A new partnership between Saratoga Arts and Albany International Airport’s Art and Culture Program is ensuring the old departure space on the second floor of the airport won’t stand vacant.
A new art gallery called The Annex Gallery debuted its first exhibition, “Robert Cartmell: In the Studio,” on Friday, May 25. Local artist Robert Cartmell’s works spanning 40 years will be on display through November.
“The Annex Gallery will host an ongoing series of exhibitions that will feature contemporary, regional artists,” said David E. Langdon, chairman of the Albany County Airport Authority. “We purposely created The Annex Gallery to include a comfortable seating area that can be enjoyed by our travelers and the general public.”
Elizabeth Dubben, director of exhibitions at Saratoga Arts, will head curating duties for the gallery, located near the terminal parking bridge on the second floor before the security checkpoint. She said the focus is local, regional artists.
Cartmell, of the Albany area, was the perfect inaugural artist not only because of his vast body of work (he boasts hundreds of paintings and thousands of drawings) but because he’s achieved international recognition for his art and more.
“For the past few decades, Cartmell’s many passions have coexisted on the canvas, expressing a sense of whimsy and wonderment. On the surface, abstract shapes, vibrant colors and playful imagery evoke a sense of enjoyment. Yet, ever present are dangers, anxieties and fears,” reads an artist statement provided by Cartmell.
Many of Cartmell’s paintings depict his fascination with ancient history, mythology and magic; but his earlier work drew on his expertise of rollercoasters. He created canvases heavy on color and abstract shapes, melding them together to create a metaphor with the thrill of rollercoasters at its core.
“He’s a prolific artist and his work is really quite impressive. … He was a good fit for the show – a longtime local artist who has been exhibiting his work for a lot of years,” said Dubben.
Dubben said she’ll rotate exhibitions every six months and will eventually put the call out for artists that Saratoga Arts isn’t aware of in an effort to give more local artists exposure.
“(It’s great) accessibility, exposure. It’s a very broad base of an audience,” said Dubben.
Saratoga Arts has had a voice on the airport’s Arts and Culture Committee for years and has played an important role in supporting its mission.
“The mission of the Arts and Culture program at the airport is to represent the entire region, so that includes the Capital Region and Saratoga Region all the way out to the Mohawk Valley,” said Dubben.
She said the committee had been trying to find a way to better reflect the Saratoga area, which is how the official partnership came about.
“(It) came out of a conversation with ways for the (program) to partner with us to represent the Saratoga region,” said Dubben. “For Saratoga Arts, it’s our mission to offer opportunities to artists of the region and it was a great one for us. … It’s a great community partnership.”
The Annex Gallery joins the Airport Gallery, located on the third floor.
Cartmell’s artwork is available for purchase. For more information, contact the Art and Culture Program office at 242-2241 or [email protected].
For more information about Saratoga Arts visit www.saratoga-arts.org.
