Con Artist Crew to host Start Garden experiment at "We Own The Night"

Con Artist Crew celebrates its one year anniversary this Saturday, March 30 by hosting their 2nd Annual “We Own the Night” art showcase. The hybrid gallery/studio, located at 1111 Godfrey SW North Building #198, will be featuring pieces from both local and international artists ranging from illustration and painting to sculpture and animation.

The Crew recently earned $5,000 dollars from Start Garden, local project aimed at giving startup funding to businesses. In addition to the show, Con Artist Crew will be debuting their mobile web app as an experiment for their Start Garden hypothesis. The web app will make it possible for people who aren’t able to attend the event to still look at and potentially purchase art.

“We don't want to replace the gallery experience, we just want to expand on it,” says Magdalene Law, cofounder of Con Artist Crew. “Technology is becoming more and more intertwined in our lives. If a system is created that allows attendance both physically and virtually around the world, art galleries like ours can expand their business on a global scale.”

The web app experiment will feature four pieces from “We Own the Night” that can be bought either online or at the event.

"If you purchase the art from this page, a notification will zip through the internet and into the gallery and turn on a Red LED light next to the piece of art you purchased indicating that the piece was just sold," says cofounder Reuben Garcia.

Through their web app, Con Artist Crew will also be able to guide people through pieces they may be interested in, without necessarily having to meet in person.

“Our goal is to show how art galleries and technology can coexist and grow beyond local constraints,” says Law. “We also want people who can’t attend because of their old Aunt Betty’s birthday to be able to join the fun!”

After this event, Con Artist Crew will be presenting the results at the Start Garden update night April 25. If successful, the gallery will be in the running for an additional $20,000 in funding.

In addition to the Start Garden experiment, Con Artist Crew has started an Indiegogo funding project, with an ultimate goal of raising $1,700 to travel to Guadalajara, Mexico. The funding would make it possible for several artists from Con Artist Crew to collaborate with artists from Guadalajara on a documentary that gives an exclusive look at the adventure of the art presentation that will be made once in Guadalajara, as well as the artistic process of all involved.

If all goes as planned, another show will be held about a month after the artists return from Mexico. At this show, the community will be able to experience the process from the start to the finish by viewing photos, movies, drawings, writings and art pieces.

"At Con Artist Crew, we are on a mission to change the perception of art here in Grand Rapids," says Garcia. "With community involvement, we can grow and advance into a place that not only hosts artistic creation but also educates people on artistic theories and explorations."

“We Own the Night” starts at 7:30 p.m. and will conclude around midnight. For ticket information, contact Magdalene Law on Facebook.