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Sitting on the top floor of an old silent warehouse, the room is an unlikely spot for a gallery. But, hidden above Carpenter Street just west of 12th, Factory 1241 manages to throb with unusual art: quirky sculptures, massive black-and-white photographs hanging from rafters, half-painted walls lined with butcher paper.

A year ago, this space became a local mecca for creativity with Art@Sophi. Serving as a cutting-edge, community-focused version of Old City’s First Friday, it beckoned artists of all media to come out of their hidden nooks and converge.

An idea mustered up by resident artists Michael Murray and Monika Turtle, Art@Sophi (named as a tribute to South Philly) honed in on local artists and art-supporters. Now, the second Friday of every three months, Factory 1241 and its neighboring apartments, galleries and lots come alive with bumping music, flickering lights, neon-colored paintings and fashion shows.

Sept. 8 marks the first anniversary of the project and, if it follows the path of those in September and December 2005 and March and June of ’06, it will consist of crazy art, light performances, live bands spilling onto the sidewalks and a party that goes deep into the night.

Turtle, who runs Factory 1241, has been manufacturing her own women’s clothing label for 13 years in this spot. Though living in East Falls, she spends more time in this 150-year-old building than at home — and it shows. The back room reflects the practices of a live-in designer: strips of fabric and found objects scatter the floor, a cat lazily pads around the drawing table and extravagant dresses made of torn fashion magazines and strings of white lights hang elegantly on mannequins.

Noticing a growing art population in her area last year, Turtle decided to combine forces. She hooked up with Murray, owner of White Couch, an "art room" that doubles as his apartment down the street at 933 S. 13th St.

"I had this really great space and I was doing [art] sales here periodically," Turtle said, "and Michael was like, ‘Let’s start putting artwork on the wall.’ And it kind of snowballed."

During Friday’s event, Factory 1241 will open its doors to the public at about 6 p.m. A sculptor and fanatic of colossal constructions, Murray has created a towering installation built out of wheels (which viewers can spin and move) and found objects (mostly from his block) that will loom over patrons as it sits in the middle of the studio.

Three other South Philly artists will join Murray in the show, which runs until Sept. 30. Gidalya Tashman brings photography installations to the studio’s walls, while painter JoKa exhibits his version of pointillism: seductive women in fiery colors created entirely with a toothpick. Julia Blaukopf rounds out the display with photographs capturing South Philly streets and buildings, which will be eerily illuminated from behind. Local group Absinthe Drinkers Anonymous (profiled in the Review’s "Fringe Benefits" Aug. 31) also will perform in honor of Factory 1241’s first time in the Philly Fringe.

White Couch, too, will exhibit its share of local talent and people can saunter down the street from Turtle’s space to catch a glimpse of sketch artist Mikey Wild, who is known to many as the "Mayor of Ninth Street" (and by a select few as "The First Punk Rocker," according to Turtle). Wild can be seen outside of Gleaners Caf�, 917 Ninth St., almost every day drawing colorful characters.


Encouraging local artists to get involved, Turtle and Murray maintain Art@Sophi is open to anyone with vision.

"If somebody wants to do something in the area, we try to stick Art@Sophi behind it, and it’s good to go," Murray said. "If someone was to say ‘I want to do a fashion show’ or ‘I want to put art on the walls’ or ‘I want to have a band,’ then it’s just an extension of the night. We’ll put it on the flyer — because that’s what it’s about."

This off-the-cuff mindset is a reflection of the budding art scene that has taken Bella Vista and surrounding neighborhoods by storm over the past year. Art of all shapes and sizes has been popping up in people’s basements, coffeehouses and backyards. Art@Sophi, Murray said, is trying to be the common vein, connecting an under-the-radar creative population.

"There’s this grassroots thing happening here, where people are capable of opening their living room up," Turtle said.

Many other unexpected spaces, such as Circle of Hope — a place of worship that houses a music venue-art gallery at 1125 S. Broad St. — and Slam Garden, a community lot at 12th and Carpenter that hosts Saturday cleanups, have jumped on the second-Friday idea. One time, Turtle said, The Compounds, an apartment complex next door to Factory 1241’s building, even had a spur-of-the-moment concert. "It was packed butt-to-bellybutton, there were so many people listening to music," she said.

Murray, Turtle said, was the "brainchild" behind Art@Sophi, since his passion for the surrounding creative community runs deep. The young sculptor shrugs off this compliment, crediting South Philly’s uniqueness instead.

"It’s unusual here," Murray said. "[Shows] happen whenever they happen." After looking at places in North and West Philly, he continued, this area seemed to be perfect for emerging artists. "[South Philly] is so rich in culture and such a diverse community." Plus, he added with a laugh, it has the necessities: "Iced coffee, great Mexican restaurants, beer takeout — what more could you want?"

Turtle agrees the different types of people serve as a perfect hub for creative expression. "We’re right in the middle of everything," she said. "There’s such an underground current of things happening and it’s great."

Art@Sophi’s goal, she continued, is simply to grab on to that wave and ride it. "We’re not trying to compete with anybody," Turtle said. "We’re just a couple of artists who know a lot of artists and we’re out there trying to put on really great events."

It seems Art@Sophi’s one-year birthday came at the right time, as South Philly, both Murray and Turtle believe, is on the verge of becoming one of the city’s art hot spots.

"There’s a lot of creative people around here, in South Philly," Murray said. "Art@Sophi just hopes to be able to add something."