David Lewis Gallery Explained

David Lewis was a contemporary art gallery in New York founded by art historian David Lewis in 2013.[1] [2] [3] The gallery was known for representation and championing prominent international artists such as Barbara Bloom[4] and the estates of Thornton Dial,[5] John Boskovich[6] [7] and Mary Beth Edelson.[8]

History

Emergence in Paris, France

Before opening the gallery, the gallery's founder worked in New York City and Paris as an art critic, contributing regularly to international art magazines such as Artfoum and Frieze. Lewis was also a professor and completed a Ph.D. examining the career of Francis Picabia.[9] [10] His academic background directly informs the programming of artists and artistry at the gallery, which, makes art-historical arguments on behalf of its represented emerging and established artists.[11] [12] During this time, Lewis published extensively, including essays on Guston, Sturtevant, and Matisse and he continued to publish after the gallery opened, including a review of the MoMA Picabia exhibition for Artforum and an essay on the history of cinema for Chrissie Iles's Dreamlands exhibition at the Whitney.

Eldridge Street in New York

From 2013 to 2020, David Lewis gallery was located on the fifth floor of 88 Eldridge Street. The gallery served as a central location for a group of emerging artists. For some of these artists, like Thornton Dial, the gallery built a critical and commercial legacy for them, who, despite the artists achievements that would lead to broad institutional acclaim. Beginning with the Philip K. Dick inspired A Scanner, Darkly,[13] [14] the gallery ethos articulated a distinct pattern of experimental voices and exhibitions, including Lucy Dodd whose institutional exhibition included the Whitney Museum's 2016, Open Plan,[15] and Dawn Kasper, whose Nomadic Studio Practice culminated at the Sala Chini at the 2017 Venice Biennale.[16]

In the following years, the gallery began representing historically established artists such as Barbara Bloom and the estates of Thornton Dial, John Boskovich and Mary Beth Edelson.[17] Some of these artists, like Thornton Dial, the gallery built a critical and commercial legacy for them who, despite the artists' achievements, had previously been excluded from art history and the art market.[18] David Lewis successfully created a reception and a market for Thornton Dial in the contemporary art world (rather than as an 'outsider' or 'self-taught'), changing Thornton Dial's place in the canon of contemporary art.[19] David Lewis was the first to garner Thornton Dial reviews by significant contemporary critics such as Roberta Smith, the first to exhibit Thornton Dial at contemporary art fairs, the first to bring Thornton Dial to Art Basel and to Europe.[20]

Tribeca

In September 2021, David Lewis relocated to 57 Walker Street in Tribeca, opening with an exhibition of Todd Gray.[21] The gallery's programming continues to focus on both historical and contemporary art, with Thornton Dial, in conversation with David Hammons and Robert Rauschenberg in 'Dial / Hammons / Rauschenberg', Claire Lehmann's debut solo exhibition, and Peter Schlesinger.

The gallery also opened a second location in East Hampton, exhibiting Thornton Dial, Barbara Bloom, Tomás Esson, Todd Gray, and Peter Schelsinger in its first season.

In May of 2024, the gallery announced it would close after a decade in operation. Its last show was called, "Everyone Loves Picabia,” a nod to the painter and writer Francis Picabia's love for composing with circles.[22] The gallery joins a list of important contemporary art galleries in Manhattan closing its doors in 2024, including Washburn Gallery and Marlborough Gallery, as well as several younger enterprises—including Foxy Production, Queer Thoughts, and JTT.

References

  1. Web site: David Lewis Galleries Frieze . April 22, 2023 . www.frieze.com.
  2. Web site: David Lewis . April 22, 2023 . Art Basel . en.
  3. Web site: David Lewis Gallery — Web Design for Art Galleries — Lovably . April 22, 2023 . www.lovably.com . en.
  4. Web site: Greenberger . Alex . November 21, 2016 . David Lewis Gallery Now Represents Barbara Bloom . April 22, 2023 . ARTnews.com . en-US.
  5. Web site: ARTnews . The Editors of . February 28, 2018 . Thornton Dial at David Lewis, New York . April 22, 2023 . ARTnews.com . en-US.
  6. Web site: Berardini . Andrew . ANDREW BERARDINI ON JOHN BOSKOVICH'S BOSKOSTUDIO, 1996–2006 . April 22, 2023 . www.artforum.com . March 2020 . en-US.
  7. Web site: Pagel . David . December 28, 2019 . Review: Welcome to 'Psycho Salon.' John Boskovich dives deep into the pain of a misfit . April 22, 2023 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  8. Web site: Greenberger . Alex . May 17, 2021 . Mary Beth Edelson, Feminist Artist Who Envisioned Women as Goddesses, Has Died at 88 . April 22, 2023 . ARTnews.com . en-US.
  9. Web site: Lewis . David . David Lewis on Francis Picabia . April 22, 2023 . www.artforum.com . April 2017 . en-US.
  10. Web site: title name . April 22, 2023 . title name.
  11. Web site: David Lewis Gallery . April 22, 2023 . W Magazine . March 25, 2014 . en.
  12. Web site: David Lewis Contemporary Art Gallery PLATFORM . April 22, 2023 . www.platformart.com . en.
  13. Web site: Pechman . Ali . David Lewis . April 22, 2023 . www.artforum.com . November 2013 . en-US.
  14. Web site: October 22, 2013 . 'A Scanner, Darkly' at David Lewis Gallery . April 22, 2023 . Observer . en-US.
  15. Web site: Open Plan: Lucy Dodd . April 22, 2023 . whitney.org . en.
  16. Web site: Freeman . Nate . May 9, 2017 . Dawn Kasper Will Be Staying in the Giardini's Central Pavilion for Six Months . April 22, 2023 . ARTnews.com . en-US.
  17. News: Cotter . Holland . Smith . Roberta . Farago . Jason . December 4, 2020 . The Most Important Moments in Art in 2020 . en-US . The New York Times . April 22, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  18. News: Grimes . William . January 27, 2016 . Thornton Dial, Outsider Artist Whose Work Told of Black Life, Dies at 87 . en-US . The New York Times . April 22, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  19. Web site: Thomas . Alexandra M. . December 15, 2020 . Enter the Rich, Vibrant Worlds of Thornton Dial . April 22, 2023 . Hyperallergic . en-US.
  20. Web site: November 3, 2020 . Editors' Picks: 13 Events for Your Art Calendar This Week, From David Zwirner's Donald Judd Show to Thornton Dial at David Lewis . April 22, 2023 . Artnet News . en-US.
  21. Web site: Villa . Tessa Solomon,Angelica . Solomon . Tessa . Villa . Angelica . September 7, 2021 . ARTnews in Brief: 2021 Frieze Artist Award Goes to Sung Tieu—and More from September 10, 2021 . April 22, 2023 . ARTnews.com . en-US.
  22. Web site: Solomon . Tessa . 2024-05-24 . Beloved New York Gallery David Lewis to Close After 11 Years . 2024-05-30 . ARTnews.com . en-US.