Art galleries have been a fixture of cultural expression for centuries, but every now and then, a truly unique and innovative one emerges. Two years after its conception, ALLGORITHIM, brainchild of artist and film producer Tyler Santangelo, is growing wings. The gallery forefronts emerging contemporary artists and mingles them with blue chip works of established artists such as Damien Hirst.
ALLGORITHIM's vision is a tribute to its namesake, harnessing established artistry to lay the stage for the avant-garde. The gallery's ode is to nurture original talent. Applying a page from the playbook of social media algorithms to an industry that pulses on new and old icons may not be a novel concept, but the way Santangelo is doing it is turning heads.
The gallery might look different than its first-year breathing, and that's because it is. Breaking away from the conventional brick-and-mortar approach, ALLGORITHIM is adopting a more dynamic style for showcasing artists and hosting exhibitions. Enter the concept of "floating galleries" - exhibitions hosted in new and revolving spaces. This trend is gaining traction in the art world due to sustainability concerns and offers Santangelo the adaptability to host his shows from a divergent of locales.
Santangelo acknowledges the challenges that come with not having a fixed home base. He says, "Without a finite home-base, the main difficulty has been logistics. As long as everyone stays sharp throughout the process of coordinating, setting up, and the actual exhibition, things run smoothly. Timing is critical, particularly when it comes to picking when our shows will be. Before, we were programming events back-to-back like most. Now we have been a bit more methodical. I find this approach just as exhilarating as the brick-and-mortar method; it presents fresh challenges and opportunities for collaboration. It adds a new perspective to the whole process of art dealing. As long as the program remains true to our core vision, I'm all for it."
ALLGORITHIM is already building a cult following for itself, with a guestlist any club would covet. Jacob Elordi, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Toby Maguire have all wandered through their crisp white walls. The gallery has even closed private sales with notable figures such as Leslie Jones.
Coming off the heels of their recent collaboration with the Moxy Hotel for Level 8's grand opening event earlier this month, Santangelo was quick to announce yet another exhibition. On October 12th, ALLGORITHIM spotlighted the work of multidisciplinary artist Luke Haeger, showcasing the UCLA' alumnus's collection of paintings, drawings, and installations.
In his debut solo exhibition with the gallery, titled, 'Revolutionary Debris (From Icarus To Phoenix), Haeger takes us on a bizarre and breathtaking journey. In his own words, "These drawings are splattered, stretched, scattered, and hung as if haphazard trophies in a bedroom. Paintings, organized chaos, oscillate between completed works and unfinished revolutionary notebooks. Magical realism marries abstraction. Teenage angst meets commodified counterculture. Mind mapping collides with the inner child, longing to return to the room of unconditional love songs…"
Haeger comes with a backstory. After nearly completing a BFA from CalArts, he opted to drop out to join Praxis, a society-development company with the audacious goal of building a new city in the Mediterranean Sea. Haeger's valiant adventure out to parts unknown accords his talents for finding new intersections and methods to deliver visually, audibly, and conceptually his own revolutionary messages of "Total Freedom," as he passionately dubs it- "viva the wave." Haeger also makes music with Ky Newman in their joint project, faang.
It's Tyler Santangelo's discerning eye for boiling up new artists that molds ALLGORITHIM. He shared his excitement for his latest exhibition, stating, "This new exhibition is another step forward for the program, I truly believe Luke is a boundless artist whose work resonates with the culture of today yet will remain timeless."
Past exhibits have introduced talents such as Armando Franco, Marko Ristic, and Kai Cranmore, all of whom, Santangelo hosted inaugural showcases. Aside from ALLGORITHIM, Santangelo's
production company, 14 Sunset, kicked off just last September and is gearing up to release its first feature, "Freud's Last Session," starring none other than Anthony Hopkins, set to premiere December 22nd this year.
To keep up with ALLGORITHIM, visit their official website at ALLGORITHIM.com or follow them on Instagram at @allgorithim.
