1708 Gallery

Previous Programs

Wearable Art

For 14 years, 1708 Gallery organized Wearable Art, a creative fusion of fashion, sculpture, media and movement. The purpose of the program was for students to gain an understanding of fashion as fine art and fine art as fashion through the creation of a wearable art piece. The program introduced students to all aspects of design, creation, and exhibition while allowing them to compete for scholarships and encouraging greater public involvement with the arts.

Each year, students and professionals from the creative community were invited to submit their designs. A group of jurors selected the winning pieces of wearable art which were presented in a fashion show at the Wearable Art event and gala. In 2008, Wearable Art became a part of InLight Richmond and became known as Wearable Art InLight. All designs had to be related to light and were presented in a fashion show during the annual InLight Richmond event.

Wearable Art lives on in Richmond as the concept has been incorporated into the programing of organizations including Virginia Commonwealth University's School of the the Arts and Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The Changing Faces of Richmond

The Changing Faces of Richmond project engaged inner-city middle and elementary school students with art. Professional artists led the after-school program, teaching students to document aspects of self and community through a variety of photographic processes. Through art and photography, the students explored their dreams and aspirations, discovering who they want to become and how to achieve their goals while contributing to their community. 47 students from 4 different elementary and middle schools participated in the program over 2 years.

Over the course of the program, the students' work was exhibited throughout the Richmond area. Venues included Richmond City Hall, Richmond Main Branch Library, Capitol One, 1708 Gallery and individual schools. The exhibitions broadened artist dialogues and strengthened the self-esteem and potential growth of these young artists

By introducing these students to art as a means of self-expression and then providing a venue to share their accomplishments, this project afforded a valuable opportunity for young students to gain appreciation for the arts and confidence in their own creative abilities. Eighth grader Antwoine Coleman wrote, "I think this project made me a better person [and] helped me to think more about what I want to be when I grow up."

Go Fish!

Hundreds of fantasy fish, each more than 5 feet long, were swimming all over Richmond between May and September 2001. Go Fish! was conceived by 1708 Gallery and organized in partnership with the City of Richmond and various organizations. The project was modeled after the highly successful Cows on Parade exhibition in Chicago.

200 rockfish were exhibited throughout downtown Richmond and beyond. Each fish was painted, adorned or decorated with original designs created by Richmond amateur and professional artists. Themes ranged from Egyptian Pharaohs and Faberge Eggs to Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.

After the exhibition, the fish were auctioned off benefiting a variety of non-profit organizations including 1708 Gallery.

Go Fish! was the largest public art exhibition in Virginia history.