A New Gallery Paints a Fresh Picture in Downtown Minneapolis

Kirkland Gallery Welcomes Visitors Starting May 20


MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. May 2, 2010 — Kirkland Gallery, a contemporary gallery with a focus on abstract art announces its plans for their grand opening in Downtown Minneapolis. The gallery will be opening on Thursday, May 20, 2010 with an artist’s reception from 4:30pm-8:00pm and evening celebration from 9:30pm-12:00am. All are welcomed to attend and may RSVP by emailing info@kirklandgallery.com.


The opening exhibition will showcase paintings by Gino Hollander, Drew Beson, Norman Korpi and an assortment of pieces from Minneapolis youth, as well as sculptures from Siri Hollander.


“I’ve always been drawn to a wide range of art, especially when a piece takes you to another time and place,” Says James K. Rutherford, Director of the Kirkland Gallery. “The purpose of this collection is to showcase artist at all stages of life. We are showing a late career artist in his 80’s, a handful of accomplished mid-career artists, and some work by children that don’t need titles, just paint.”


Rutherford says “Gino Hollander is the reason I decided to open Kirkland Gallery…Through my experience in the PR world of Downtown Minneapolis and Los Angeles I developed a number of valued relationships, one of which led me to Gino Hollander.”  As a contemporary of Picasso, his work has always drawn attention, but his life stories are sure to keep your attention too. Gino remembers saving collector Jackie Kennedy from paparazzi at the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona and how Pavarotti cooked and sang at a private dinner party.  However, his private nature has led him to keep a distance from the art world.  His granddaughter, a graduate of the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, is working to establish and introduce his art to the markets in Los Angeles, London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and soon New York.  He is an extremely talented and prolific artist that we are proud to bring to Minneapolis.


Drew Beson is an incredibly talented artist, and we are fortunate to have some of his latest work.  At one point Drew lived for 104 consecutive hours in a 9’x31’ glass room painting on display in the Downtown Minneapolis Skyway. As a bon vivant and a generous philanthropist, Drew’s work seems to be popping up everywhere! Drew has a big Minneapolis following and collector base and has started to experience broader success in larger national and international markets.


Norman Korpi, born in the upper Midwest started his career at age of 10, painting murals for his hometown of Williamston, Michigan.  His art can be seen on public display from Fortune 500 companies to public institutions and private collections across the country. In 1992, Norman was selected as one of the first cast members on MTV's groundbreaking television show, The Real World.  Norman shares time between Los Angeles, and his studio near Lake Superior adding a little West Coast flare to the Kirkland Gallery.


Siri Hollander, daughter of Gino Hollander was born in NYC and began sculpting at the age of seventeen. Living most of her formative years in Spain, she feels more Spanish than American. After apprenticing with several accomplished sculptors both in America and Spain, she began her own work focusing in mixed media and bronze. Many of her sculptures are depictions of the horses that surrounded her family’s home in the Spanish countryside.


“Kirkland Gallery has a variety of art and the finishing touches come from a small group of Minneapolis children, three to four years old.  We included them because we want our audience to remember a time when there were no worries in life or consequences and to think about a time when your imagination ran wild.  If an audience can look at art with those eyes, they will have an exceptionally rare experience.” Kirkland Gallery is working with Lenore Moritz of Mom Culture (www.momcultureonline.com) to co-curate the kids’ portion of this inaugural exhibition.



 

About Kirkland Gallery


Kirkland Gallery supports Free Arts Minnesota a non-profit organization that acknowledges the healing power of art for children from challenging situations and strives to continue to support and encourage Minneapolis Youth in the art world by challenging them to never stop creating art in any form. Rutherford says “If you’re a young artist please contact me, as you may be chosen to be featured in one of our upcoming exhibits as the Kirkland Gallery will always have a section set aside especially for you.”


Rutherford says “Whether you are an art aficionado or just simply like to view fine art from time to time,  this place is for you.”


Kirkland Gallery is located on the corner of Marquette and Sixth on the 1st floor in the Historic Rand Tower across from the Wells Fargo Center at 527 Marquette Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55402.


Kirkland Gallery is uniquely open on Mondays through Fridays from 10-6pm and on Saturdays from 10-1pm.


For more information, please contact:
James K. Rutherford, Director
763.443.0950
James@KirklandGallery.com  


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