The next exhibition at 527 Madison will open on Thursday, May 26th, from 5 – 7 PM. Views of New York City by painter Glen Hansen will be on view, including a new work he will unveil at the space which depicts the iconic Unisphere in Corona Park. I am the coordinator for this program, which is now in its fourth year. The owners of the property, Mitsui Fudosan, recently hired me as their art consultant for a major renovation of their New York headquarters.
Catalog Essay for Norman Bluhm exhibition at Christie's, New York
I wrote the catalog essay for "Divine Proportion", a selling exhibition of Norman Bluhm's work, which is on view September 10 - October 3, 2015 at Christie's Rockefeller Center galleries. Bluhm (1920 - 1999) is recognized as a key member of the New York School who infused the Abstract Expressionist idiom with his personal vision, informed by a wide range of ideas from art history. My essay, "Wrestling with the Figure", looks closely at the artist's dramatic stylistic shifts throughout his career as well as his contemptuous outlook on the art market. All are welcome to the opening reception at 20 Rockefeller Plaza (49th Street, btw 5th and 6th Avenues) from 6 - 8 PM on Thursday, September 10. A link to the exhibition is here, and you may view an electronic version of the catalog here.
Norman Bluhm, Henri Did It, 1971, oil on canvas, 96 x 116 inches
Dorothy Robinson Paintings at 527 Madison
New York artist Dorothy Robinson will exhibit large-scale oils in the lobby gallery of 527 Madison (at 54th Street). Please join us at the opening reception on Tuesday, May 12, from 5 - 7 PM. Regular hours are Monday-Friday, 9 - 5 PM, and the show will run through September 11, 2015.
Referencing the history of heroic landscape painting, Robinson's sweeping compositions done with vigorous brushwork and dramatic colors depict scenes where mountains and bodies of water collide.
I coordinate these rotating displays of contemporary artists at 527 Madison Avenue, which is owned by Mitsui Fudosan and managed by DTZ Real Estate. The goal of the art program is to provide an opportunity for established New York artists to exhibit large-scale works which enhance the experience of the lobby for visitors, tenants and staff.
Next Show at 527 Madison: Rick Siggins
The next in the series of exhibitions I coordinate at 527 Madison Avenue (at 54th Street) will showcase the work of Brooklyn-based painter Rick Siggins. The opening is Tuesday, January 13th, from 5 – 7 PM, and the show will run through May 7th, and is on view Monday – Friday, 9 – 5. Rick has shown with Feature Inc. and Marlborough Gallery. His large-scale works are made up scores of small canvases, each individually stretched, which he joins together to create abstract works of dazzling intricacy.
New Blogpost about the Detroit Art Institute Appraisals
I have just posted a long piece on my blog, http://extraordinaryassumptions.blogspot.com about the clash between the various appraisers who have evaluated DIA's collection. The case provides a fascinating look at the work of some of the top appraisers in the country and a rare chance to see varying appraisals of the same objects. In the piece, I argue that although every appraiser in the case is independent and trustworthy, the point of view of their client shines through their work in the end.
Jay Grimm Gallery Archives now Online
Jay Grimm Gallery, a pioneering venue for emerging and mid-career artists, was the northernmost gallery in Chelsea when it opened in 1998. Established in a renovated storefront, the boutique space was widely admired for its program which mixed established artists such as Lucas Samaras, Karel Appel and Richard Smith with younger artists like Joe Fyfe and Nancy Lorenz. Gallery exhibitions were regularly reviewed in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Art in America, and Artforum. In 2002 the business was merged with the uptown dealer James Graham & Sons. You may find the archives of the gallery's shows, with press releases, images and some reviews at: http://jg.jaygrimm.com/exhibitions.htm. I am extremely proud of the work the gallery did on behalf of the many talented artists it worked with and hope this archive will be useful to anyone interested in their art.