The 'other' art scene
The Couchfire Collective's Agora VI
By Adam Scoppa |
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Even on the quietest days, Grandview's Junctionview Studios reveals itself to have a creative energy in the air, the kind that can only come from an artistic oasis. So much talent takes residence in its 44 studio spaces that it's more than a fitting venue for an art festival on the scale of the Agora. On Saturday, May 16th, Junctionview will host the sixth Agora, and the now-cavernous space will be crammed wall to wall with people eager to experience one of the best events the Columbus art scene has to offer.
Recently, I was able to take an afternoon stroll through the massive printing facility-cum-art community. I spent some time with an awesome, yet vaguely unsettling, oil portrait of "Roseanne"-era John Goodman before walking past a martial arts instruction seminar. The place was otherwise empty; a handful of artists working diligently in their spaces, the scents of paint and brush cleaner wafting throughout the labyrinthine corridors, decorated with quirky drawings and lively colors.
Agora is executed by the Couchfire Collective, a group of artists "working to make the arts a primary part of both their lives and the lives of others," according to president Adam Brouillette. Most of Couchfire's 10 members have studios in Junctionview. Together, the two entities spearhead regular art exhibitions and events at Junctionview.
"[Agora] began as a way to showcase a few artists and musicians and, over the course of several shows, has developed into the largest prime example of what the arts have to offer in Columbus," said Brouillette. He's not exaggerating; the all-day festival is akin to rounding up the majority of the Gallery Hoppers off High Street and plunking them onto Junctionview's grounds. In the past, Agora was organized as a biannual event, but as it has expanded its horizons and become more popular, the sixth incarnation will mark its first as a once-yearly tradition. Agora VI finds the Couchfire Collective anticipating the biggest turnout yet. There will be live local bands, circus performers (fire twirlers!), a kid's area, vendors, food and beer, and for the overly-energetic, a late-night 18+ dance party.
And the art.
On display are hundreds of pieces for sale by artists representing nearly every conceivable approach and medium: from minimalist paintings, to elaborate sculptures, to conceptual art performances.
"Each time, it grows and the offerings change, making it an evolutionary event," said Brouillette.
Each of the 44 studio spaces will be open to the public, offering unique glimpses into the minds and processes of creative people encompassing a multitude of backgrounds.
The Agora is important to many of these artists who have not yet had the opportunity or are unwilling to present their work in one of the established galleries peppering other areas of the city. Working with a gallery can be a hassle, and for those who have a limited body of work or wish to showcase various types of work galleries might reject for inconsistencies, Agora provides a welcoming venue. It is increasingly being recognized as a hot spot for fringe artists and work that could otherwise go unnoticed.
In a city so richly imbued with a passion for the arts, Agora never fails to make its own impression. It's a vast display of talent and enthusiasm, and it gives the Couchfire-coined Columbus slogan "The Indie Art Capital of the World" plenty of buoyancy. While the Short North has been critical to the development of the Columbus art scene, it's easy to forget that art happens other places here, too; no patron of Columbus art should miss out on this fantastic event.
Agora VI
Saturday, May 16th
Noon-Midnight
Admission: $5 all ages
Location: Junctionview Studios
889 Williams Ave.
(614) 348-9800
www.agoracolumbus.com
www.junctionviewstudios.com
Originally Published: May 1, 2009
