As fast as Guerilla Arts sprang from the rubble of an abandoned building in East Dallas it has crumbled back into dust — expelled from its home just as the biker gang that squatted in the building was before. So what caused the owner of the building to cast off the non-profit Guerilla Arts with the same bravado as the bikers? Let’s look at what Patrick Short, founder and director of Guerilla Arts, was able to accomplish in his year with the building. Maybe we will find some clues there.
Patrick had a unique vision for the future of the Dallas arts community. A future in which Guerilla Arts would serve as a shining beacon of innovative installation/experimental art for the rest of the state — a venue that would provide primarily local artists who create artwork outside the traditional an opportunity to test ideas. Patrick was ambitious in his resolve to challenge the status quo in the Dallas art world and push it into new territories. He gave exposure to artists who had been living and working amongst us largely incognito.
Although short lived, Guerilla Arts served as a venue that allowed local artists to explore ambitious and largely unproven directions in their work. Artists were supported in the creation of new large scale installations without boundaries and given great exposure in the process.
Here are some of the artists who exhibited at Guerilla Arts over the past year and what they have achieved in the brief time since:
- Leah Foster and Monica Gunderson, who are each now living, working and exhibiting up in New York.
- Annie Albagli, who has also left the Lone Star state for greener pastures, is now living in Washington D.C, and has exhibited there as well as New York.
- Gabriel Dawe, maybe Guerilla Arts’ best success story. A CentralTrak resident from Mexico, he has become a household name here in Dallas. He has been in exhibits and publications all across the country and still has a large string installation up at the Dallas Contemporary.
- Jennifer Caine, the only artist who travelled from far out of state specifically for her show. She is the Head of Painting at Dartmouth College and was able to explore non-traditional elements of her work not supported by her gallery. She has since exhibited in Boston, New York (The Painting Center), and is included in the soon to be released book, 100 Greatest Boston Painters. This was a hint at what the residency part of Guerilla Arts would have fostered.
- Shawn Smith, an Austin artist who is represented there and in Dallas. He was able to explore a new direction in his work without fear of lost sales, a rare opportunity for an established artist whose work is their sole livelihood. He also has a show upcoming at the Smithsonian.
- Gary Farrelly, Blake Wright, and Erik Schuessler also exhibited, but at the end of the year so I don’t have updates on them as of yet.
I also created an installation at Guerilla Arts. It was one of the few local venues that would risk exhibiting my large installations — a relief not to worry about shipping for a change. Using images from that show helped me land representation and also solo/two person exhibits in Shanghai (Biennial), Washington D.C, and New York. Thank you, Patrick.
One of the things I enjoyed most about Guerilla Arts was how the Dallas arts community embraced and welcomed it. The openings were packed for hours after closing and sales and donations were high. Guerilla Arts offered not only a large space in which to create installations but a place for critical discourse with fellow artists, curators, collectors and writers. Guerilla Arts was a unique place for artists to gather, make, and discuss their work in a supportive environment.
Reflecting back, it was a pretty good year. Of course I’m biased, but no toilets were ripped out of the floor and the police were never called. So then, why was Patrick treated in the same way as a gang of squatting bikers? Well, just as the wise owl tells the little boy who asks how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, the world may never know. Well, I’m not sure we’ll ever know.
It is unfortunate that towards the end of Patrick’s one year lease at the Guerilla Arts space, the landlord became inexplicably incommunicative. Despite the improvements he put into the building with the help of many volunteers (he even added air conditioning!), Patrick wasn’t just unable to extend his lease, he was unable to have a phone call returned from the landlord.
These are particular problems that arose with a particular space, but they highlight why creating more alternative art spaces in Dallas is easier said than done. It is rare to find someone with the energy and dedication that Patrick had to get a space like this off the ground, and even rarer to find understanding landlords willing to allow this city’s plentiful, underutilized spaces to be adapted to good use.
Perhaps another opportune space will present itself, or someone will step forward to take up the mission of Guerilla Arts. Perhaps not. In any case Guerilla Arts offers important lessons, and maybe even a little hope that things like this can happen here at all.
This Week's Gallery Openings: May 10-13
From Hoedowns To Putting The Hoe Down: Farming As Art
Dallas Biennale 
An Art-Saturated Photographer, Blown Away - Literally - By An Installation In West Dallas
14 comments
Cheers! Great article.
Great article that highlights a wonderful job done at Guerilla Arts this past year. As a new comer from Australia, I don’t yet know much about the Dallas Arts scene but as an artist myself,Patrick sounds like the sort of guy you want on your team!
I wish him the best of luck in housing his vision, in a friendlier facility, that enables him to continue his good work.
