their dream show is, and then figure out how to do it with duct tape, a ball of twine and a can opener, MacGyver style! Doing it on the cheap is fine, it's all about research and thinking creatively. You can never have enough hanging wire. Or nails. Or can openers.”  But White Lady Art is always at work coming up with new ideas, solo and collaborative. “…I find that it's like having a baby - never had one so I might be talking shite here, but it feels like it! The work is never over, there's always something to post about, a show to organize, someone to email, phone, etc. But it beats a 9-5 hands down, no boss, no permission to ask for loo breaks or tea, and if you think someone's attitude stinks you can tell them! ...Nicely....I honestly dream about conversations I have/need to have for work, and wake up with ideas floating around in my head. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. Puke.”

Included in all the hard work to create a new niche is the research and technology that goes into everyday promoting. “I have a day of the dead show coming up in November, so thankfully one of the artists is Mexican and she will tell me what to get/do. But this is an example of talking to people in the know, I always walk around shows and galleries chatting to as many people as I can, because chances are there are people who will have skills in what you might need down the line. If you like chatting and drinking anyway then great! If not, then do it through Facebook or something: look through status updates for what they're doing, and have done. You might need something similar one day. Like loads of art pages in your area, regardless of whether you're into it as much as another page: sometimes galleries or venues "branch out" and have a quirky little show that will 'get the young ones in'! Other than that, Google is a godsend, as well as art magazines like Hi Fructose and Juxtapoz for cool show ideas you can manipulate on your own to suit what you do. It will also keep you on trend.”

White Lady Art utilizes the internet to help organize and advertise for the events. “Facebook is a necessary evil, you get loads of weirdos who are generally nice asking you odd things, but you can also reach a massive load of people for shows. For a small little website that puts on shows every now and then, we get 200-300 people in the door. Which is good if we have rented a venue that's out of the way, as well as for a pop up show in general (the gallery will be central). I quickly got to know the people who organize the event guides online, and they are a staple of my online work leading up to a show. Those guys are important, don't piss them off! Give them free tickets...By the way, if anyone wants money off you to advertise your event, don't do it. There are so many ways of doing it for free. Same applies for artwork submissions; they are a bunch of lazy pricks who should be supporting you not raping your bank account.”

In five years White Lady Art wants to have a, “… monster party in the gallery with everyone I've ever met! But really, a successful business that means artists in Ireland have somewhere to sell work that will treat them with respect, where tourists and blow-ins can come in and expect amazing work at good prices, and to have somewhere that feels like home. I will also have a book out by then, actually in November of this year, which I would like to see doing really well in 5 years as well. It's called "Goblin Market: Irish New Contemporary Art", and features 36 Irish, and non-Irish, artists living in Ireland today. Most of them I have worked with, or have interviewed before for the website, and I hope to have lots of their work for sale in my gallery. The book has an artist interview with five great images of their work, and a fantastic essay by Dr. Matt Lodder called "No Brow", where he talks about why it's so hard to define the style of art that has its influences in contemporary culture. This book is my second baby after the gallery, and I can't wait to see it finished from the printers! It will be the first publication to showcase Irish artwork in the styles of lowbrow, outsider, pop surrealism, etc.”

White Lady Art should be a model for cities and communities all over the world who think it is impossible to support their local “Lowbrow” artists. There is a massive need for support and outlets for people creating in contemporary art today. Show your support for White Lady Art via Facebook and if you are ever in Dublin, make sure you visit their gallery.