Co-Lab Project Space

I’ve been to co-​lab twice in the past week. Both times, they proved to have a beautiful space with big fire pits and free drinks, which is much to their credit. The first visit was for the show «Soft Chop,» which was well-​executed but boring. Meh.
The second outing was for what I thought was a solo comedy show. I arrived with a couple friends. Disappointed that there were no fires, we asked one of the staff if we might start one in the big fire pit, and he told us to go for it. We stayed there, tending fire, for the rest of our stay. For posterity, note that this was several feet behind the back lines of the medium-​sized audience. We chit-​chatted until the show started, and continued to chit-​chat, laugh at the jokes, and remark on the performance during the show, at what we thought was a reasonable volume.
Suddenly a man (whom we later discovered was the guy who runs co-​lab) came up to us and told us to shut up or get out. It seemed a bit strange, since we were pretty far away from the stage, but hey, his rules. We quieted down, but it was hard to enjoy the performance while he stood next to us and shot us dirty looks when we cracked up at the (legitimately funny) stuff the guy on stage was doing. It got to the point where we were cracking up BECAUSE he was glaring at us for cracking up.
This was too much for him, and he, I shit you not, started threatening us with physical violence. For laughing. At a comedy performance. He slapped a beer out of my hand, and a few folks started getting in our faces. We left.
Co-​Lab seems like a decent facility. But it’s hard to recommend a place where the proprietor is that unpleasant.

I’ve been to a few openings at this gallery and while all the exhibitions aren’t «my thing» (you can’t possibly expect that,) they are all always well done. This space has a great concept and I am glad they are here. I try to go to all of their events to show support and they show a wide spectrum of styles. The ability of people to apply to exhibit there engages the community and separates the people who are really devoted to their work from those who are not.
The crowd there is generally small and I simply go see the work and usually leave. I frequent many galleries around town, and am comfortable in art spaces. But I do always wonder if they expect to draw in the general public, if they want to or not, or if they want to be a space for people already in the art industry.
Hopefully, as the space gets bigger and more well known it won’t seem like such a club. Almost all galleries seem to have some of that and I’m always aware of the ability (or lack thereof) of the gallery’s proprietor in welcoming guests.