Galeria Arte Algarve, Lagoa - did it again! Very possibly even more people came to OPEN IX than have ever come to an OPEN before… we didn’t have time to count - but there was a steady stream of visitors from the minute the doors opened at 3pm until well over two hours later. As the sun travelled lazily into the west, people were still chatting contentedly on the terrace, drinking wine and delighting in yet another fantastically upbeat day for art and culture in the Algarve.
OPEN IX brings together the work of over 50 painters, sculptors and creators, and even before it officially began, work started skipping out the door.
Elsa Zorkow had to bring in three new paintings on Saturday morning to replace others snapped up days before we opened; sculptors Alhi Prieta and Birte Pröttel sold pieces almost instantly, and Daniel Hasselmyr was delighted to see two of his latest mixed media paintings go to a fellow artist.
As someone remarked with a smile: “Even the artists are happy today”...
Gallery newcomers like BJ Boulter, Markus Klek, Catarina Alves, Ilda Nabais Camejo Olthof and Jorge Cabrita Matias were touched by people’s praise and enthusiasm.
“It is one thing having friends and family say they like your work, but something entirely different when people you don’t know stop and tell you they like it”, beamed Ilda - now “full of inspiration” for her next step on the developing path of abstraction.
Anyone who missed the show has only to come anytime during normal business hours to enjoy it - Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 6pm (we’re closed for an hour at lunchtime).
Meanwhile, plans for the future are buzzing.
Later this week, musical phenomenon, the man-with-the-hair and the Afro beats, Beto Kalulu, will be kicking off our weekly Thursday evening Club Nights (for anyone who doesn’t know these, they’re GREAT! The perfect opportunities to enjoy live music, tapas and good company, from 7pm until late. Booking is advisable as seating is limited)
And in just a few weeks time, we will be holding a special exhibition for young photographers. In fact, the youngest of these, Luís Carmo from Tavira, made it to the OPEN with his parents and his mentor, photographer Tony Woods, and all admitted to being “blown away” by the gallery.
“What a place!” Tony enthused. “This is the perfect venue for Luís to start trailblazing”...
Again, for anyone who has missed news of this extraordinary young man who works magic with his camera, see our story: www.artealgarve.net/?p=6352.
Since we wrote it, Luís has been on set with Rankin, one of the world’s best-known fashion photographers, and “loved every minute of it”. He is on his way… and still only in the 11th year at high school!
For more news of developing art and culture in the Algarve, watch our blog, updating every day with what’s on generally in the Algarve, and what’s cooking particularly at Arte Algarve - the gallery that has rapidly become the cultural hub of the region!
