Williamsburg will welcome a new creative hub this fall with the opening of Gallery ATARAH, a hybrid art gallery, working studio and community space founded by local artist Atarah Atkinson.
The gallery will open Sept. 5 with its first exhibition, “Bright Ruin,” a solo show featuring more than 35 of Atkinson’s new works, running through Nov. 1.
Located at 35 Meadow St., Gallery ATARAH reflects Atkinson’s vision for a space that goes beyond displaying art.
“This has been a dream of mine for so many years, to have a space that isn’t just about showing art, but a place where artists and our community can truly connect,” she said.
“Bright Ruin” sets the tone for just that. The exhibition draws from Atkinson’s time in Rome, where she photographed ruins and architecture as a way of exploring themes of “decay and renewal, beauty and destruction, and the cyclical nature of death and rebirth.”
She said “Bright Ruin” is a “deeply personal body of work” and is excited to see the “Gallery ATARAH become a part of Brooklyn’s creative landscape.”
Atkinson utilized analog photography, with fabric and “found objects,” to create what she describes as “emotional architecture.” Each material holds meaning: metal for endurance, fabric for fragility and antique frames for history. The exhibition will also feature sculptural installations to create a “physical representation of her internal experience.”
She previously co-founded The Atrium Photography Studio in Bushwick in 2017 to provide artists with an “entry point” to genuine creative expression. That same dedication to providing opportunities supports Gallery ATARAH.
The gallerist’s commitment to the community is very important to the project. In addition to exhibitions, Gallery ATARAH will host photography workshops, after-school programs for local youth to portfolio reviews and mentorship initiatives.
Through these initiatives, the gallery itself hopes to “support artists who create in direct dialogue with themselves through their practice, producing work that fosters connection through shared vulnerability and personal resonance.”
