About Gnoap Gallery
Gnoap Gallery was conceived when two friends, Rik Akey and Scott Berkes, toured the Gallery Night art galleries in April of 2005. They had such a fantastic time that night that when it was over, they asked themselves, "Why don't we do this?"
The call went out to friends and associates, looking for artists, and the response was both immediate and impressive. Scott notes, "Rik and I quickly realized that we know a LOT of talented artists, some of whom had never shown their work publicly before. We knew then that we were on to something big."
In July of 2005, Gnoap Gallery debuted with three artists in an unused but prominent storefront on the corner of Michigan and Milwaukee streets. After two successful shows there, it was time to look for a larger and more adventurous venue.
In January of 2006, Gnoap Gallery partnered with Sake Tumi, a popular restaurant in the Milwaukee Street nightclub district. The resulting arrangement, which added cash bar service, fresh-made appetizers, and a professional sound system to the party, gave Gnoap Gallery a larger and more upscale space to call home. And with more space, Gnoap was able to add more artists. Traffic increased significantly over the old location, and held steady for the next six shows.
Following the April 2007 show, Rik and Scott realized that Gnoap Gallery had once again outgrown its space. Through Dale Dehmlow of Oniomania, a longtime Gnoap Gallery artist partner, Scott and Rik connected with Tessa Santoro, owner of Broadway Bistro (241 N. Broadway St - map). A new joint venture quickly took shape, and plans were made to relocate the gallery again.
As Tessa puts it, "We have always wanted to get involved with Gallery Night, to capitalize on the amazing Third Ward foot traffic the event creates. Scott and Rik come to us with a lot of enthusiasm and ideas, and we really enjoy working with them." Rik adds, "Broadway Bakery & Cafe is a great space in a fantastic location, backed up by great food and atmosphere. What more could you ask?"
What started three years ago continues to grow and evolve with each Gallery Night show. Through it all, Scott and Rik have never forgotten their original guiding principle: Gnoap Gallery exists simply to have fun. "You know, we aren't 'art guys'," Rik remarks, making air quotes with his fingers. "We don't have an art background. We just thought it would be a lot of fun to throw a party with art and invite the city over to enjoy it with us." Scott adds, "And sometimes, having a lot of fun is a lot of work." For Rik and Scott the work is well worth it.