On a regular Friday night, the Arizona Center is buzzing with people eating dinner or watching a movie, but a new art gallery now offers a different entertainment option.
Obliq, an art gallery that opened on Dec. 7, holds monthly shows featuring local artists.
“It took me 12 years to really understand what my calling was and art played a big part of it, business played a big part of it,” said Larry Ortega, owner of Obliq. “But calling is as easy as breathing. It’s what you’re made for.”
As the commercial real-estate broker in charge of leasing space for the Arizona Center, Ortega said he saw an opportunity to reshape the purpose and identity of the complex.
Ortega also wanted to combine the passion he and his wife, Sandra, share for art. Sandra Ortega said she was hesitant at first, knowing the challenges of running an art gallery. Sandra, who displays at the Collective at the Artery gallery, eventually agreed to the idea, and said she is pleased with the results.
Ortega defines Obliq as “an urban art place.” He said his goal is to expand the Phoenix art community by creating more opportunities for artists to have gallery space.
On a typical First Friday show so far, Ortega estimates an attendance of between 150-200 people, with a smaller turnout on Third Friday shows. Ortega said that the gallery’s distance from Roosevelt Street mainly attracts an older demographic. Despite this, Ortega is hopeful that the inquiries he receives from younger artists wanting to display work will attract a more diverse crowd.
The January show, “Successive Moments of Now,” features the work of photographers Lou Oates, Michael Yeager, Matthew DeYoung and Dusty Parsons. Their styles range from Oates’ panoramic scenes of the Grand Canyon to DeYoung’s long-exposure night photography.
Parsons, who displayed sepia photographs of old missions in Arizona, said he liked Obliq for the location and its attraction to window shoppers.
Phoenix couple Conrad and Crystal Spencer also appreciated the unique location of the gallery, and said they unexpectedly stopped by Obliq while walking through the Arizona Center before a movie.
Despite this praise, some are still skeptical about the gallery’s impact. Abdul Mohammed, an employee at Sports World in the Arizona Center, agrees that the gallery is a good idea but doubts it will bring a crowd to the shopping center.
While Ortega does charge artists hanging fees for their artwork and takes a commission on pieces sold at Obliq, he said his main priority for the gallery isn’t necessarily to make money. Rather, Ortega believes the relationships Obliq builds between the artists and the community is the key.
Familiar with the starving artist lifestyle, Ortega also encourages young artists to reach out and display their work. He intends to host events such as workshops and offer free display space for upcoming artists in the future.
“Whether it’s painting or sculpture or the spoken word, we want this to be a gathering place for the community,” Ortega said.
The upcoming First Friday show in February will feature contemporary artist Fred Tieken, as well as the paintings of Richard and Michele Bledsoe, who own Grand Avenue gallery Deus Ex Machina. Local guitarist Kim Steele will also be performing live music. The show will be open from 6:30-10 p.m. on First Friday and 5-8 p.m. on Third Friday, with additional pop-up hours announced via the Obliq Facebook page.
Ortega plans to fully integrate the gallery into the Phoenix scene by hosting a 25th anniversary festival for Art Detour in March. Until that date comes, Ortega’s mission remains humble.
“Art makes the world a better place to live and if I can do my little part in promoting that notion then I’ve done my mission,” Ortega said.
Contact the reporter at clongbons@asu.edu
