Written by Glen Warchol Saturday, 05 March 2011 21:32

Ephraim Galleries Brings Visitors To Their Contemporary Art Exhibitions By Bus In Utah

Utah (The Salt Lake Tribune). - In Salt Lake City, more than 50 people board a “party bus” that will haul them two hours south to Ephraim, where in an 130-year-old grain mill, they will see what is probably the edgiest art in Utah. That the Central Utah Art Center (CUAC) has dreamed up using a tour bus, complete with beer and video art onboard, to lure Utahns to its gallery is evidence both of the isolation of the CUAC and its creative drive. “It’s about creating critical mass,” says Adam Bateman, CUAC’s board president, Ephraim native and nationally known sculptor. In 2004, Bateman returned from New York City to his Sanpete County hometown (population 4,500) and took over CUAC (pronounced “Quack”), which had been a local art cooperative mostly showing landscapes.

“Salt Lakers have trouble seeing beyond the edge of the valley, north or south,” Bateman says. “It surprises me that people aren’t willing to drive short distances to see this caliber of art.”

Hence, the big pink-and-blue 'Le Bus' rolls out of Salt Lake City on the second Friday of every month, stopping in Provo to pick up another half-dozen contemporary-art lovers. On the bus, patrons are greeted by board members Jorge Rojas and Mikell Stringham, who want to make the two-hour monthly trip a rolling salon.

Passengers, who appear mostly young and hip, are treated to a local microbrew beer and can bring their own wine and dinner. Besides the gallery opening, a low-key concert awaits them in Ephraim, the whole trip just $15.

The CUAC are currently showing 2 exhibitions, at the main site, "Camera Vivant" features works by  Kuba Bakowski, Allison Berkoy, Leonor Caraballo, Abou Farman , Andrea Galvani, Narcissister, Julian Opie, Bec Stupak and Andrea Wolf, at the CCASpace they are showing a selection of local photographer Jeff Larsen's atmospheric works. Visit the CUAC Gallery at ... www.cuartcenter.org

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