Letter from the Director, Merijn van der Heijden

I always think about art as a medium, a conduit. It forms neutral ground where people can listen, be vulnerable, and learn about themselves and others. Art is a facilitation mechanism for conversations surrounding social and political issues, and arts organizations have a responsibility to reach out, engage communities, and build those conversations—to help people feel more connected and open to seeing the world in new ways.

I have been at Urban Arts Space almost ten years now, and I initially joined the team as Deputy Director of exhibitions and curatorial practice. Then and now, Urban Arts Space and Hopkins Hall Gallery are excellent representations of how Ohio State is a bridge between artists and the broader community, creating accessible and dynamic art spaces that inspire discussion, collaboration, and growth. We encourage artists to experiment with their work, and we invite visitors to collaborate, examine their viewpoints, and reimagine the world around them. The development of Hybrid Arts Lab and Summer Series showcase how our galleries have transformed over the years to champion experimentation. We value open access to the arts, right down to admission, which is always free.

The historic Lazarus building in downtown Columbus has been the home of Urban Arts Space since 2008. I doubt anyone would have expected that an old department store could metamorphosize into a 10,000-square-foot gallery space with its own distinct character and atmosphere. From the street level, you can look down into the gallery space, as if peering into another world of spatial transformations, or geography expressed through movement, or shared rainbow confetti. Inside, you’ll find a corridor often lined with artwork, leading to our expansive upper and lower gallery spaces.

It is in those spaces that I came to know the excitement when a project has come to fruition, of knowing when all the art in an exhibition finally sings; I feel moved by the work on display through the deeper knowing and sense of connection it encourages any viewer to embody. I specifically remember the Start at Home: Art from the Frank W. Hale, Jr., Black Cultural Center Collection exhibition in Autumn 2017, when we worked closely with The Ohio State University’s Hale Center. The project relied on a huge team effort and countless of hours of interviews with Larry Williamson, Hale Center director and curator of the collection, mining stories about the individual artists, their work, and their relationship to the Hale Center. The exhibition spanned multiple venues across campus and in the community and brought to light the Hale Center’s deep connections with artists and the power of community. Inspired by the advocacy, commitment, drive, and fearlessness of several visionaries—including Dr. Frank W. Hale, Larry Williamson, Jr., Dr. Ike Okafor-Newsum, Robert and Bettye Stull, and Michele and Pheoris West—this project helped determine the course of our current work and direction at Urban Arts Space.

Through art, we can reflect on our emotions, step back from slogans, and focus on the complex questions and history that lie beneath present-day struggles. Art can bring people together, tell stories, teach empathy, and engage individuals and groups with different points of view. Most of all, art allows us to imagine new possibilities for how to build a community.

Across 2023, please join us in celebrating Urban Arts Space’s 15^th birthday as we reflect on the past fifteen years and look toward the future. We will honor previous exhibitions, spotlight local artists, create behind-the-scenes videos, and launch the colorful rebranding of Urban Arts Space. All of these exciting endeavors will culminate in a birthday celebration in October. We hope to see you there!

With gratitude,

Merijn van der Heijden

A small sampling of the remarkable projects Urban Arts Space has had the privilege of bringing to life:

• Charles A. Csuri: Beyond Boundaries, 1963­–present in 2010
• Bebe Miller: Tracing History in 2012
• Constructing James Castle in 2013
• Fragments of an Unknowable Whole in 2014
• Open This End in 2015
• The Legacy of Imperial Beijing and Engineering Utopia in 2017
• Pattern Thinking in 2018
• From the Language of Ash: A Reading Series in 2018–19
• Impermanent Durations in 2019
• Hybrid Arts Lab and Summer Series in 2020–ongoing
• Side Effects: Paintings by Patrick McDonnell 2016–2021 in 2021
• Tapestry: Narrating a New Thread in 2022