French for raven, “Corbeau” is the namesake of Jackson’s newest exhibition space, a digital gallery focused on Western Contemporary art. Gallery Director Isabel McDowall said the idea has been percolating since she took her first gallery job.
“I’d recently graduated college so it didn’t seem realistic at the time,” she said. And though it’s not the same as having a storefront, McDowall said digital is giving her the flexibility she needs to grow a presence.
McDowall grew up in Jackson and studied product design and art at the University of Oregon. She has since worked in Jackson galleries for eight years.
McDowall said the artists were the main inspiration for her new endeavor.
“There is an opportunity in the Western Contemporary market for a fresh roster of artists, both emerging and established, who have not found representation in Jackson,” she said. “While we do not have a location, we do represent these artists in the same fashion and want to help them break into the scene.”
McDowall said her goal is to share beautiful art with a growing audience, and although she acknowledged the deeply personal connections that occur in the physical presence of art, digital galleries also have their perks and a much better rent rate.
“Much of commerce, even fine art, is largely digital,” she said. “Short of seeing the works in person, Corbeau Gallery’s website has a ‘View on Wall’ feature along with a short commentary courtesy of the artist of each piece.”
This month Corbeau is showcasing Laura Guese, Drew Christie and Tyrel Johnson in a show called “Preternatural.” It is described as exploring the natural world “through a lens veering beyond the ordinary into the uncanny, surreal, and the sublime,” according to a news release.
“Preternatural is about encountering the familiar in unfamiliar ways,” McDowall said in the release. “Each artist in this exhibition uses nature as a starting point — but rather than replicate it, they stretch it. There’s a quiet power in that; to shift perception just enough that we begin to see things differently.”
The show goes online beginning today. McDowall said Corbeau is also considering hosting a pop up exhibition during the Fall Arts festival.
