For decades, American Steel Studios supported some of the largest and most ambitious industrial art in the world. At the end of July and after 11 years there, we will be some of the last artist tenants to be displaced by the corporate real estate speculator who purchased the property in late 2021. You can read more at 48hills and broke-ass stuart.

 

Industrial art facilities in the Bay Area have become increasingly rare. After a months-long search, we're relieved to report that we have signed a lease with m0xy in East Oakland. Our shop is going to survive, and we can officially begin the move!

But, moving a shop like ours is not like moving your home. The money we're raising is unlikely to cover all of our expenses, but it will make this project possible.

m0xy is an industrial artist community built on the patterns established by spaces like The Box Shop, NIMBY, The Shipyard, and American Steel. It is owned and operated by people who support art and want it to stay in Oakland. We plan to stay there for a long time.

Who is Ardent? Who is Majorelle?

Ardent is an industrial art collective founded in 2004 with the slogan, "Engineering solutions for problems that don't exist." (Unfortunately, getting evicted is a problem that does exist)

Majorelle creates monumental sculpture as a vehicle to share skills, exchange ideas and build a diverse, knowledgeable, creative community.

We've been close collaborators for the past five years—sharing a workshop and many of our members and projects.

Some of the things built in our shop:

...along with many others. This year, we are quixotically bringing at least two projects to BRC '22 (maybe three!), and they're currently being constructed as the shop is dismantled around them.

 

Our goal in building large group projects is not just to create the art, but to build the community that makes the art possible. This means teaching people to use tools, to lead projects, and to think of themselves as artists.

 

In backing this fundraiser, you are making an investment in bringing more of this kind of art into the world and creating more of the artists who make it a reality.

 

What is the Ardent Shop?

Since 2004, Ardent has maintained a workshop for building large-scale artworks, with Majorelle joining in 2017. Our new space will be 1800 square feet and will provide metalworking, woodworking, paint, and electronics facilities.

In addition to large group projects, shop members use the facility to support our community's physical infrastructure in a wide variety of ways. The shop is involved in everything from circus rigging to motorcycle repair, art car flamethrowers to the occasional fake airplane crash.

Moving is stupid expensive

The funds we raise will cover moving expenses and the basic buildout of the new workshop. Big-ticket items like forklift rental and trucking for our shipping containers, code-compliant electrical, and double rent during the move are unfortunately not optional.

On a day-to-day basis, the Ardent Shop is paid for by its members. We do not raise funds for operating expenses—only to fund new art or to weather our moments of crisis.

When you support this project, you are helping to construct a quality fabrication facility, build a thriving creative community, and keep art in the Bay Area alive.

P. S.

Thank you so much to everyone who donated to our robbery recovery fundraiser ! Because of you, we were able to replace all the stolen tools and help out a few of our neighbors who got hit as well. You're amazing!