Flotsam

The unofficial launch date for this contemporary art space is mid-​October, but the venue has been making underground waves in the art and music category since spring. Something is happening there. No one is altogether sure why this place works, but it does. We think the resident art collective that founded the studio space is only doing this because no one else is. There seems to be one hell of a demand for it though. Praised by bicycle-​riding hipsters, Schlitz-​drinking indie darlings, and second-​hand fashion kids of every variety, Flotsam studio parties have nearly achieved cult status and the red ribbon hasn’t even been cut yet.
Featuring bizarre sculptural works, nerdy art objects and eccentric collage, the priorities here are clear: keep the scene small but keep the scene alive. Aside from the artwork (which is concentrated and minimal) the space boasts American red brick walls, a vaulted tin ceiling and decorative stylings that are decidedly homemade. With books and sneakers suspended from the ceiling, tumbleweed chandeliers and vinyl records serving as a window blind, the place seems less like a traditional art gallery and more like an homage to DIY culture.
Located near the intersection of Swiss Avenue and Hall St., Flotsam is the brainchild of resident artists Evan Horn, Elliott Horn and Cody Ross, but the list of contributors is not only long, but inspired. With the closing of Trees, Gypsy Tea Room and other medium-​sized music venues in Dallas and Denton, this gallery/​music hall has hand-​selected bands and party anthems that attempt to articulate where most of us wish Dallas was going. One thing is certain, when this neighborhood scene is operating at full volume, the participants are very present, the energy is palpable and the zip-​code is rendered irrelevant. Dig.