LOS ANGELES — For over a decade, Superchief Gallery has been a cornerstone of LA’s underground scene, showcasing road artwork, images, and work made on the cultural fringes. Regardless of its position as an experimental hub, mounting monetary challenges lately have put the house liable to closing. In an effort to maintain the gallery operating, Founder Invoice Dunleavy is pondering outdoors the white dice, turning to various income fashions like crowdfunding to avoid wasting the beloved house.
Superchief started as {a magazine} in New York in 2010 earlier than transitioning right into a gallery in Williamsburg two years later. In 2014, Dunleavy moved west, opening a Superchief department in downtown LA. “By 2018, 2019, it felt like Superchief had actually discovered its area of interest,” he instructed Hyperallergic.
That rising success took successful in 2020, when a fireplace attributable to an explosion in a neighboring constructing broken the gallery and compelled them to briefly shut. In 2022, Dunleavy and his crew reopened Superchief in a ten,000-square-foot (~3,048-square-meter) warehouse in South LA, which permits them to mount bold exhibitions that draw a whole bunch of holiday makers. Along with exhibits and performances, the house additionally hosts workshops, courses, and movie screenings.
The gallery has developed a powerful following primarily based on its dedication to “anti-elitist road tradition,” as Dunleavy places it, prioritizing artists and group over sheer revenue. “My objective is to have an artwork house that offers a path to younger those who don’t come from privileged backgrounds.”
Artist Isaac Psalm Escoto, also referred to as Sickid, who had his first solo present with Superchief in 2019, says he was drawn to the gallery for that democratic spirit. “It didn’t make you are feeling unwelcome or discriminated towards primarily based in your training,” he instructed Hyperallergic. “As an artist growing my craft in my teenagers, there was little doubt in my thoughts it was the place I wished to see my work.” After working with Superchief for a number of years, Sickid had a solo present at Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in 2024. “I’m very proud that he ended up with a solo at Deitch. I first confirmed him when he was 19 or 20 years previous,” Dunleavy mentioned.
Polo Cutty additionally started exhibiting with Superchief in 2017, collaborating within the meme-driven group present Peaches: A Black Web Expertise earlier than embarking on a multi-faceted artwork and media profession. “Invoice was the primary particular person to achieve out. I wished to point out in galleries, however I wasn’t used to that world,” the artist instructed Hyperallergic. “Superchief is a giant catalyst for artists who don’t essentially see themselves exhibiting in galleries. It’s such a necessity. It’s cool to have an area the place you possibly can actually go all out, be actual to your self.”
Regardless of the recognition of Superchief amongst artists and guests alike, Dunleavy says that artwork gross sales have been declining not too long ago, as have company sponsorships. Though a lot of the work that the gallery sells is priced at $2,000 or much less, its gross sales have been affected by the identical market downturn that has shaken blue-chip galleries. To complement artwork gross sales, Superchief has relied on sponsorships from media, skateboarding, and beverage firms, which have shifted to different markets like music festivals, in line with Dunleavy.
“Lots of people resonate with what we’re doing, however the enterprise mannequin wants to vary in an effort to be viable,” he mentioned. Though the gallery runs on a skeleton crew of Dunleavy plus two part-time workers, making lease has been a problem these days. “We have to pivot away from a conventional enterprise mannequin and make a gallery that’s extra useful as a group house and an rising artist incubation house.”
Earlier this yr, Superchief launched a Patreon, providing supporters free entry to ticketed occasions, artwork prints, digital publications, and merch, with plans for a podcast and video content material. Dunleavy says this brings in roughly $5,000 monthly from about 400 supporters. He added that it’s going to supply stability in the long run however doesn’t tackle the necessity for extra fast funding, which led him to create a GoFundMe on September 3. To date, the marketing campaign has raised simply over half of its $6,500 objective. The gallery may even be internet hosting a profit present tomorrow night, September 20, that includes work by over 200 artists, together with JJ Vilard, Erika Weitz, Ara Cho, Steve Gai, Will Carsola, and Creepygals.
“It’s time for the group to see the house as one thing necessary that exists within the now,” mentioned Sickid, “moderately than look again after it’s gone.”
