15 Minutes with a Dealer
Thomas Masters talked with Dubhe Carreño about making the transition from artist to dealer, starting Dubhe Carreño Gallery in Pilsen East in 2004, and re-opening in the West loop in fall 2009.
What most influenced your choice to become an Art Dealer?
I started as a ceramic artist and came to Chicago to attend the graduate program at the School of the Art Institute. I decided to make the transition to art dealer to pursue that specific creative moment when one, as an artist, is rendered speechless by the presence of something extraordinary—the materialization of a thought before you.
That intoxicating moment—the end that justified all means—unfortunately happened not as often in my studio as I wanted. I discovered, however, that I experienced that same thrill in the presence of art by artists like Xavier Toubes, Stephen DeStaebler, or Ruth Duckworth, to name a few. I realized I could create a space in which I can be in the presence of what I find inspiring, yet still be an active participant in the development of an artist other than myself. Clay was at the root of this passion and I wanted to presented front-and-center and support its voice in our cultural landscape. I wanted to defuse some polarized concepts such as beauty and relevance, or craftsmanship and content.
The gallery recently moved to the West Loop. What motivated your move?
Opening my gallery in the Pilsen East (The Chicago Arts District) in 2004 was fundamental to its conception and development. Being a young dealer, the Chicago Arts District offered me what no other neighborhood could—the opportunity to pursue my goals where I could simultaneously live and breathe art, while considerably lowering my overhead and noticeably raising my quality of life. My Halsted St. storefront had peaceful gardens in the back to share with a community of artists also pursuing their artistic interests, and the Chicago Arts District’s 2nd Fridays and other joint-publicity events, tremendously supplemented my own efforts toward getting my gallery known and bringing people in.
In the summer of 2008 I closed my Pilsen space. The beginning of the economic downturn was the perfect time to pause and reflect upon the experience that I’d gained, and to learn more about other areas of interest-the non-profit sector, fundraising and management. After a year gaining hands-on experience in those areas, I was ready and eager to push the gallery forward. This time I felt I needed to be alongside a concentration of Chicago’s established galleries.
So, with a renewed passion, I reopened last fall in the West Loop. I’m still focusing on contemporary ceramics, but I’ve widened the scope to incorporate painting and works on paper addressing materiality and process.
When you dream "big", where do you see Dubhe Carreño?
It’s all about where I see the artists I represent, and witnessing the results of my ongoing partnerships with them, as well as with museum curators and critics. The ultimate reward is recognizing a young, talented artist and introducing him/her to the public-right after graduate school or without any formal training. I hope to help them gain them a position in the history of art by placing their work in international museum collections and in the private collections of individuals who love living with art and value and treasure art's presence in their lives.
What is up next at the gallery in 2010?
I am very excited about my January exhibition. Ceramic sculptor Anne Drew Potter is exhibiting an intriguing and intelligent figurative installation entitled “Le Cirque de L’Armée Rouge” (Circus of the Red Army). January 8-March 5, 2010.
Loaded with references from contemporary literature, hierarchy’s social roles and recent world history, Le Cirque de L’Armée Rouge alludes to the dynamics of “followers and leaders” through allegorical characters. Potter was educated both at the New York Academy and London’s Royal Academy and is former resident at the very competitive Archie Bray Foundation. Anne Drew Potter is a great example of what I am interested in putting forward in the gallery, emerging artists who through visually and conceptually engaging work utilize the medium of clay to express their voices and become part of the contemporary art dialogue.
And a final note: my deepest condolences to those touched and inspired by the legacy of artist Ruth Duckworth, who lived 90 years and gave Chicago and the world the gift of her extraordinary talent. She has been an inspiration to me since the very beginning—when I discovered my interest in art—and I feel honored to have had the opportunity to meet her and spend time with her a few weeks before her passing.
Dubhe Carreño Gallery · 118 N. Peoria (60607)
www.dubhecarrenogallery.com