From renowned artists like Jane Sauer, whose work has been shown at the Smithsonian and the Saint Louis Art Museum, to up-and-coming local artists, the Small Works Invitational at Duane Reed Gallery (4729 McPherson) will have it all. Its mission is simple: Provide a wide range of mediums, prices, styles, and subject matter to make the gallery exhibition accessible to everyone while uplifting local artists.
“We love something sort of like a high craft, so ceramic and glass, but usually with a twist. It also means that very often [exhibitions] can be a little exclusionary…I think lowering that barrier and being able to throw open the doors to every skill level, every CV, every history—it really just becomes about the quality of the work,” says Quynn Dale, assistant director of Duane Reed Gallery.
Stay up-to-date with the local arts scene
Subscribe to the weekly St. Louis Arts+Culture newsletter to discover must-attend art exhibits, performances, festivals, and more.
On July 24, Duane Reed Gallery will welcome visitors for an opening party to celebrate the Small Works Invitational exhibition, which is returning following a three-year hiatus. “We took a couple of years off because it’s a massive amount of work, but we also said to ourselves we didn’t want to do it again until we could surpass our own bar. [We wanted] to make it bigger and grander and more of a spectacle,” Dale says.
This is the first year the exhibition has utilized an open call to find artists, and Dale says it was even more successful than they had hoped. For every applicant accepted, four had to be turned away. The final exhibition will feature 90 artists and a record 160 pieces. There will be glasswork, chainmail, textiles, prints, paintings, and nearly every other medium imaginable. The only requirement is that every piece had to fit within a 16-by-16-inch size limit.
Guests can expect an exciting environment filled with stimulating artwork covering every wall. The exhibition’s opening party will take place on July 24 from 5–8 p.m., while the exhibition itself will run through August 29. During the party, guests can mingle with featured artists and enjoy complimentary wine.
Duane Reed Gallery’s mission is to showcase cutting-edge artwork across a variety of mediums. Through the Small Works Invitational, the gallery is able to do just that—and more. The exhibition aims to make art ownership and the gallery experience more accessible while uplifting local artists.
“I think it sort of turns into an opportunity for people who are not used to buying art to kind of investigate without feeling excluded or overwhelmed,” Dale says. “I think a lot of art is sometimes proud to be inaccessible. And having this big grand opening with a bunch of people is part of the fun of trying to shed that intimidation factor.”
