By Aaris A. Schroeder
Editor-In-Chief
If you have been living the Midtown lifestyle, you have probably seen Kris Gupton; five-foot-eight, sporting an afro, coordinated fit and riding around with his Nerve Switchblade cruiser, The Kronic Queen. Kris G. opened up Shiny Nickel Art Gallery, thanks to his landlord September ’08, featuring urban artists such as Shane Grammer, Pete B. [of The Cuf], BJ, Drone, BJ, Marie Carmeli, Hailey Borchards [of Initial Signature], Crackbaby [of Forms in Flux and Donkey Tron Records].
Coined the Social Terradactyl of Midtown by H-5, bassist for Crazy Ballhead’s live band, Kris G. seems to have his networking down to a tee. Every month, Kris G. prints flyers for his Second Saturday events. The newly remodeled gallery located on 21st St. between O and P has an urban appeal, showing hip-hop, contemporary, pen and ink, tattoo-inspired as well as sculptures, photography and 3-D art.
“I had the opportunity to do something that I wanted,” says Kris G.
Second Saturday, July 11, ’09 was by far the busiest that Shiny Nickel has seen. There had to have been 200-300 people coming and going through the gallery. DJ Bobby Breaks was on the ones and twos and Sacramento-based roots, ska and reggae band The Storytellers kept the crowd grooving, breakdancing and dropping it like it’s hot all night long until 10 pm.
The future of Shiny Nickel looks positive as Kris G. wants to bring in more artists, visual and performing, including spoken word artists.
