An art complex in Albuquerque’s Barelas neighborhood suffered damages and is temporarily shuttered after a fire broke out earlier this month. Sections of the nonprofit Fourteenfifteen Gallery, its Alpaca event space, and the adjoining Minnow music venue caught fire in the early morning of November 2 when an alleyway erupted in flames, a spokesperson for Fourteenfifteen told Hyperallergic.
While the building remains intact, smoke and water destroyed artists’ supplies, including electronics, tools, plinths, and supplies belonging to the documentary production company Basement Films, as well as printed materials, exhibition ephemera, and “other objects of sentimental value that are harder to replace,” the organization said.
The Albuquerque Fire Department said in an Instagram post that the fire was contained within 50 minutes and nobody was injured. The cause, the statement continues, is unknown and was not investigated. According to Fourteenfifteen’s spokesperson, there is no estimate for when repairs will be completed, but the organization’s GoFundMe has raised $10,000 for repairs since it was launched last week. The complex is located in a historical district along the famed Route 66, that is home to the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
Fourteenfifteen and the Minnow are run by members of LoA, a collective of curators and artists. Last year, the organization’s curatorial team told Hyperallergic that they launched in 2018 to engage underrepresented and experimental artists. The building, according to Fourteenfifteen’s website, has belonged to various artist-run spaces for more than 20 years.
Fourteenfifteen was slated to open Ladmo: An Exhibit That Bears A Striking Resemblance to A Retrospective, with works by artist Bryan Konefsky, last week, but was forced to close its doors pending repairs. The collective has hosted puppet shows, mutual aid-generating events, and inaugural launch parties for zines like BorderPlex, which platforms queer and trans Borderland artists.
“We are currently in the process of itemizing materials and damages and are tremendously grateful for your financial support via our Gofundme and various raffles and upcoming benefit shows which we will rely on to replace what was lost,” Fourteenfifteen said in a statement to community members shared with Hyperallergic. “These third spaces are the very fabric of a flourishing and vibrant community and we are grateful just to be a small part of this wonderful history.”
