The Look Listen: A Contemporary Art Gallery for the Modern Age
Nestled on Main Street between the many restaurants and bars of Manayunk, Philadelphia, is the spacious, sun soaked building that houses the neighborhood’s newest art gallery— The Look Listen.
As I walk inside for a Saturday afternoon viewing (this particular showcase on view is a series of Earth Day themed pieces, featuring work from various artists), I’m immediately greeted by the warm, friendly co-owner Mike, and welcomed into the bright, airy gallery. It feels serene, open, and well set up for taking your time browsing various pieces of art at your leisure.
The upstairs strikes me the same, with even more light pouring into the gallery space in the loft-like area at the top of the staircase; the walls lined with works by various artists, both mixed media and more traditional paintings, photos, and the like. It feels like art at my own pace— not stuffy or too sterile like some ultra-modern galleries— and I feel that I could spend hours here just losing myself in the beautiful works of art all around.
That said, I do spend a long time browsing the pieces at my leisure before heading back downstairs, and asking Mike, the co-owner, some of the questions that came to my mind while I browse the bright, open spaces.
A Q&A with The Look Listen Gallery
First, I ask Mike a series of more introductory questions, such as:
Q: What is your background, and what drew you to the art world?
A: “I actually have a tech marketing background, which is why I came to Philly in the first place— for a job in that industry. Prior to that, though, I got into the art scene in the Chelsea neighborhood in NYC as a side-gig, and helped multiple galleries out in different capacities. So it was always a passion of mine.”
Q:What inspired you to open up shop here in Manayunk?
A: Well, I live here, so giving to back to the community was important— I looked at some places in Chestnut Hill and East Falls, but ultimately when this space became available it just felt right. Plus, finding the pulse of the art scene in Manayunk that used to be here in the 80’s feels like a welcome addition to Main Street, and my partner, son and I want to create an accessible, artist-friendly space for multiple people to showcase art in various forms right here in the neighborhood.”
Q: What sort of artists do you seek out? What is that process like?
A: A lot of it is organic, then outreach through some local avenues and people we know. We also lean into the E-commerce and digital space, so we find some artists that way. Our main goal is to be as flexible and artist friendly as possible, so that gallery to artist relationship is really important to us.
Q: What can the public expect to see happening at The Look Listen over next few months?
A: Actually, one of the artists that has a few pieces here currently, Jake Dombrowski, is working with us on another showcase called “Legacy.” It’s all about the things we leave behind— so that will be really cool. We also want to get into the music and live performance space, and we’re working on a Chris Staples live show here in the gallery. Actually, we were at a Chris Staples show when my partner felt our son kick for the first time— so that’s a neat connection we have to him as an artist.
Why you should visit (or work with) The Look Listen
The familial connection— the artist-forward philosophy— the welcoming atmosphere and the gorgeous spaces; what’s not to like about The Look Listen? I will certainly be back to view the next showcase, and you should check it out, too! Plus, if you’re an artist, you’d be hard pressed to find a locally-owned gallery as dedicated to artists and their craft.
Xoxo,
MM.
