Vessel Gallery, Oakland Art Murmur Fixture, to Reopen at 480 23rd Street
”Oakland Art Murmur fixture Vessel Gallery will reopen in February more than a year after being displaced from its longtime 25th Street home, curator and director Lonnie Lee told KQED. The contemporary visual art gallery will take over the 23rd Street location occupied since 2018 by Ashara Ekundayo Gallery and, for 11 years prior, Chandra Cerrito Contemporary.” After considering other East Bay locations, Lee is relieved to return to the neighborhood and continue the 23rd St. storefront, including adjoining rooms once home to Krowswork gallery, as a key node of First Fridays street festival and related gallery network Art Murmur. “It feels good re-establish a home and say, ‘We’re still here,’” Lee said. “Only time can personify a space.”
Vessel reopens Saturday, Feb. 15 with a reception for Migration, a group show featuring artists familiar from Lee’s curating—David Burke, Pamela Dernham, Gordon Glasgow, Todd Laby, Walter James Mansfield and Jos Sances—plus Cheryl Derricotte and Arleene Correa Valencia. Read the KQED article by Sam Lefebvre >
VESSEL GALLERY DEPARTS 471 25TH STREET
Vessel Gallery is saddened to announce that after 8.5 years at 471 25th St., we must relocate our art gallery business. The landlord has decided to take a different direction with his property and as a result we have lost our lease.
While this comes as a shock, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on our beginnings here, when we began with our May 2010 opening exhibit A Place In-Between - a solo show for Cyrus Tilton. It seems fitting, then that we end our time at 471 25th with two concurrent solo shows, Elsewhere, sculptures by Cyrus Tilton, and Together and Apart, new paintings by Sanjay Vora.
Vessel began with a vision to show diverse contemporary artists, to build awareness of what the cultural arts experience could be in Oakland, and to connect artists with a diverse audience comprised of the public, the art industry, and collectors. We continued our mission of exposing the well-spring of exceptional creative arts and production of our region. November 17 is our last day of Elsewhere and Together and Apart, and while our creative contributions to the Oakland art scene on this block conclude, rest assured we will continue with the same verve of creative support and engagement. You may see us curate and produce exhibitions or pop ups, or participate in exhibitions, we’ll invite you to join us!
It has been an honor to serve our community and help build the art scene in Oakland. We have enjoyed showcasing our artists, and our friendships with clients, artists, students, enthusiasts, collectors, and institutions are what we treasure most. A very special thanks is extended to supporters who’ve helped put Oakland on the art map!
Vessel will continue serving clients in search of collecting art, building collections, working on select projects, and representing our artists. In fact, shop-vessel.com our
online gallery will continue to offer distinctive, one-of-a-kind contemporary artworks for collection. If you are looking for specific artwork(s) by one of our artists, please call or email us. We are happy to assist you. We ship artworks domestically and internationally, and deliver in the Bay Area.
Please contact us with any opportunities, ideas, or proposals; we’d love to hear from you!
We look forward to your visit at our nearby office, and to staying in touch as Vessel evolves.
With gratitude,
– Lonnie Lee, Gallery Director & Curator
25th Street
Vessel envisioned a gallery space in one of Oakland’s very few standing turn-of-the-century horse stables. The gallery was remodeled into an arts complex that combines unparalleled charm, character, and modern rustic architectural experimentation.
A two-story space, included a hayloft gallery, an urban rooftop garden, and a street level gallery space.
First floor view
Patio view
History
Before. This gable roof, corrugated metal building was built in 1906 as a one and a half story stable. Joseph E. Silva Livery Stable cared for, boarded, and transferred Oakland Fire Department horses at this location. In 1922, the building use changed with the times as automobiles became increasingly more popular, and the area became known as the
1943
25th Street Garage District of Oakland. Wm. N. Macauley’s draughtsman and designers occupied the space for manufacturing motor bearings and radio parts for cars. At this same time through 1939, the building shared space with Linden Bros. who housed a furniture repair and manufacturing business. William and Dorothy Traverso owned and operated the building as United Glass from 1943 to 2008.
2010
Envisioned Space
After. Lonnie Lee envisioned a new use for this building, her second iteration of Vessel. She worked to create the 25th Street corridor as a revitalized community which enlivened and invigorated Oakland's former Auto Row garage district. Newly remodeled in 2010, Vessel Gallery established its art gallery exhibitions in what is now known as Uptown, Oakland’s arts and entertainment district. Many of the original details like the tongue and groove wood ceiling and floors remained. Lee transformed the use of this historic turn-of-the-century building into a unique gallery space to enjoy art, music, and the community.
For more information, please contact: info@vessel-gallery.com
