Dark Art Emporium Says Farewell

Of all the posts I’ve done on the Dark Art Emporium, this one makes me sad to write. At the beginning of May, founder Jeremy Schott sent an email announcing the closing of the gallery. I couldn’t believe it. He, along with co-owner Jeremy Cross and gallery director Lauren Martin, felt it was the best decision to make. They recently hosted their final art show, “The Abyssal Zone: An Exploration of the Deep.” May 31^st will be the last day they’re open.

There was no way I could miss checking out DAE’s last exhibit and taking a final walk around the gallery. The establishment has had an exciting and colorful history, relocating a total of four times within Long Beach. They moved to their current location in downtown Long Beach a year ago. Except for the very first space they opened in 2016, I’ve attended shows at the last three spaces they occupied.

Since this is the final piece I’ll be doing on Dark Art Emporium, I wanted to pay tribute, in my own way, by doing a retrospective. I thought it’d be neat to share highlights from my years attending their art exhibits, including their most recent one. Let’s take a walk down memory lane, shall we?  

The Abyssal Zone

DAE descends into the depths of the ocean for their farewell exhibit. The group art show was curated by gallery director Lauren Martin and featured 16 pieces by a variety of artists. They included Patrick Thai, Dos Diablos, Beatriz Bradaschii, Martin de Diego, Raúl D’Mauries, Scum Choir, Kat Philbin, Das Machina, Misael Urquico, Kristen Ferrell, Ave Rose, Brian Serway, Brad Grey, Jermz Woodard and Min Ding.

The collection was a mix of ethereal and mysterious sea creatures that haunt the deepest parts of the earth’s waters. The centerpiece by Jermz Woodard titled The Symbiote showcased an electrifying organism with neon green eyes staring blankly into the abyss. This piece glows in the dark, so I imagine it would look awesome hanging in a dark hallway.

Ave Rose is an artist whose work I’ve been following for years. Her contribution, Amethyst Abyss, consisted of ethically sourced wet preserved specimens. The objects were encapsulated in a beautifully ornate glass jar. The amethyst eyes were a stunning detail.

Das Machina’s We are apt to shut our eyes to that siren until she allures us to our death paints a captivating story with just the title. I liked how the piece invites you to interact with it by peeking your eyes into the porthole for a closer look. It proves that the pull of the siren is too hard to resist.

I’ve had the pleasure of attending an exhibit featuring several works by Dos Diablos in the past. His piece The Emperor had glowing eyes and a crown of protruding horns. It was every bit fantastical. Patrick Thai is another artist whose paintings I’ve seen in person before, and he’s been featured in several art shows over the years. His painting, Walk on Water, was a small gem framed in gold. He created a mythical figure gliding on the sea who appears to be looking out at the moon and starry night sky.

After taking in “The Abyssal Zone,” I walked around Dark Art Emporium to peruse the rest of the oddities and morbid treasures. The gallery still has plenty of original artwork adorning their walls that’s for sale. I must admit that I always enjoyed the way the vibrant paintings popped against the black surfaces. It’s easy to get lost browsing the pieces.

They also have taxidermy, jewelry, human skulls, art prints, apparel and many other bizarre objects that are up for grabs. Plus, everything in their inventory is 25% off. I made sure to buy some art prints to add to my growing collection. They were the first art gallery that I ever bought art prints from, so I had to stock up on a few more one last time.

While I wasn’t able to see Jeremy Schott or Lauren, I was glad I was able to talk to co-owner Jeremy Cross and express how much I’m going to miss DAE. He was a great host any time the gallery would hold art show openings. He does own and run the horror pizzeria The 4^th Horseman in Long Beach, so he’ll still have his hand in delivering spooky experiences in the city.

All I can say is Long Beach will never be the same without Dark Art Emporium. It was the first dark art gallery I had visited and covered on Vamp Jenn’s Corner. The exhibits here exposed me to so much amazing artwork and inspired me to start my own dark art wall at home. I also met and connected with many gifted artists. I’ve written a lot about dark art on my blog and DAE was a significant part of that. I’m grateful for all the memories and experiences this place has given me. Speaking of which, here are a few.

D.W. Frydendall’s Haunted Mansion

This is where it all began for me; the very first art show I attended at DAE in 2018. I purchased my first art print, which was Madame Leota, and it’s currently hanging on my dark art wall.

Dakuato & 12 Inches of Wood

Dakuato introduced me to Japanese artist Meimaro. Words cannot describe how stunning her art is, but I did my best in this blog post. That evening, I met her and Ren Hoshi who is another highly gifted artist. Their pieces were presented alongside the provocative and sensual “12 Inches of Wood exhibit.”

Prone to Exaggeration

A fun art show highlighting the paintings of Rick “Dienzo” Blanco, Bob Doucette and Richard J. Frost. The exhibit featured a variety of vibrant, lively characters.

Vincent Castiglia: Autopsy of the Soul

When I heard that Vincent Castiglia is an artist who paints using his blood, the vampire in me knew I had to check out this art show opening. I had never seen art like his before.

Angel Dust

This exhibit showcased the work of a trio of artists: Rachael Bridge, Iva Troj and Meagan “Magpie” Rodgers. In the blog post, I think I describe it best when I say, “Each artist created a series of new pieces that collectively evoke a realm of morbid enchantment.”

Steven Johnson Leyba’s Fire Exhibit & Ritual

A memorable event featuring an artist who is ordained as a reverend in the Church of Satan. The night included a powerful ritual, which Leyba conducted half naked. It was a first for me!

Meimaro: Devotion Bound

Dark Art Emporium welcomed back Meimaro with this art show. This was the debut of the artist’s solo exhibit, as well as the grand unveiling of DAE’s new gallery space located inside The 4^th Horseman. A few days later, COVID happened and the gallery had to shut down for the next several months.

David Van Gough: Infernal-The Denouement

My first time back at DAE in over a year was for the opening reception of David Van Gough’s exhibit. This blog post is a bit different as it’s an interview I conducted with the artist about his new series. I was grateful to have had the opportunity to meet him at the event. He is so gracious and kind.

PeeMonster & Michele Melcher

An exhibit that featured PeeMonster’s “The Hybrid Children” and Michele Melcher’s “The Villagers.” These were two artists I didn’t know about before, so I’m happy this opening introduced me to the pair.

Karikatura: Emotional Landscapes & My Inner Monster

This was a special treat because the event spotlighted a Mexican female artist. Karikatura revealed a collection of pieces for “Emotional Landscapes” and curated the group art show “My Inner Monster,” which was displayed alongside her solo exhibit.

Dark Art Emporium’s Grand Opening on 1st Street

A year ago, DAE moved for the fourth and final time. I attended the grand reopening and loved the new space.

Farewell

Dark Art Emporium is open through May 31^st. If you’re local or will be in the area, please stop in for a chance to get your hands on some amazing artwork. And thank you for joining me on my adventures to DAE’s events over the years. I’m happy I got to share them here.

Where to Stalk

Dark Art Emporium official website