The End of CPOP Gallery is Near

Both Dennis and I are very sad that CPOP Gallery is closing its doors some time next month.  Over the past 10 years, I’ve spent many hours inside this place (and probably even more outside of it, waiting for doors to open at the Magic Stick or Majestic Theater next door).  Since we heard the news, we’ve been wondering what’s going to happen next with the building and with CPOP’s plans to exist either somewhere else or online.  

Tes One "One Way"

Yesterday, gallery owner and artist Tom Thewes was on WDET’s Detroit Today.  He confirmed that CPOP’s reason for closing was purely economic, and that their resources could be better spent on something other than paying for the building’s cost.  CPOP.com is going to be their future home. He didn’t give any hints about opening another physical location.  But if People’s Records came back after their building and inventory went up in flames, I still have hope for CPOP.

Tom Thewes "EVELsketch2"

Their last show opens this Saturday, May 2 and runs through mid-June.  The list of participating artists is impressive, including Derek Hess, Shepard Fairey, Tara McPherson, Bask, and Tes One.  The available artwork that I’ve posted here and much more can be found on CPOP’s Facebook page.