“The Semi-Permanent Lifestyle Art Show” will bring urban street art indoors for a change, at The Arts at The Armory this Friday.

By Sarah Levine

At a historic armory and Somerville landmark, new and innovative young talent is headed to the Center for Arts at the Armory this Friday, April 24 from 7 to 10:30 p.m. With the purpose of putting on an art exhibition that is unlike that found in the usual stuffy art gallery, the collective will focus uniquely on urban art.

The Semi-Permanent Lifestyle Art Show is a collective of 15+ artists spreading between Boston, New York, and beyond. Local artist and Lesley University senior Jeff Zeppieri organized and will head the display of unique and contemporary art that will range “in different aspects of urban art to photography and more,” according to the website for the Center of Arts at the Armory.

Artists include local talent as well as talent from the Lesley University College of Art and Design, formerly known as the Art Institute of Boston.

Upon asking Zeppieri about his inspirations to create an art gallery based around urban art, he replied, “I was inspired to bring urban art into the gallery scene because I feel as if this form of art is so temporary it often gets dismissed. Taking the raw work that these people put in on the streets and sort of extracting it into a place for a more permanent display really allows for a greater appreciation as well as the ability to show this work to a crowd which may not venture to the places this form of art resides.”

Zeppieri says that his own art comes from “all walks of life” and that he enjoys “creating work that can wholeheartedly speak for itself” and that is exactly the vibe that seems to be centered within this collective art gallery.

The artists will be able to display their work in many forms and see the remarkable talent that they have to share. Zeppieri also says, “Bringing raw, street aspect into the gallery scene is something that I have always wanted to do. It is finally starting to make an impact and gain interest, not as much in Boston as New York, but we’re getting there. I want people to know that there is so much more to art exhibitions. You don’t have to feel awkward in a stuffy, pretentious, multi million dollar establishment to see great art.”

Leave it to a place like Somerville, home to students, artists, young professionals, and all other walks of life to host an art exhibition that displays the talents of all of these people. This has been a project that has been in the works for many months and is sure to be a genuine representation of the passions of real young artists in Somerville and the surrounding areas.