Dark Matter Oddities & Artisan Collective

Dark Matter Oddities & Artisan Collective is a specialty shop located at 822 Chartres Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, founded in 2019 by artists Chrystal Lea Nause and Joshua Gates. The business operates as both an oddities boutique and a collective dedicated to supporting emerging and established local and regional artists, particularly those with limited representation in physical venues. The shop features an eclectic inventory including antiques, handmade artwork, taxidermy, wet specimens, articulated skeletons, jewelry, and vintage curiosities such as Victorian ephemera and medical devices. The collective emphasizes ethical taxidermy practices, sourcing materials from naturally deceased animals, found remains, and waste from other industries. Beyond retail operations, the owners demonstrate commitment to community accessibility, having structured the shop with displays at varying heights to accommodate visitors with mobility needs, and the business regularly participates in art markets and traveling exhibitions like the Oddities & Curiosities Expo to promote its collaborative artists.