Northeast creatives are stepping into the limelight at the Cleveland Museum of Art鈥檚 satellite location on the Near West Side. The museum announced Tuesday three special exhibits featuring local artists throughout the year at Transformer Station.
鈥淲e've always thought of Transformer as a place where we can experiment, present the work of emerging and mid-career artists, but also showcase both the artists and the arts organizations that are in Cleveland,鈥� said Todd Mesek, chief marketing officer at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The first show, 鈥淟ove is Resistance,鈥� kicks off on Valentine鈥檚 Day and features the work of students, faculty and alumni of the Cleveland Institute of Art through April 6. The artists are responding to works in the museum鈥檚 collection related to resistance.
鈥淲e look at this as a way to not only, you know, showcase local artists, but to create this connection between the collection that we have, this world class collection, and artists that are working today,鈥� Mesek said.
The Feb. 14 opening night celebration includes musical performances by Kill the Hippies, Ritual Sin and others.
Another exhibit, 鈥淐MA Artists at Work,鈥� spotlights the talents of some of the 450 people who work at the museum and also create their own art from June 6 to Aug. 3.
The museum has shown staff work in the past, and this is an opportunity to restart the tradition after a pandemic hiatus, Mesek said.
The final exhibition presents four Cleveland-area artists working in photography, sculpture, painting and other media. Amanda D. King, Charmaine Spencer, Erykah Townsend and Antwoine Washington were awarded fellowships with financial and professional support in 2022 as part of FRONT. The triennial contemporary art exhibition sunset last year due to difficulties raising funds for the festival. The artists鈥� fellowships will conclude with the 鈥淔RONT Fellows Show,鈥� Sept. 12 鈥� Dec. 31.
Like the Cleveland Museum of Art鈥檚 main campus in University Circle, admission to Transformer Station is free. Some special musical performances are ticketed. Transformer Station is open Thursdays through Sundays, 3-9 p.m., starting Feb. 15.
Transformer Station鈥檚 original building dates back a century and once powered street cars on Detroit Avenue. Renovated and repurposed as a contemporary art space by Fred and Laura Bidwell, the museum partnered with the art collectors for 10 years before assuming ownership and management of Transformer Station in 2023.
