By Sarah Morgan
Bridgeport’s City Lights Gallery will unveil a satellite pop-up space in downtown New Canaan on Saturday, March 9, featuring a vibrant exhibit titled “Sensory Overload.” This unique endeavor marks the 20th anniversary of City Lights Gallery and aims to foster community engagement through art while showcasing the talents of artists from the Bridgeport area.
The Bridgeport Art Trail, now in its 20th year, is a renowned city-wide open studio arts celebration held annually in November in Bridgeport, CT. The project serves as the creative foundation for “Sensory Overload.” The exhibit will feature works by 20 exhibiting artists, each contributing to the sensory richness of the collection.
Among the artists showcased in “Sensory Overload” are Carlos Biernnay, Elisha Brockenberry, Vincent Calenzo, and Will Corprew. Their contributions span a spectrum of styles and mediums, reflecting the vibrant artistic landscape of Bridgeport.
Suzanne Kachmar, the executive director of City Lights/Bridgeport Art Trail, described the project as a “cross-county social experiment.” The pop-up space aims to unify individuals from diverse backgrounds through the universal language of art. She elaborated on the goal of creating a physical presence of Bridgeport arts and culture in downtown New Canaan. “The goal is to bridge the cross-county divide, introduce Bridgeport arts and culture to the New Canaan community, and provide opportunities for Bridgeport area artists and organizations,” Kachmar explained.
The Meet the Artists Opening Reception for “Sensory Overload” will be held from 5:00 to 8:30 PM on March 9th at 84 Main Street in New Canaan, home to the former Jean Jacobs Gallery. The reception will create an opportunity for attendees to immerse themselves in the diverse collection of artwork. In addition to the art, the reception will feature light bites, refreshments, and live music from local musicians- singer-songwriter Elle Sera and the Rick Reyes trio. Following the reception, the gallery will be open to visitors in the afternoon Thursday through Sunday through late April.
City Lights & Company is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that serves the community through art. Lead sponsors Libertas Funding LLC and Jack Trifero have provided crucial support for the project, enabling City Lights Gallery to extend its creative reach beyond Bridgeport’s borders into the heart of New Canaan.
For those interested in donating, checks can be made to City Lights & Company, 130 Elm St, Bridgeport, CT 06604, or at BridgeportArtTrail.org. For more information about the organization, the upcoming pop-up, and the Gallery, please visit clgallerybpt@gmail.com.
