Fluxx Gallery is Up Against All Odds

Wednesday, 30 March 2011 14:25

Shortly after the Coronado Hotel, located on the southeast corner of 9th Street and Fourth Avenue, went up for sale, the space next to it opened too. It was a mess: paint splattered across the floors and walls, lighting and plumbing problems. But for Dante Celeiro–former New Yorker and manager of Boys R Us–it was a dream come true.

It was 11 years ago this February when Celeiro packed up all his belongings and made the trek from uptown Manhattan to the Old Pueblo.

"I drove here in that god-forsaken, freakin' Ford Windstar Minivan–green, dark green. But it fit all my crap and Murray, my dog. So that is all that really mattered," Celeiro said.

The Tucson move made sense after the Italian and Afro-Cubano Celeiro visited a friend months earlier. He couldn't explain it, he just needed to be here.

Celeiro made a living as a contractor, working on both the interiors and exteriors of homes soon to be on the market. About mid-way through 2003, he became the manager of local gender bender group, Boys R Us, and later took over the group.

"Around that time, I did two silent art auctions for two chest surgeries, and that's how Fluxx started," Celeiro said. "But then, I didn't continue it, not because I didn't want to but because I got sick with Valley Fever. I lost my house, I lost my car, I lost everything."

Click to hear about Dante's near-death experience:

With his life crumbling around him, Celeiro, who identifies as a female to male transsexual, was forced to use up the savings he had accumulated for his own chest surgery in order to simply survive. He never gave up on Fluxx. There was a logo and a mission statement prepared, he just needed his health back.

"Once I started getting better, I really started focusing some energy on Boys R Us, because I realized it was really the key to this foundation (Fluxx). So I kept working on that," Celeiro said. "And then realizing when we hosted the International Drag King Extravaganza in 2009, 'O.K., we have to do this.' So here we are."

Celeiro happened to drive by the space at 414 E. 9th St. and looked it up online on a whim. But with no financial backing in sight, it seemed a lost cause. Boys R Us had plans to head to Baltimore for the International Drag King Extravaganza last October, and that venture in itself would have taken a financial miracle to work out.

"It was weird. Me, Rachel and Matt, in particular kind of knew that, we just weren't going. The finances weren't totally there but I was going to find a way to get us there, because that's what we do every year," Celeiro said.

When he walked into the space for the first time with the property owners, he said his "heart, everything" just dropped. He called his accountant right away, trying to find a way to make moving in even a possibility.

"I said, I found something and I have no idea what to do so we need to figure this out. So we sat down and we talked and essentially she said, 'OK, how much does it cost?' and went through all of that. She said to see if they are willing to negotiate," Celeiro said. "And I was like, 'What do you mean negotiate? There is no money. We don't really have anything. Maybe if we are lucky we can pay for the first month. And what we come in the first month and we are bare bones, what am I going to do here?' So, my accountant backed this up. But I'm in debt...so there is no room for failure."

The Fluxx Studio and Gallery, according to Celeiro, is definitely focused on the queer community but it is for everyone. He envisions it as a learning space where people can learn things they enjoy and showcase them, where queer youth can congregate for things like proms, as they might not feel comfortable in a normal school environment.

While they wait for their non-profit status to clear, they are kind of in limbo. They can accept donations but are not yet able to apply for grants. For now, Celeiro hangs by his fingertips.

"In May, we are going to host the Eon Prom. That is going to be great that they can dress up however they want, they can come with whoever they want...they will get to dance and interact with each other. You know have a good time. Do something they wouldn't normally be able to do at school," Celeiro said.

"So I feel like, 'O.K., I'm doing something.'"

Written by Emily Bowen