Mahan Gallery

Some friends and I stopped by here the other night during the Gallery Hop since one of the girls in our group knew the owners and wanted to say Hi! The staff was very friendly, stopping to talk with us. The artwork was beautiful but a bit out of the boy’s and my price range (He gave me a budget of $ 14.00-right!) and most were a bit smaller than what I’m looking for (anyone know of any nice, BIG pieces around town? I won’t stop at $ 14 this time).
They had complementary wine tastings (for a nominal fee because state law prohibits free) but after 2 VERY strong mint julips, I was done with the alcohol. I would have enjoyed a glass whilst looking at ht eart work so will definitely go back next time!

Mahan Gallery is a contemporary art gallery. Most of the time, I like what they’re serving. I’ve seen all kinds of artists show here, from the green newbies to old masters with new perspectives. This is some of the most affordable art in the district… not that that makes it cheap.
Sometimes I don’t understand it. I didn’t really like the Come on Down exhibit, which studied gameshows, or the collages from Art on Parth. But I was totally into the explosive art by Jimmy Baker, the mute 3D pieces by Andrew Schell and Rollin Beamish, and the technicolor geometrical optical illusions by Maya Hayuk.
You can often find performing groups like a string quartet in the gallery. The space can also be rented for private dinners.
It’s easy to walk past this gallery. It’s sandwiched between a metered parking lot and a real estate agency. The windows are usually very minimal without the hanging art or vibrant displays you’ll see elsewhere in the Short North. So seek Mahan out and decide for yourself. Be sure to go to more than one show as each rotation is completely different from the last.

During September’s Gallery Hop I saw a familiar name broadcast across the street at Mahan Gallery. That name was Maya Hayuk, one of my favorite contemporary artists. I dogged cars and certain death while I dragged my boyfriend by hand across the street. I was thrilled to see Maya Hayuk have a gallery opening in Columbus!
So maybe Mahan Gallery might be «hit or miss» to some, but they’re bringing some pretty talented names to Columbus. I’ll say this, whether or not I’ve liked the work shown at Mahan Gallery it has always been superbly presented utilizing the space to the fullest extent.

Probably my favorite gallery in the neighborhood. She works hard to make her gallery experiential. Gallery districts can get drab sometimes, so it’s refreshing to walk into a space that invites you, if only on occasion, to do more than just look at art on a wall.

I’ve only known about Mahan for the last two exhibits. The first had a superstition theme, I think. Lots of interesting imagery and a great presentation.
The second exhibit was called Pre-​fab and Fortified. This exhibit, I loved. Lots of mixed media including an embedded screen that revealed the street outside of the gallery in real time. Amazing paint as well as hand-​crafted «pre fab» designs.
Jacquie Mahan, the owner (part owner? not sure) is very cool despite running a high end art gallery. The staff has always been informative and accessible. And the prices? As far as I’m concerned the price tag is just part of the art. I don’t think I’m their target demographic.

I have to agree with Michael U on this one. I think this gallery is a hit or miss too but it could all boil down to individual tastes. Last night I was lured in by a quartet of violinists and could barely tear myself away BUT that is not typically the case. As an artist myself, I usually feel the need to pop into local galleries simply to see what’s going on in the city in terms of other local artists. However, if I had to choose, this might be my if-​I-​have-​the-​time stop rather than the i-​must-​make-​the-​time stop gallery. I feel quite bad for saying that but why does art gallery have to equal pretentiousness. Get a grip people.

The lack of a standing collection makes this gallery very hit or miss. The last 3 months have been serious misses despite some past decent showings. The staff walks around with their nose in the air and the price on the wall is often embarrassing given the quality of the painting hanging next to it. Additionally, their desire to sell (that’s right, not complimentary) wine often drags in far too many people.
Because they choose to push the envelope on occasion, I will go with 3 stars, but it is loose.

Mahan Gallery is always good. It continues to impress me with it’s choice of work. They really know what is up in the art world and aren’t afraid to push the limits of art. This is one of three galleries that I feel are worth visiting in Columbus.