Real Fine Arts

ABOVE: BEN MORGAN-CLEVELAND (LEFT) AND TYLER DOBSON NEXT TO ANTEK WALCZAKÂ?’S NOW Y UÂ?’RE I K, 2010. STYLING BY VANESSA CHOW.

OWNERS: Tyler Dobson, 29, and Ben Morgan-Cleveland, 29.

LOCATION: Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

FOUNDED: 2008.

WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE BECOMING ART DEALERS? We both grew up in New England and moved to New York to study painting at the Pratt Institute, where we met. After receiving BFAs in 2006, we worked as art handlers at Maccarone gallery and other places. We also made art.

WHAT WAS MISSING IN THE NEW YORK GALLERY SCENE THAT YOU THOUGHT YOUR GALLERY COULD OFFER? We wanted to create a space for art-related activities for ourselves and our friends.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? It’s a bit of a no-man’s land here. We are located right next to the BQE on the first floor of a chain of residential buildings. It’s across the street from a Staples, AutoZone, and McDonald’s. The closest subway is 15 minutes away. We like to think of it as a destination gallery.

WHICH ARTISTS DO YOU REPRESENT? At this point, the gallery doesn’t have a set roster. We have a group of artists we continue to work with such as Yuji Agematsu, Nicolas Ceccaldi, Jana Euler, Lena Henke, Mathieu Malouf, Caitlin MacBride, Sam Pulitzer, Antek Walczak, and others.

DOES YOUR GALLERY HAVE A SIGNATURE STYLE? Not a style, but a vibe. It’s a little off-the-wall, but don’t get us wrong, the artists are all very sophisticated. We have a reputation for being troublemakers.

WHY START A GALLERY NOW? In the future, everyone will have their own gallery.

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