Always an energetic and packed affair, the 2011 opening of AWOL Gallery's annual Square Foot show was no exception. Artists, collectors and and other observers crammed into to Twist Gallery — which served as the main venue — to get a glimpse at just what the participating artists were able to pull off with the 12 x 12 x 5 inches of space they had to work with. Presented in huge grids that lack thematic connection, you'd think each piece would get lost in the general plot, but that's oddly not the case. Somehow the tightly spaced grid layout actually works to highlight the nuances of each work.

All of the pieces — regardless of the artist's experience — sell for $225, of which half goes to the gallery and half to the artist. The focus here is obviously on emerging talent, but there's always a few more experienced/well known artists to be found in the mix. And with hundreds of artists participating, the savvy collector might also be lucky enough to snap up a work by a future heavyweight.

The 9th annual Square Foot show runs until August 21st. For more details, check out AWOL's website. Check out some shots of the opening below.

Photos by Natta Summerky