Station North’s newest art venue opened to enthusiastic crowds on Friday, November 18 in a large brownstone that operated as a funeral home from 1914 through 2006. The building at 108 W. North Avenue has now been christened The Parlor by new owner John Renner, who plans to renovate the space in the future to include artist studios and a restaurant.
In the meantime, what better way to animate a theatrical building with a unique history than inviting a group of artists to make site-specific work and adding a pop-up bar? Working with Station North A&E and the Central Baltimore Partnership, independent curator Catherine Borg selected a group of Baltimore-based artists and performers to consider the building’s past and future. The result is a collection of sculpture, photography, and installation, which nimbly addresses the theme of death and afterlife in spaces that were originally intended for such purposes.
Opening night featured performances by Michele Blu, Carrie Fucile, and Brenton Lim. A closing reception is planned for December 17 with performances by Konjor Collective: Bashi Rose, Jamal Moore, and King Solomon. The closing will feature the return of the basement speakeasy bar, which served cocktails on opening night from No Land Beyond, a boardgame bar located up the block, with mixologist Ciara Newton.
