Last year you could listen to a sermon, but today you can drink a cosmopolitan while viewing art: The Bar of Modern Art is located in a building that was originally a 19th-century Baptist church. A few weeks ago, the bar, restaurant and art gallery held the grand opening of its exhibition space.
Located where I-71 intersects with Broad Street, the former church lights up with spotlights that spell out BoMA. The gigantic stained-glass window faces the freeway as if encouraging drivers to exit and check out this Columbus landmark. All of the old church’s architecture remains intact; the entrance is the same as when churchgoers passed through.
Once inside, the feeling of being at church evaporates. On the left, a doorway leads to the first art exhibit. Metal sculptures stand in the middle of the room and oil paintings created by Italian artist Mario Madiai hang on the walls. Viewers sit in white leather chairs, enjoying drinks and admire the scenery.
Cocktails, martinis and wine are served in the main lounge area at one of BoMA’s three bars. Blown glass decorates the panels of the bar. Twentysomethings chat while sipping on pastel cocktails.
Next to the bar, a dance floor has replaced pews. Jazz plays loudly; those seated around the dance floor get up and dance to the music. Three pieces of live art, who were also women, dance in the middle of the floor. They moved like robots, wore fishnet stockings and tutus and their faces were painted like mimes’.
Dividing the dancing mimes and the bar was a showcase of blown glass shaped like drinking glasses created by Jacob Stout, a Columbus native. More blown glass was the work of Anthony Gelpi, an artist who worked under noted glassblower Dale Chihuly.
Techno music, graffiti and an icy blue bar give the basement an underground feel. It lives up to its “Graffiti Lounge” title with graffiti art by Jeremy Nichols covers the walls in one half of the basement. The other half was where people dressed in deep colors chatted over “black bulls” and “BoMA martinis.” The concrete floor echoed the already thunderous dance music.
Two flights up was the “White Leather” room. Dennis Stock, the photographer who captured one of the most famous photos of James Dean, had his work from the mid-1950s on the walls.
“It was a challenge and a collaboration,” Stock said about his working relationship with Dean. “He acted as the actor, I as the director. I never knew the photos I took would create such excitement.”
Fifty years ago, Stock followed Dean on his travels through New York, Hollywood and Dean’s hometown of Fairmount, Ind. Black and white photos of Dean from all over the country hang in the room; the most famous, taken in the rain in Times Square, was placed by the entrance.
White leather Art Deco chairs were grouped in every corner, providing a welcoming feel as guests ate appetizers and drank at a third bar. Artist Drew Ernst sat here with two friends. His chair faced two of his immense oil paintings that were hoisted almost to the ceiling.
“I come to gallery showings to see the reactions of people when they view my work,” he said. “I like to show my work to make a statement.”
His realist paintings stood out from the photographs because of their size and warm colors. Ernst’s work will be at BoMA until December.
BoMA will also be opening a restaurant with filets and specialty desserts on the menu. One of the assistant chefs was walking around the main lounge area handing out samples. He said the kitchen would be receiving fresh seafood daily. The BoMA Web site describes its culinary theme as “New American with an international flair.”