I am really disappointed this is closed. I drive past there pretty often, but I never knew it was open! I swear I looked for signs of life, but it never looked like it was funtioning. I guess I should have tried a little harder to find our more. I wish the owner the best of luck – we need to duplicate his drive and mentality times 100 and make the Dallas art scene shine!
It was a fascinating flash in the local art pan. Not like there haven’t been many others here over the decades. Dozens, I bet. A one-year lease almost guarantees a short-lived effort.
GA had a nice feel to it. It will be remembered. For awhile.
I’m curious what the writer believes are the “important lessons.” He doesn’t say. The Dallas art scene already shines, GA was a noteworthy attempt. There are and will be others.
An uncooperative landlord didn’t help, but probably he was hoping for something less flashish. Perhaps something self-sustaining. That area may yet blossom.
The bikers probably didn’t need it, but AC is fairly basic here.
Hey JR
The one year lease was provisional for a 6 year lease if both parties deemed it a good investment at the end of the first year. The deal for the first year was that we would clean that space out and bring life into the area. As I was making improvements to the space the landlord became less and less interested in what was going on. The space was entirely misrepresented. As I cleaned it out I learned that there were not even any working utilities in the building and had to deal with plumbing and electrical on top of the AC.
I don’t mean any disrespect, but I wanted to set some things straight and ensure that you knew that the project was not “flashish” and regardless of how it was treated, had all the goals of self sustainability.
GuerillaArts wasn’t an attempt, it made real impact for ten local artists and facilitated their executing some very large scale projects in a time period and in front of an audience that would not have happened otherwise.
GA was special. The work was killer. And it will be a while before something as good comes along.
Hey Patrick,
Obviously the landlord didn’t see a future in the arrangement. Maybe he wanted someone there all the time. Who knows? I’m not a fan of landlords anyway, but clearly your goals did not coincide. There’s already new life in the area with Dolly Python across the street.
Did you not thoroughly check-out the space before you signed the lease? It was really raw. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who grimaced upon entering.
Goals of self-sustainability are great, but landlords like to see money coming in, so they can raise the rent. Did you sell any art while you were there?
Those are not my criteria for a temporary space. I like to have new places that show interesting art. They lend a much-needed leading-edge to our community. You did good with what you had. I loved the cupcake wall.
Temporary spaces have long been an important part of this city’s art community. There’s a rich history of temp spaces here. I remember North Number Zero and Modern Art in Dallas downtown. DARE’s original warehouse space was more temporary than we ever dreamed, just a few months.
All the Plush galleries so far have been temporary. Last winter, Modern Ruin lasted three days before they razed the building, and even more recently Sustenance on Singleton was just up a couple weeks. All those places had had amazing art.
Anybody who engages in interim art spaces is a brave soul in my book. If you can maintain the energy and hope, there are many other cheap-rent possibiliities in Dallas, many of which have actual utilities and places to park.
; j r
It’s kind of funny when you have to have an artist that was shown in your space write glowing reviews for you.
terrific article- happy to say that we were down from Montreal and saw Gab’s show at Guerilla Arts- loved the work AND the space- sad to see its passing and hope the Phoenix will rise again!
I can relate. The Dallas Hub Theater did more in its tenure than any space like that. The important thing to remember is Art is NOW. Celebrate it. Especially with places like this. You can’t assume that art will be there tomorrow.
Vincent; Is there a reason Josh shouldn’t write the article? I didn’t even know it was being written. Honestly, to me, it’s more sad when so little attention was paid to something new that no one else but someone who’s shown in the space feels the need to mention it’s passing…which I believe is one of the major points of his article.
JR- You have no idea what that space looked like before we cleaned it out. There was a lot of existing conduit and multiple existing breaker boxes. That building sat empty for four years before we moved in. So, while I understand all of your pontification regarding the goals of a landlord, having an empty building that is doing nothing but costing you property taxes for four years isn’t the most sound judgement either. The money it will cost to get that building up to code (or razed) that landlord will not see a return on for 15 years. There’s no reason to buy the property when there are 4 empty lots directly next to it in both directions. The building sat empty for a reason.
We actually sold quite a bit of work while we were there- the only show that didn’t see at least a third of the work sold was Leah Fosters’ cupcake installation last June.
It’s not hard to see a conflict of interest. I can’t see Goode being impartial. He has a stake in the spaces perceived success.
Of course there’s a ‘conflict of interest.’ Josh loved GA, showed there, regretted its passing, and then wrote a thoughtful essay about why he believes that’s a shame. This isn’t a report from the courthouse; it’s an op-ed by an interested artist who wishes this interesting space didn’t shut down.
Sure.
I am trying to reach Monica gunderson; I bought a painting from her at BU a few years ago. Can you please have her contact me, or give me her contact. This. In advance.