Visual Art
By Mary Lee Pappas
*Pictured: Barbara Zech in the Bodner gallery.
Bodner Studios, the 3-year-old artist community located immediately south of Eli Lilly on Madison Avenue, will be having its last group show this Friday, Dec. 17, 6-10 p.m.
Owned by the Bodner real estate group, the building was put up for auction and consequently sold in late November.
“It might be our last show, or it might not be. As far as we can see, this is our last show,” ceramicist and Bodner artist liaison Barbara Zech said, referencing the Dec. 13 close date on the sale, which could get pushed back pending the status of the new owner. “We knew the chance was there that they would sell the building. We knew it was a matter of time. They didn’t lead us on.”
The Bodner artists (none tied to a lease) have 60 days from close to vacate. However, anxieties regarding what the actual close date is exist and, if delayed, it could afford them another possible art show and production time.
“Art is our business,” Zech said of the artists maintaining studios at the large, raw, industrial building. “We have to be ready to put our work on hold. A lot of artists have abandoned ship. I’m holding out until the last minute because I have a kiln [about 500 pounds] to move. Artists are getting anxious. We don’t know if we have two more months or a year.”
Bodner Studio artists have been a do-it-yourself bunch from building and tearing down gallery walls in the rent-free gallery, painting the expanse of walls (with paint donations matched by Bodner) and pitching in three clamp lights each for gallery lighting. Their hands-on volunteer efforts have made it one of the best local visual arts venues in the city, accomplished without not-for-profit status or outside funding. “It’s made us a strong community,” Zech said.
Artists who have been a part of the Bodner community will be participating in this group, tentatively the last art show for this group in this space of which Zech said, “About the only thing you could use this space for is artist space.”
Bodner Studios is located at 1200 S. Madison Ave. Call 679-4062 or e-mail bodner_arts@hotmail.com with any questions. Visit www.IDADA.info for more information on the Bodner community of artists.
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