From the street, Franklin Art Works seems an unlikely spot to find some of the freshest fine art in the Midwest. Housed in the historic New Franklin Theater, a circa-1916 building that began its life as a silent film venue, the beautifully exposed bones of the original façade and the delicate scrolls of the stained glass marquee are a spectacular testament to the importance of architectural preservation. To add another twist to the theater’s history, consider that the New Franklin owes its existence, in part, to the adult film industry.

“If this hadn’t been a porn theater for 20 years it would have been leveled,” says Franklin Art Works Director Tim Peterson, alluding to the period from the 1970s to the 1990s when this stretch of Franklin Avenue was a blighted area and the theater only stayed open due to high demand for smut films.

After being seized by the state in 1990, the building spent years as a venue for underground performances and parties before being bought by Franklin Art Works in 1999, the theater began yet another chapter of its life. This November the gallery celebrated its 10th anniversary and in the coming year has plans to update and further renovate the exhibition space.

The philosophy of Franklin Art Works gallery space take a sharp departure from the preservation that saved this icon. Peterson’s overarching philosophy is to shake things up. He regularly puts together shows that gain a new artist the kind of exposure that could be considered career-launching. Part of the reason his approach has so much power is his dedication to solo shows. Peterson’s is one of the few galleries in town that places the reigns of an entire 10,000 square foot space in the hands of a single artist. Adding to the spaces power, the gallery shows only original work – exhibits conceived exclusively for Franklin Art Works.

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The current exhibit at Franklin Art Works confronts the sweeping role that YouTube, Twitter and cell phones play in modern human interaction. Just inside the door, you’ll encounter a cluster of 150 phones hanging from the wall. The phones periodically ring and vibrate, an effect designed to stimulate and surprise modern viewers, many of whom are as conditioned to their ringtones as they are their loved ones’ voices.

In the front lobby, an installation piece uses receipt printers affixed to the ceiling and linked to Twitter to print off tweets that contain emotive words, such as “grrrr” or “hahaha.” The messages cascade down on the curling strips of paper that gather into a fluffy mass on the floor. The effect is as tempting as a fresh-raked pile of leaves.

The most impressive piece of the exhibit is a massive video wall that simultaneously displays the emotions and antics of up to 3,000 YouTube video bloggers. Their voices mix - some singing, others talking in serious tones, even bubbling with excitement. The faces are young, old and of many colors. “Hello World: How I Learned to Stop Listening and Love the Noise,” is the work of Minnesota artist Christopher Baker, who currently has work on exhibit at museums in Switzerland and Spain. “Hello World” is on display until January 16.

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Peterson, who has more than 20 years of curating experience, including a stint at the Walker, recognizes significant work when he sees it. “I know when things are fresh, I know when they’re new. I’m looking for something I haven’t seen before.” Not only does he mine new talent, but he relishes the close rapport between curator and artist that he is able to cultivate because Franklin Art Works is a small independent gallery. Artists who have done solo shows at the gallery have been subsequently picked up by major museums, including the Guggenheim, the Brooklyn Museum and the Hammer Museum in LA.

So stop into Franklin Art Works the next time you have a free afternoon and check out what’s on display. Enjoy the knowledge that what you see in this unique movie theater-turned gallery on humble Franklin Avenue may just end up in the Guggenheim.