In February of 2010, I was lucky enough to have the Awesome Foundation pick my project: a plan to turn an old vending machine into a miniature art gallery in the T. Unfortunately, at the time the project was contingent on getting MBTA approval, which I was unable to attain, so I never received the grant. I never stopped being excited about the core concept, and I’ve spent the last few years honing it until it reached its current (even better) form. The MBTA Is no longer involved, and I’ve secured the approval of the owners of the space as well as the Somerville Arts Council.

I will be creating a micro-scale museum enclosed within a box with a durable glass viewing wall. This gallery cube will be housed in the empty niche between two businesses (a common occurrence, and space that is generally ignored or gathers trash.) I have found an ideal location in a nook between The Independent and Subway in wonderfully diverse Union Square, Somerville.

The Micro Museum (or, “Mµseum”) will house regularly curated exhibitions of small-scale fine art work with a focus on local artists, and have an online presence with artist information, a photo archive, and downloadable PDF exhibition catalogs. All lighting will be solar powered. A locked, hinged facade designed to look like a classic museum front will frame the viewing wall, and display information about the current show, as well as direct viewers to the digital portion of the museum.

Way too often people reject the idea of checking out art for fun because art isn’t something they “understand.” Yet more steer clear of commercial galleries because of the pressure to buy, or the feeling of being watched or out of place.

I want art to be something that is approachable to everyone. By bringing art right up to the viewer, in an unstaffed, pressure-free environment (a place you’d be anyway, just walking down the street!), I hope to make art both physically and psychologically approachable.