Art Gallery Interview: .NO Gallery New York

What is the name of your Gallery or Artspace: .NO GALLERY

What is your name and what is your position at the Gallery:  Serena Ghilardi-Green: Gallery Director
Sol Kjøk: Founder and CEO

Describe your Gallery space: It is a storefront type of space with a big window that allows people from the street to take a peek of the space and art shown inside. We like the idea of “spilling,” in a way, onto the street.

How long has the gallery been open: The Gallery opened on February 4th, 2011

What was the impetus to start the Gallery: The desire to provide visibility and an alternative exhibition space for artists who wouldn’t easily exhibit through more traditional venues, such as New York galleries in Midtown and/or Chelsea. Also, the desire to create a non profit gallery where art is really the primary focus and priority

Do you have exhibits: Currently, .NO is presenting WHITE, the second chapter of THE NORTH STARS, a series of three shows featuring Norwegian artists. WHITE predominantly explores the expressive possibilities of the medium of drawing and the emotional and symbolic connotations inherent in the color white.

What type of work do you showcase: With a preference, for drawing, painting and performance, we are open to all media

Do you work with local artists or artists from all over: We are open to artists from all over

Do you add new artists regularly and if so what is the process in which you select them: Yes, with occasional exceptions, we post open calls and/or we research and contact artists, inviting them to collaborate with us

As a gallery what do you look for when reviewing artists: We look for compelling works of art that visually or conceptually move and stimulate us

What is the most frustrating thing you have to deal with when it comes to artists: We ultimately function as any other business and sometimes this is not an aspect fully understood by the artists. We too, are under the pressure of meeting deadlines, and our work depends to a great extent on easy and smooth collaboration and communication with the artists

What is your personal favorite exhibition from the gallery, past or present, and why:

Serena: I feel each show is different and special, they are all our “babies”
Sol: ditto

How many shows do you have each year: I think that could vary and since we are quite new, it is hard to give a number

What is a typical event like at the Studio: We intend to mix visual art with performing art, lectures and artist talks. Everything is still in the making, but we will certainly have a calendar of events soon that can be consulted online in order for people to learn about our various programming

Just for fun who is your favorite artist, living or dead, and what about their work moves you: Serena: Hannah Wilke; I find her work very innovative and controversial
Sol: Egon Schiele -- I moved to Vienna for that man!

Do you have any up coming exhibit that you would like to tell us about: (please include dates and times) Yes, our next show: RED. The opening is set for April 1st with a reception scheduled to run from 6-8 pm on the same day. Then, on April 10th, we will host a special event with performances by London-based Tone Gellein and Anne-Marte Eidseth Rygh,  founder and Editor-in-Chief of the art magazine performancekunst.no

Gallery Name .NO Gallery

Location LES: 251 East Houston Street, NY NY 10002

Web address www.no-in-nyc.org

Phone 646 580 6535

Email info@no-in-nyc.org OR mail@no-in-nyc.org

Contact Person Serena OR Sol



IMAGE #1: 

Rune Olsen

Rattus Norvegicus, 2007
Bronze with blue mannequin eyes
14 x 9 x 19 inches

IMAGE #2: Gallery Space from the E. Houston Street