THE GRAND BOHEMIAN GALLERY

55 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401

T ucked behind the primary reception for the Grand Bohemian Hotel Charleston lies an art gallery bursting with the most special works in all of Chucktown.

Curator Kaitlin Stanton maintains the gallery, which is ever-changing yet consistently cohesive. Between local and international artists, up-and-comers and big industry names, and artwork in virtually every medium imaginable, there is truly something for everyone in this gallery.

The Grand Bohemian Gallery perfectly embodies its motto: “Leave the familiar behind.” Every visitor knows Charleston by the water, boats, and historic sites–and most of the artwork around the city mirrors exactly that.

“But you’d be so bored if all you saw was what you thought you were going to see in town,” Stanton says.

Instead of traditional nautical landscapes, the Grand Bohemian Gallery features boat sculptures made with local driftwood across the room from pixelated pastel scenes of Charleston’s most well-known landmarks.

At the Grand Bohemian Gallery, every art piece has a story behind it. Taylor Redler of Visceral Homes honors her past through her art of acrylic, cement, charcoal, and plaster, which brings in donations for substance abuse and mental health disorders. From an anonymous Iranian artist, abstract portraits of women blur out only their faces, the one part of their bodies their government allows them to show. This artist sells to a Miami art dealer at risk of being caught for a chance to be seen.

Stanton knows her inventory inside and out, and her passing along these stories makes you appreciate the spectacular art so much more.

“My goal for the gallery is to make sure that every person who walks in this space can find something that makes them happy and changes their day,” Stanton says.

For some, that means simply perusing the gallery to let their mind drift from the bustling nature of downtown Charleston. For others, that means making a purchase and taking some magic from the Grand Bohemian Gallery to a new home. An open spot on the wall or a small orange sticker below a big painting signals that more art will cycle through the gallery for visitors to see.