In Rivers Gallery Photo by Allen Yee

In Rivers

The number of entrepreneurs in the Greenpoint/Williamsburg area trying to pioneer new, “unique” spaces is palpable, but the folks behind In Rivers seem to actually be onto something good. When they first conceived of the idea for the spot on Greenpoint Avenue, Giancarlo Romero and Lau Gallico wanted to make an art space, “not just a traditional gallery.” Romero, a Bushwick transplant—in the art-savvy Brooklyn neighborhood, he had curated a host of shows and played in multi-media band YBBS aka Your Boyfriend’s Band Sux—met Gallico, a Greenpoint resident, at her opening earlier this year and the two hit it off. By mid-September they were swapping stories of their future plans and goals, and Romero’s longtime dream to have a space—“a place where [he] could do shows and at the same time, do more than just exhibitions”—came up. Gallico, who had also toyed with the idea of starting a space, wanted in.

The second week of October, Gallico found the live/work space that is now home to their gallery (and to Romero who lives in the adjoining apartment), and they moved in on Halloween. In Rivers, in an effort to differentiate themselves from “the same old thing—white walls and [only] paintings and drawings,” embraces a variety of mediums. Included among them are sculptures, electronic/digital work, mixed media pieces, handmade jewelry and other items from vendors to sell. They currently stock Desert Island’s free all-comics newspaper “Smoke Signal” and they plan on carrying periodicals and records in the future, as well. “We’re trying to focus on high quality stuff, but rare, unique pieces, stuff that you can’t really find anywhere else,” Romero said.

Romero and Gallico are also trying to bridge the Greenpoint gallery gap. While it’s easy to spout off names of galleries in Williamsburg and Bushwick respectively without blinking an eye—Journal, Pierogi, Sideshow; Storefront, BPA, English Kills and Ad Hoc—it’s less of a knee-jerk reaction to come up with gallery names in Greenpoint. Though there are certainly some—Yes, Greenpoint Gallery and Janet Kurnatowski, to name a few—Romero is hoping that In Rivers will help expand the scene and put Greenpoint further on the gallery map.

Their first mission: “BIG GROUP/small works,” the show that opened this past Saturday, marking the gallery’s debut as well as that of the artworks. Romero and Gallico put out an open call for the show in November, their only “criteria” that all mediums are welcome, but with a size restriction of 15 × 15. After sifting through the hundred and twenty-five submissions that came, the two curators managed to pare it down to twenty-five artists. “I just wanted to do a very small number of people but we got so much good work and I realized, this isn’t the biggest space, but . . . we can fit some stuff in here,” Romero said.

Among the twenty-five finalists was a broad range of works, just like Romero and Gallico were going for. Meghan McKee makes antique looking boxes out of old books adding intricate detail and craftwork, her art about memory, and reminiscent of Joseph Cornell; another piece of McKee’s featured in the show is a heart made out of what looks to be yarn. Above McKee’s heart there are two paintings of chicken legs by Mark Pacheco. Across the room, another Pacheco piece hangs, this one of a catfish.

At the opening, in addition to hanging works, there was art being made on the spot by Ohio Mike whose shtick is to draw live portraits of people in less than one minute. He drew them on matchboxes and when a series had been completed, it eventually made it to the wall. There was also a live performance—including projections—by the Intelligent Dancers, an electronic, pop two-piece.

For the future, expect In Rivers to continue to set the diversity bar. After this first show ends on January 3, Romero and Gallico will only be putting together themed shows, which have been mapped out through November. Think photography, drawing and sculpture, plus a film festival in June. Not to mention the non-traditionally art gallery undertakings the two plan to integrate: classes, workshops, screenings, concerts, events, readings and more. “We’re pretty much open to having as many things happen as possible, getting this out to as many people [as we can]. We’re a storefront, you know, it’s about connecting with the community that’s based here, but at the same time forming community here in the space itself and having artists be able to have a dialogue with [us] as the curators,” Romero said. In Rivers is located at 165 Greenpoint Avenue between Manhattan Avenue and McGuinness Boulevard. They are open 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. every day. Look for them here: inrivers.tumblr.com and on Facebook.

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