What comes to mind when you hear these phrases: young adults, art, New York City? No, it’s not an excerpt from Patti Smith’s Just Kids or another episode of "Art 21." It’s something most young artists only dream of, a gallery strictly dedicated to art made by teens in NYC.

Teen Art Gallery or T.A.G for short, is an effort curated and organized by a teen artist, Audrey Banks. The show, which opens tomorrow at the Open Center, 22 East 30th Street features 25 works by artists age 12 to 19 years old. The project looks to create an entrance to the increasingly competitive art world, but its beginnings are a lot more simple than its ambitions.

“T.AG started out as a personal thing,” Banks says. “My mom and dad were artists when they were young but as they got older they lost their passion. They didn’t have the time or energy. I want to capture the kind of art that is being made now by young people because right now there’s so much energy and passion and there’s no guarantee it’ll be around later.”

Banks hopes that the gallery will help bring these talented young artists into the public eye and serve as a type of time capsule of the Warhols and Mapplethorpes of tomorrow. For more information you can check out their website or facebook.

The Bay Area is surrounded by graffiti and its colorful styles. Unfortunately, people have a problem admiring the work because of its connection to gang violence.
If you are like me, we assume that almost every tag represents a name, color, or a gang’s territory.