Farewell, Gallery 6 PDX

audrey-smith-at-gallery-6-pdx

Liz Cohn is a Portland, Oregon-based collage and assemblage artist. In 2012, she opened Gallery 6 PDX as “ ‘an experiment’ and envisioned it as a bridge that would connect people with small, affordable collage and assemblage.” On December 29, 2014, the experiment comes to a close, as Cohn closes the doors on Gallery 6 PDX.

In Issue 10 of Kolaj, we asked Liz Cohn to write about her experience as the owner and operator of Gallery 6 PDX. She said:

Artists’ strength is creative thinking, so I am placing my bet on them as the forgers of the new way…For G6, the experiment comes to an end on December 29, 2014. I knew when I started Gallery 6 PDX that it would be a short run. Galleries were already dropping like flies in Portland when G6 opened. Regardless of the personal cost, I felt I had to do it; maybe it was a bucket list thing. I wanted this experience on my life’s resume: to own a brick-and-mortar art gallery devoted to collage and assemblage. I exposed Portlandia to new artists and I had a great time. I have no regrets…If you venture starting up your own gallery, I’ll cheer you on from the sidelines. Keep your eye on the slippery mess facing the changing art gallery world. Although my experience was uniquely my own and yours will differ, expect to grapple with some of these same issues, new ones, and your own specific challenges.

This article originally appeared in Issue Ten. To read the entire article and other writing about the world of collage, SUBSCRIBE to Kolaj or PURCHASE ISSUE TEN.

Image:
Work by Audrey Smith
Installation view of “Scrapped, Fragmented, and Glued”
7-30 June 2013
Gallery 6 PDX
Courtesy of Liz Cohn