Bare Hands
Bare Hands (formerly Bare Hands Gallery) is a contemporary art gallery located at 109 21st Street South. It is a registered non-profit with a mission to showcase contemporary Alabama artists. The executive director is Kathleen Rose-Byington, assisted by artistic director is Wendy Jarvis and development director Kim Strifert.
The gallery was founded by Jessica Helfrecht in 1996, occupying the front third of its current space, leaving space for an apartment to the rear. In 1999 Helfrecht relocated the gallery to a bungalow at 725 29th Street South in Lakeview. A year later, she decided to sell. Jarvis and her husband Michael Glaser consulted with each other and decided to make an offer. Jarvis took over the gallery on December 2, 2000. After a couple of years, she decided to look for a downtown space and ended up moving back into the gallery's original location - expanded to include the whole building and a narrow rear alleyway. A transition to non-profit status was initiated in May 2004 and completed in 2006. Jarvis served as executive director until January 1, 2010.
In addition to regular monthly exhibits of contemporary visual arts, the gallery hosts discussions, workshops, musical performances and evening yoga classes. An all-volunteer staff of 30 coordinates year-round activities. Bare Hands was featured as one of two sites in Birmingham in the National Geographic Traveler guide to the Appalachian Region. It was also selected "Best Art Center" by Birmingham magazine in 2006.
Dia de los Muertos
"Dia de los Muertos" in November is a large community art celebration hosted by Bare Hands Gallery. Participants are invited to create altars to lost loved ones in the courtyard space behind the gallery. Neighboring outdoor spaces are used for musical and ritual events patterned after the "Day of the Dead" observances in Mexico.
The tradition was begun in 2003 when artist Tracy Martin created an altar for her father, photographer Spider Martin (El Hombre Araña / The Spider-Man) in the gallery's courtyard. The celebration has since grown into one of the city's best-loved art events.
References
- Brock, Glenny (August 23, 2007) "Bare hands bares all." Birmingham Weekly.
- Jarvis, Wendy (January 7, 2010) "BH Welcomes New Executive Director!" press release. Bare Hands.
External links
- Bare Hands Gallery website
- Bare Hands Gallery on Facebook
- 2005 Dia de los Muertos photographs on Flickr.com