Gallery Ü ARTcade::WIND-UP CLOSING Party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
12/05/05

Gallery Ü Cleveland
530 Euclid Ave., Suite 30
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
www.galleryucleveland.com
216.323.0085

WIND-UP
Gallery Ü's Official ARTCADE CLOSING Party
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16th 6 p.m. - ‘til they kick us out

You’ve received warning - now greet the reality. THIS IS IT. Gallery Ü in the ARTcade is closing its doors. We came, we saw, we conquered. And now we’re inviting you to appreciate, celebrate, and liquidate on FRIDAY, December 16, from 6 p.m. ‘til they kick us out! Gallery Ü is CLOSING ITS DOORS IN THE ARTCADE with an official blowout party and last exhibit WIND-UP. WIND-UP is here to showcase the work of your Gallery Ü founders and staff and give you a chance to appreciate all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into this little Cleveland gem. Heck, some of it may be yours. Gallery Ü wants to thank each and every artist and contributor that put us on the map and into the hearts of so many local Cleveland artists. It’s our last hurrah - join us in making it a memorable evening for all.

Gallery Ü Cleveland was started by owner and curator, Patsy Kline, in October 2002. She transformed a tiny, otherwise empty storefront, into an internationally recognized art gallery. This could not have been done if not for the support of our landlord, Landmark Management, thereby helping us bring in the ranks of out-of-state and international artists alike to exhibit their work in the pearly white setting that came to be known as Gallery Ü. Over the past three years the gallery hosted over 100 art related events while spotlighting Cleveland's best and artists from all over the world. The gallery showed a lively mix of contemporary artists of diverse backgrounds and varying career stages and focused on presenting art that was stimulating, generated growth, narrated the unconscious, fostered change and encouraged creativity.

Patsy Kline’s Gallery Ü was a founding member of The ARTcade Project — a group of artists that joined together to maintain, host and market art openings and events in exchange for empty storefronts in the newly renovated Colonial Marketplace arcade — storefronts that could not otherwise be rented due to the economic impact of the area. We went without heat, AC (HA!), reliable security or property manger, signage, marketing support and parking. For a long time our only audience was the homeless that wondered the hallways and the only art that moved was under some street thugs jacket. A small price to pay for such wonderful digs! But leave it to artists to create a “BUZZ” about a “GROOP” that lit up the discerning taste of Clevelanders like “LEMUR” eyes. Clevelanders who were searching to discover foremost, cutting edge contemporary art, while experiencing and supporting the “ÜBER” in urban-organic art movements . . . they flocked to our doors when WE got the word out. It was only after we put all that we had into the Colonial Marketplace that storefronts were rented, we got heat, and Lenny - the best ever security guard . . . hell, we even got plastic foliage and music! No exterior signage, but who cared. We created an underground gallery district that only the ones in the know knew about and they certainly didn’t need a pink elephant banner or a glossy logo to tell them so. The ARTcade Project spawned art galleries and budding curators that moved on to open galleries all over the city. Not to mention being the birth place of Sparx in the City which adopted our “Third Friday ARTwalk” and in 2005 became Ohio’s largest art walk, bringing more than $1.1 million dollars of revenue to Cleveland this past September. Not bad spawning for a bunch or poor artists. Yep, a real “ART Metro” of an endeavor.

All in all we had a GREAT time! And we proved the power and dramatic change the arts can have on a community. Its the belief of Gallery Ü that only the arts can speak the unspoken which “Sparx” that excitement that brings life and vitality to an individual. And when multiplied, equals a neighborhood — which is paramount to developing a thriving community.

So here we are and its time to WIND-UP. And if you don’t know what Dan Tranberg said about Gallery Ü in the PD . . . Abstract Artists Making the Most of Ideal ARTcade setting; or our participation with Cleveland State University in the multi-gallery exhibition The Buddha Project which received Northern Ohio Live’s Honorable Mention at the 2004 Awards of Achievement ceremony; or what Douglas Max Utter said several times in Angle magazine; or what Lyz Bly said several times in the FreeTimes; or read our reviews on coolcleveland.com; or if you didn’t get to press your painted tits on paper along with Annie Sprinkle for our first annual breast health fundraiser ReThinkPink; or hear the sounds of local musicians or see films, dancers and performers on opening nights . . . don't worry cause we will be relocating soon!