Empty Storefront Becomes Art Gallery in Arlington Center

The sign above the unrented store space at 12 Medford St. in Arlington Center reads "Welcome Home Properties." But spiderwebs and an empty decor have given way to a new tenant: an art gallery.

The exhibit is part of the Arlington Windows Project, which organizers say is an effort to create non-commercial art galleries out of empty storefronts along Massachusetts Avenue.

Adria Arch, an Arlington-based visual artist, calls herself the exhibit's self-appointed curator. She is one of the people who contact landlords and ask them to use commercial space while the place is in transition between one tenant and the next.

"It's a chance to give artists a chance to show their work," Arch said.

Currently on display is "Object Oriented," an exhibit by Boston sculptor Karen Meninno. The piece is a combination of pillows patterned with drawings and photos transferred through digital printing, reflecting Meninno's Indian heritage.

The curator said similar exhibits have been successful at nearby towns and cities, including Somerville and other Boston suburbs. Her hope is to expand the exhibit to other parts of town, from East Arlington the Arlington Heights. 

"We have this place a month," Arch said, adding the exhibit runs until Sept. 6. "If the place still hasn't rented, we may put another artist."