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Sun Sentinel: Barrero working to bring artists north with new space


Sun Sentinel


by Jan Engoren


Vicki Siegel's "Rising Waters"



Barrero working to bring artists north with new space

For the hardest-working artist in Palm Beach County, taking on another project just goes with the territory.


 Rolando Chang Barrero, artist and founder of the Boynton Beach Arts District who also runs the RCB Fine Arts Gallery on Lucerne Avenue in Lake Worth, has set his sights on his latest project, The Box Gallery, opening June 3 with an all-Florida exhibit, in the cultural corridor on Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach.

"I'm very excited to open the doors to The Box Gallery," he said. "The Box is a gorgeous, flexible 4,000 square-foot, centrally located space that can accommodate artists' needs, from performance art to installation works. It's a different perspective when a working artist opens a space; we think of future possibilities of work that haven't been created yet."

The impetus behind the gallery was to provide a large installation space for works and projects that might otherwise have to travel further south to find a   home.

"I wanted to bring cutting-edge work to Palm Beach County, because it seems to always be headed to Miami," said Barrero, who has migrated north from Miami. "Usually, the big art fairs and festivals will show these important works because of their scale. My idea is to create a space where that kind of work can be showcased  all year round."

The gallery opens with the All Florida Exhibition June 3, a night of performances and projections on June 4 and concludes with the "State of the Art" panel presentations on June 5. 

 RSVP Here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-box-gallery-grand-opening-weekend-tickets-24890323628

Katie Deits, former director at the Lighthouse Center for the Arts and an artist and art critic, will be one of the presenters during the opening weekend, speaking about the state of the arts in Palm Beach County.

"Rolando's arrival on the Palm Beach County art scene has ignited a fire under local artists," she said. "We have a tremendous pool of talent here and only a few places which show local artists. Rolando brought the community together in a positive way and has involved many of the core people involved in the arts as well as bringing  in younger people and emerging  artists."

Jacques de Beaufort, curator, filmmaker and owner of the Jacques de Beaufort Studio Gallery in Lake Worth, and part of the panel, will screen his feature film, "Sanctum and Sacrum," at the opening on June 3.

"This is a real avant garde film screening," he said. "It's very exciting. Nothing like this has happened before in Palm Beach County."

"The Box Gallery brings a different kind of vibe with it," he said. "It has more of a feel of a Chelsea or SoHo gallery - more serious, purist and cosmopolitan. It definitely fills a role in the local arts community."

Visual and mixed media installation artist Diane Arrieta who runs the Florida Atlantic University library gallery space on the Jupiter campus said, "As an installation  artist, there are few venues where I can  show my work locally."
"Rolando will allow me to approach topics that might be considered controversial," said Arrieta, who will exhibit a photograph and video piece highlighting the U.S. immigration system (which she says is broken) and a conceptual piece titled "Iron Maidens," highlighting women's issues in Africa.
Other Florida artists included in the exhibit include: Elle Schorr, Fabrizio Cruz, Ilene Gruber Adams, Juan Erman Gonzalez, Robert Catapano, Linda Behar, Vicki Siegel, Fahan Sky McDonagh, Wayne S. Stephens, Dana Donaty, Henrietta Michel, Dan Leahy, Kim Fay, Sandra Schulman and Nune Asatryen, among others.
"I have every confidence that Rolando can pull this off," Arrieta said. "He's one of the hardest-working people I know."
The Box Gallery is at 811 Belvedere Road in West Palm Beach. The grand opening is from 7 to 11 p.m. June 3.
Contact Rolando Chang Barrero at 786-521-1199 or emailPalmBeachFineArtGallery@gmail.com.

811b-Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach, Florida 33405
www.TheBoxGallery.info

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