Press: JCREPORT.com

Mini Market Goes Big

August 13th, 2008 - San Francisco

Thanks to London's Portobello Road, Paris' Les Puces and Sydney's Paddington Bazaar, markets are highly regarded as hotbeds of art, fashion and commerce. Now, thanks to San Francisco's Silverman Gallery, Look Boutique and design collective Citizen:Citizen, the Bay Area has a destination market of its own.

The three entities have joined forces to present Mini Market, a month-long project that recreates the camaraderie and creative exchange of a great flea market. "We wanted to show artists and designers we love, but can't fit in our already tight exhibition schedules," says Jessica Silverman, whose eponymous gallery shares space with Carolina Amaris' avant-garde lifestyle boutique, Look. "It’s all about opening up a platform for new ideas and discussion," she adds.

Citizen:Citizen's Philip Wood has designed a massive wooden "market stall" installation—filled with merchandise from a roster of emerging art and fashion talent—to greet visitors as they enter the space. Patrons can peruse wares like limited edition prints of Ari Marcopoulos' skate photography, vintage garments from Nasty Gal and sunglasses from Benjamin Eyewear, alongside the design collective's gold-dipped Coke Spoon collection and Quilt.

There's a series of events planned for the month to bring a market-inspired buzz to the space: tarot readings as well as nail art by local artists, and a talk on the intersection of punk music and fashion. As if this weren't enough, the crew is already planning to take their format on the road, with talks in the works for New York, Los Angeles and Miami Mini Markets. We just hope the Portobello traders are taking notes.

—Erin Magner