From the standard oil on canvas and enamel on wood to a coffee table that doubles as a giant wooden spider, the opening reception of the Hus Var Fine Art Gallery included wide variety of contemporary art.
Located at 268 Main St. in downtown Buffalo, the Hus Var Gallery opened its doors for the first time last month. A substantial crowd was on hand to view the beginnings of a new medium in Buffalo for artists and art patrons alike.
Hus Var has set a goal for itself to showcase the work of 100 artists in 100 different venues in the Western New York area. Artist and partner Angela Callisto described the high aim of Hus Var.
"Our main goal for the artists is to market them at an extensive list of venues as well as the gallery and the web and bring their work to the public outside the normal setting," she said.
The group is determined to change the way in which both artists display and patrons buy artwork. Many of the venues will include places that typically only hang printed duplicates of original art on their walls.
Partner Angelo Marzullo spoke about the unique approach of Hus Var.
"By putting art in places like salons, restaurants, nightclubs and doctor's offices," Marzullo said. "People who don't normally view and purchase art at a gallery have access to it. We are bringing the artwork to the people."
Hus Var's featured art is not restricted by any genre. From the surrealist Frederick Seaton to the vibrant pop art of AJ Fries, Hus Var displays any type of art that meets the approval of its partners.
Standing near his painting, "Metamorphosis," Seaton described the dreamlike landscape as "an exercise in unleashing my subconscious over a lengthy extension of time while still trying to unify a singularity of intention."
With a nightmarish quality to it, the surreal qualities of Seaton's work makes it unfit to hang over a newborn baby's crib. Its desert setting coupled with frightening characters certainly caught the eye of many people at the reception.
Another artist whose work drew a large amount of admiration was Tana Christiansen. Her eerie acrylic on canvas depicted luring faces and full human forms in dynamic, contrasting colors.
The majority of the work on display is accompanied by a price tag. Ranging from several hundred dollars up into the thousands, the finer pieces are of course matched with equally fine prices.
With artists grounded in the Western New York arts community, there's good reason to appreciate the efforts and artwork of the Hus Var gallery. Some of the artists - like Anne Gunderman - are even alumni of UB's art programs.
The Hus Var gallery is now open at 268 Main St. in downtown Buffalo, Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
