Zoe Dusanne Explained

Zoë Dusanne (born Zola Maie Graves; March 24, 1884 - March 6, 1972) was an American art dealer, collector, and promoter who operated the Zoë Dusanne Gallery in Seattle, Washington from 1950 to 1964.^[1]

Life and career

Dusanne was born Zola Maie Graves on March 24, 1884, in Newton, Kansas.^{[2] [3]} From the age of nine she was raised in Council Bluffs, Iowa.^[4] She briefly attended both Oberlin College and the University of Illinois.^[5]

In 1912, she moved to Seattle, where she operated a beauty salon.^{[6] [7]} In 1928, she moved to New York City and began collecting works by modern abstract artists such as Paul Klee, Piet Mondrian, Stuart Davis, Jean Arp, and Giorgio de Chirico.^{[8] [9]} On her return to Seattle in 1942, she began promoting advanced contemporary art, which had not previously been widely exhibited in the Pacific Northwest.^{[10] [11] [12]} She loaned pieces from her growing collection to the Seattle Art Museum and the Henry Art Gallery,^[13] and in 1950, opened the Zoë Dusanne Gallery.^{[14] [15] [16]}

She was an avid supporter of Northwest-based artists such as Guy Anderson, Kenneth Callahan, Morris Graves, Paul Horiuchi, Philip McCracken, Mark Tobey, and George Tsutakawa, and played an important role in bringing national attention to the 'Northwest School'.^{[17] [18]} Her gallery was the first in North America to mount shows by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama^{[19] [20]} and French artist/poet Henri Michaux,^{[21] [22]} and she was an early exhibitor of works by Sam Francis,^{[23] [24]} Paul Jenkins,^{[25] [26]} Karl Otto Götz,^[27] John Franklin Koenig,^[28] and many others.

In 1953, largely as a result of Dusanne's efforts, Life magazine ran a major article on the "Mystic Painters of the Northwest", which propelled Tobey, Graves, Callahan, and Anderson to national prominence.^[29]

In 1959, the custom-built Zoe Dusanne Gallery was demolished for construction of the Interstate 5 freeway; a second location lasted until 1964, at which time Dusanne retired.^{[30] [31]}

She died in Seattle on March 6, 1972.^{[32] [33]}

Notes and References

1. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), Modern-art dealer, by Paula Becker; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5222
2. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), by Deborah McNally; http://www.blackpast.org/aaw/dusanne-zoe-1884-1972
3. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, p.4, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
4. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), Modern-art dealer, by Paula Becker; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5222
5. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, pp7-8, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
6. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, p.11, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
7. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), Modern-art dealer, by Paula Becker; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5222
8. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), Modern-art dealer, by Paula Becker; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5222
9. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), by Deborah McNally; http://www.blackpast.org/aaw/dusanne-zoe-1884-1972
10. Paul Horiuchi: East and West, p.37, by Barbara Johns; University of Washington Press, 2008
11. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), by Deborah McNally; http://www.blackpast.org/aaw/dusanne-zoe-1884-1972
12. Life magazine sheds limelight on Northwest School painters on September 28, 1953, by Paula Becker and Priscilla Long; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5342
13. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, p.42, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
14. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, p.53, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
15. Paul Horiuchi: East and West, p.37, by Barbara Johns; University of Washington Press, 2008
16. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), Modern-art dealer, by Paula Becker; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5222
17. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, pp58-59, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
18. The Eighth Lively Art: Conversations with Painters, Poets, Musicians, and the Wicked Witch of the West, pp107-108, by Wesley Wehr; University of Washington Press, 2000
19. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, p.99, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
20. The Eighth Lively Art: Conversations with Painters, Poets, Musicians, and the Wicked Witch of the West, p.111, by Wesley Wehr; University of Washington Press, 2000
21. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, pp74-75, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
22. The Eighth Lively Art: Conversations with Painters, Poets, Musicians, and the Wicked Witch of the West, p.111, by Wesley Wehr; University of Washington Press, 2000
23. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, p. 83, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
24. The Eighth Lively Art: Conversations with Painters, Poets, Musicians, and the Wicked Witch of the West, p.111, by Wesley Wehr; University of Washington Press, 2000
25. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
26. Web site: Artist : Paul Jenkins. www.pauljenkins.net. 2019-12-23.
27. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, p.87, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
28. Iridescent Light: The Emergence of Northwest Art, by Deloris Tarzan Ament; University of Washington Press, 2002
29. Life magazine sheds limelight on Northwest School painters on September 28, 1953. HistoryLink.org Essay 5342, by Paula Becker and Priscilla Long, 2003; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_ id=5342 retvd 6 9 14
30. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), Modern-art dealer, by Paula Becker; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5222
31. The Eighth Lively Art: Conversations with Painters, Poets, Musicians, and the Wicked Witch of the West, p.114, by Wesley Wehr; University of Washington Press, 2000
32. Zoë Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference, p.121, by Jo Ann Ridley; Fithian Press, 2011
33. Dusanne, Zoë (1884-1972), Modern-art dealer, by Paula Becker; http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5222