Adam Bateman, former director of now closed CUAC, a contemporary art gallery based in Utah for 13 years, is launching a new project called ‘the flat file.’
The flat file is a collection of artworks on paper by more than fifty Utah-based artists that exists in a physical flat file—a filing system for unframed artworks—and also exists online.
After the quarantine, the physical location of the flat file will be announced, but in the meantime, art enthusiasts, collectors both serious and casual, and curators can browse the work of many of Utah’s most successful contemporary artists.
The project is based on successful models in New York City and Los Angeles, but is especially fitting for Utah for a variety of reasons. 1) The most successful of Utah artists exhibit their work on the coasts and their price points greatly exceed the typical art market in Utah—having works on paper is a way to have access to those artists’ work at affordable prices; 2) Utah has a particularly strong printmaking and drawing community due to excellent programs at Snow College, BYU, Weber, Utah, and Utah State; 3) as a result of price point, and as a result of the art community in Utah, there are limited galleries where a contemporary artist can exhibit her work—the flat file consolidates all of them in one place.
In addition to the works on paper, art collectors and curators can go through the flat file to find larger works by the artists in the collection.
Adam Bateman has 15 years’ experience working as a gallery director and curator and has received press for his curatorial and community efforts in The Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune, Slug Magazine, City Weekly, New York Times, Flash Art, Art Forum, and many other outlets. As an artist he has exhibited in every major art museum in Utah and in art museums and galleries around the globe.
Check out their instagram @theflatfileslc
The complete list of artists:
Allan Ludwig
Aloe Corry
Andrew Rice
Ben Sang
Brooklynn Johnson
Casey Jex Smith
Cara Despain
Cara Krebs
Christian Michael
Christopher Lynn
Craig Cleveland
Claire Taylor
Daniel Everett
David Chapman Lindsay
David Raleigh
Emily Fox King
Heather Stamenov
Jacob Haupt
Jane Christensen
Janell James
Jared Lindsay Clark
Jared Steffensen
Jean Richardson
Jiyoun Lee-Lodge
Jonathan Frioux
John Bell
John Spoul
Josh Winegar
Justin Diggle
Kasey Lou Lindley
Laura Sharp Wilson
Lenka Konopasek
Lewis Crawford
Lou Shafer
Mary Toscano
Matthew Choberka
Molly Morin
Nolan Flynn
Patrick Durka
Paul Vincent Bernard
Peter Everett
Rob Mellor
Ruel Brown
Sandy Bruvand
Sean Morello
Skyler Simpson
Sri Whipple
Stefanie Dykes
Steven Larsen
Trent Alvey
Trent Call
Ya’el Pedroza
Adam Bateman