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Artist Audrey Cuthbert shown with her work, “Absence.” Photo by Kristina Verhasselt

It was a wonderfully humid Friday night in downtown Appleton as re:generation, a Young Space pop-up art gallery, opened its doors for the first time on April 10. The room was buzzing with young emerging artists, eager to show off their work to the community. To kick off the night, a new band, Searchlights, opened with their first live show and received a great response from the crowd! Among the beautiful artwork and the live band, there also was a wide variety of hors d’oeuvres, including various specialty cheeses — thank you, Wisconsin.

The band Searchlight performed during the gallery opening. Photo by Kristina Verhasselt

Although there will no longer be a live band or fancy cheese at the pop-up gallery, the artwork is a spectacle within itself. Located at 609 W. College Ave. in Appleton, artwork can be viewed any time on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4-9 p.m., and again Fridays through Sundays from 12-4 p.m. until April 26.

The theme surrounding re:generation is more of an “everything” show, according to Kate Mothes, organizer and curator for re:generation. “This particular exhibition name, ‘re:generation,’ meant a few things — “regenerate” like it was kick-starting a new emphasis on visual art in the Fox Cities, but also ‘generation’ because it emphasizes a younger generation of artists and students. And because it’s spring!”

Re:generation encompasses many “firsts”; for the artists, this will be their first gallery exhibition ever. This also is Mothes’ first time putting together a large-scale pop-up gallery. “It’s the first time I was introducing Young Space to the world, and I wanted it to be very much reflective of Young Space’s mission,” explains Mothes. Young Space is normally a virtual contemporary art gallery, run by Mothes. “We focus on younger and emerging artists by giving them exposure, experience and useful exhibition history if they plan to pursue art as a career in some form.” Young Space has quickly expanded from an online gallery into a series of pop-up galleries, beginning with re:generation in Appleton. Some artists in the gallery are college students from Lawrence University and University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, while others are young, established artists.

“Circe” by Daphne Stergides. Photo by Kristina Verhasselt

So far, the support for re:generation has been so enthusiastic, there is another pop-up exhibition for Young Space already in the works. “Young Space is ‘popping up’ in the ARTgarage in Green Bay from July 3-30 for a show called, ‘Here and Away: Five Midwestern Photographers’. I/the project will likely be quite involved during Mile of Music and afterward in cooperation with The Draw opening up on Lawe Street behind Lawrence University,” says Mothes.

Be sure to stop by the pop-up gallery and see what the young artists of the Fox Valley have been up to! There are many different mediums represented, ranging from drawings to ceramics to wood carvings. Most pieces are for sale, with additional prints of certain pieces available for more moderate prices.

For further information, check out young-space.com — it has the full list of upcoming pop-up galleries around the state.