Tenant Profile - Tiger Strikes Asteroid
What is Tiger Strikes Asteroid?
Tiger Strikes Asteroid is a 501c3 non-profit network of independently programmed, artist-run exhibition spaces with locations in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Greenville, SC. Our goal is to collectively bring people together, expand connections and create community through artist-initiated exhibitions, projects, and curatorial opportunities. We seek to build an ethos of cooperative achievement in the visual arts, creating the physical and emotional space for artists to show their work and exchange ideas on their own terms. Our artist-run model expands the artist’s role.
What are some of the more memorable exhibitions you’ve hosted?
Our most memorable show for me was the one that got stolen on the way to the gallery. This was several years ago. We were hosting a collective from Austin. We still put on a show, which was only achieved by everyone pitching in and bringing new artwork on the plane. Luckily we had insurance!
I also have a soft spot for our international exchanges with Berlin. They are large scale with upwards of 50 galleries participating. We hosted the return exchange in LA this past July and used The Bendix as our main hub. This year we are doing something similar with alt space in Sweden.
Another international project we are proud of is our 5x5 exchange which was also with Berlin. We took all five TSA spaces from around the country and matched them with five spaces in Berlin, last year in 2022. In exchange, each TSA space is hosting their counterpart gallery in their respective city, here in the US.
Our most recently completed exhibition showcased the two artist/ curators that run Horse & Pony who hosted TSALA in Berlin. The images we have here are installation shots from their exhibition.
What's great about our exchanges is that it gives our members and our counterparts a chance to show their personal work, connect with like minded folks, and build long lasting, meaningful (and hopefully fun) relationships.
What brought you to the Bendix building and what do you like about it?
The Bendix is nice looking and the bathrooms are clean. Also free street parking after 6pm is a magic unicorn in this city. That was what drew us there. What's kept us there, is how great our community is and how easy and awesome the management is to work with. During lockdown we've exhibited in the back parking lot and also the roof. Super fun.
What does the future hold for you and TSA LA?
I think we will continue to experiment with the structure of what a show can be and hopefully reach out to an even broader audience as we go. Community is good for everyone and the more eyeballs we can get to look at our artists, the better.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Come check us out! We work with 5 other spaces in the building and have new shows up every 6 weeks or so. You can follow us on IG @tsa_la
Editor’s Note
Tiger Strikes Asteroid and more will be celebrating new openings this Friday, March 24th from 7-10 pm at Bendix.