Early Work

“Early Work” is an exhibition of formative art works by a cross-generational group of artists and practitioners who would subsequently eschew their individual art practices, to establish instead idiosyncratic and often highly influential art galleries. The exhibition features works produced in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and a work created specifically for the exhibition (based on projects conceived in the mid 1970s.)

‘Early Work’ seeks to consider the relationships between these individuals’ approaches to making art and their subsequent approaches to the development and dynamics of their respective galleries: Gavin Brown’s enterprise; Deitch Projects; Murray Guy; Pat Hearn Gallery; Konrad Fischer Gallery; and Interim Art (now know as Maureen Paley.) In each case the question arises as to what extent their earlier identity as an ‘artist’ was subsumed – either consciously or unconsciously – into their later identity as a ‘gallerist’.

‘Early Work’ was initiated by the artist Marilyn Minter and the curator Fabienne Stephan, and has been developed in collaboration with Matthew Higgs and White Columns. The exhibition makes no claims to be a survey of the subject – which the available space would prohibit – rather it seeks to focus on a specific, cross-generational group of artists/dealers, each represented by an individual work or discrete group of works. A counterpart exhibition to ‘Early Work’ entitled ‘The Art of The Deal’, organized by Justin Lieberman and Lumi Tan, featured the work of some twenty additional artist/dealers was held recently at the Kantor/Feuer space, 10th Avenue, New York (April 1 to May 11, 2007.)

We would like to express our thanks to Dorothee Fischer; Claudia Pasko; Alexander Haviland and the Hall Collection; The Kitchen; and Martin and Rebecca Eisenberg.