Gracie Mansion Gallery was an art gallery in New York City founded by artist and dealer Gracie Mansion (née Joanne Mayhew-Young).[1][2][3] It is known an important site for the Lower East Side art scene of the 1980s.[3][4]

History

Joanne Mayhew-Young changed her name to Gracie Mansion in 1982.[1][3] Unable to find galleries that were interested in her or artist friends, Mansion decided to open her own gallery.[5] Also in 1982, Mansion met Sur Rodney (Sur), who became her collaborator and business partner from 1983 to 1988.[6]

The first shows organized by Mansion and Sur were staged in unconventional spaces, including a rented limousine or the bathroom at Mansion's apartment, which they called Loo Division.[1] In the spring of 1982, the Gracie Mansion Gallery opened.[1]

The first location of the gallery was 9th St. between 1st and Avenue A.[7] The gallery then moved to 15 St. Marks Place, and finally to 337 East 10th St.[5][3] A space occupied by the gallery on Avenue A was funded in part by a loan form Citibank arranged by Jeffrey Deitch.[8]

Gracie Mansion eventually relocated to SoHo and Chelsea.[7] Mansion closed the gallery in 2002.[3]

Artists

The first exhibition, titled the "Limo Show", was an exhibition of Buster Cleveland collages.[8] Other early exhibitions included Tim Greathouse and Stephen Lack.[8] Mansion was instrumental in the early careers of Marilyn Minter, Al Hansen, David Wojnarowicz, Sur Rodney (Sur) and Buster Cleveland.[6]

Other artists included Michael Bidlo, Claudia DeMonte, Rodney Alan Greenblat, Ed McGowin, David Sandlin, Hope Sandrow and Rhonda Zwillinger.[3]

Gracie Mansion was known for organizing large group shows of artwork that was cheaper than work sold in Chelsea or SoHo.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Gracie Mansion Gallery". www.artforum.com. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  2. ^ McGill, Douglas C. (1985-02-18). "SUCCESS STORIES OF TWO GALLERIES IN EMERGING ART NEIGHBORHOODS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "A Finding Aid to the Gracie Mansion Gallery records, 1972-1991". www.aaa.si.edu. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  4. ^ "Gracie Mansion Gallery on Artnet". www.artnet.com. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  5. ^ a b "Gracie Mansion Gallery site | Art Nerd New York". art-nerd.com. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  6. ^ a b "The Soul Has Bandaged Moments: Re/collecting the East Village Art Scene with Gracie Mansion". Red Bull Arts New York. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  7. ^ a b "The Conversation Art Podcast: Ep. # 205: Gracie Mansion, legendary art dealer-- from the East Village to SoHo to Chelsea to online auctions". theconversationartpodcast.libsyn.com. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
  8. ^ a b c "Sur Rodney (Sur) on Freaking Out the Art World | Frieze". Frieze. Retrieved 2021-04-03.
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