featuring Zane Claverie and Quinn Corey
On Thursday, June 22, Firehouse 13 opened its doors to the public for the first time. Previously home to cadets in training for the Providence Fire Department, the building at 41 Central Street has been unused for many years now. The newly renovated three-story firehouse, purchased five years ago by owner Nicholas Bauta, is nearly ready for occupancy. The open house was a chance for the Firehouse 13 folks to show off the new facilities and some local talent.
Zane Claverie’s colorful collages spanned the length of the available wallspace in the experimental gallery. Every piece delves into a different theme and subject matter, each meticulously laid out in a chaotic jumble of imagery and found trash. The amount of imagery is staggering: from Tootsie pops, religious iconography, and instruction manuals, all the way to hardcore porn and back again, Claverie’s work is refreshingly honest. No inside jokes or artistic self-reflections here, only an artist working with what the world has left behind in its dumpsters.
A supermarket without the shelves, a whole month’s or year’s worth of trash or imagery compressed into a four-by-eight piece of plywood, Claverie’s craftmanship leaves a little to be desired in the end. But with a bit of irony and a large dose of reflection on the modern world and its cornucopia of choices, his work is a vibrant contribution to the Providence art scene.
On the second floor were paintings by Quinn Corey. Corey decorated each of the rooms, to be occupied by the future artists in residence, with an explosion of psychedelic paintings. Subverted pop imagery from My Little Pony to Cheech and Chong layers all of the rooms. Even the Monopoly man as greedy Uncle Sam makes an appearance in the kitschiest of ways.
From the paints to the framing, neon color reigns supreme. Comic books influence the hard lines and defined edges of Corey’s figures while the looser and more flowing waves of psychedelic color bask everything in a glow of 21st Century excess. Be sure to keep an eye out for Corey; we will be seeing much of him around.
More info on Firehouse 13:
The first floor is home to a large open experimental space that is available for rent to the general public. Each month will provide for a new group of artists and performers a chance to get together, pool resources, and develop their own programming. Director Anna Shapiro believes that this will promote an entrepreneurial sense among artists who decide to organize a show.
The second floor will house six artists in residence and will provide a communal space for people to share ideas and collaborations. The Firehouse is now receiving applications for these spaces.
The third floor is a 1200 square foot space looking for a renter. If you think you have a use for the first or third floor spaces, visit the Firehouse 13 website www.firehouse13.org for more information.
