Brightest Young Things

all photos: Priscilla
all words: Jacquelyn

“Are you waiting for Alex? Have you met him yet? He’s awesome!”

Priscilla and I are sprawled against an alley wall off 8th St., SE—waiting for Alex Goldstein to show up to let us in to his brand, spankin’ new gallery, The Fridge DC.

I figure karma must be working out well for you if a chance alley-short-cut-taker stops to ask strangers if they are waiting for you—and then immediately lights up to share his thoughts.

“I have a bid on one of the pieces in there,” our new friend says with wide eyes, pointing across the alley, “I really hope I get it!”

A few minutes after our new friend moves on, Alex walks up—followed snugly by his sweet-faced dog Rocky. He introduces himself and swings the steel door to the gallery open. My heart flip-flops.

Walking into The Fridge after their soft opening of sorts, the open-air-ed, sun-spotted gallery space is comforting. A can of mixed nuts sits half-eaten and open on the counter. Dog treats are scattered, and piles of burned CDs tucked in paper sleeves are sliding off each other on the shelf. My eyes flicker back and forth between the neon-palette-d, experience-exploding art on the walls—and it feels like a night that we’re sorry we missed.

There’s a story to be shared here at The Fridge. It’s a DIY, one-point-for-the-team, look-out-for-those-who-helped-you-way-back-when kind of story. And, when talking to Alex, it’s hard to imagine a person from whom you’d rather hear it.

Alex is graphic designer, artist, DJ, and general creative instigator. A Rockville native, he has love and connections up, down, and across the district. As one of the founding members of the DC51 Artist Collective, Alex is playing and working in his own backyard of artistic friends.

“We hang together; we work together,” he says as he switches the music on from the near ceiling-high DJ booth in the corner of the gallery. Pretty sweet set-up, Alex.

The soft opening event a couple weeks ago, “Graff/Skate,” was a somewhat test-drive for the gallery—hosted to jumpstart the local graffiti artists participating, as well as raise money to build two ¾ pipes for a D.I.Y. skate park (sick, right?). Kudos to curator Ster—who picked a powerhouse of local graff artists to loudly and brightly adorn skateboards for the silent auction that served as the week’s exhibit.

The Fridge will host artists and musicians for eight to ten months of the year—presenting both solo and group shows. The exhibiting artists will be required to teach at least two classes during the length of their exhibit. The remaining months of the year will be open to the intriguing sights and sounds of DC.

Starting Saturday, September 19, The Fridge will feature its first solo exhibit—local urban artist phenomenon DECOY and her exhibit Memento Mori. Stop by from 6-9 p.m. for the opening reception, and check out DECOY’s work here. The exhibit will run through October 10—stop by and show some love!

The Fridge DC
516 8th St., SE, Rear Alley
Washington DC 20003
http://www.thefridgedc.com