by Nick Bostick
Next door to Representative Eric Johnson’s office is the Absinthe Cigar Lounge and Bar, home base to local Dallas art collective Solvent. The night I checked out the bar it was crowded, filled with music and couples. I made my way to the VIP room and ran into Solvent member Jack Sheely, sipping his rum in the corner.
“It’s the ideal venue, (the Absinthe Lounge) for us to show our work to our audience. These local artists are making their own way through the Dallas art scene, and doing it the only way they know how, throwing parties,” said Sheely.
Solvent, the brain child of Frank Tringali and Zachary Morriss started with house parties showcasing a number of local talented artists who wouldn’t be discouraged by their inability to find influential galleries willing to host unknowns.
As people poured into the unusually unguarded VIP room, and music began to replace the sound of artsy people talking, Frank Tringali pulled me aside. ”We’ve never lost our style you know? It’s always been that art party atmosphere.” Taking a standard gallery showing, throwing in peppy dance tunes and a dash of social lubricant seems to be a recipe for success for these guys.
Artists Adnan Razvi, Spencer Brown-Pearn and Frank Tringali
Check out their Facebook page for upcoming events and more art.
I ♥ SOLVENT!
http://www.solventcollective.com