Arkansas artists Kat Wilson and Sarah Leflar announced today they will open a new gallery in Fayetteville called the Bottle Rocket Gallery, at 1495 Finger Road. The gallery will open Sept. 20 in a building designed and built by Ozark craftsman Robert Runyan on the grounds of Gayeta Lodge, the home of Arkansas writer Charles Joseph Finger in the early part of the 20th century.
A fundraiser for the non-profit gallery will be held 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17. A press release from the gallery says it will show work that could be considered confrontational or controversial, and that its mission is “to create access for people in NWA to see the work of artists whose work, although important, would not otherwise be shown in this area.”
The first show will be “Makeshift Theatre,” photographs by Logan Rollins addressing homosexual identity and queer art. As with all its artists, the gallery will provide a travel and installation stipend to Rollins and he’ll give a talk while he’s here.