‘Design by John Cheim’

November 16–December 21, 2013
A photo print of two red signs of the letters “S” and “O” facing a cityscape

John Cheim, Untitled, N.D.

Two display cases filled with printed matter against two adjacent walls in a gallery. One framed image is on each wall and a wooden stool with a stack of books on top is slightly out of frame to the right

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013

A display case is pictured in the far left of a gallery space. Two wooden stools and a wooden chair are to the left, with books stacked on top of the stools. A framed image hangs on the wall above the display case and another hangs above the wooden chair

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013

A display case holding several books and photographs inside a gallery space. A framed image hangs on the wall above it

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013

An up-close image of books and printed matter inside a display case including works by Ed Ruscha and Jean Michel Basquiat

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013

An up-close image of books and photos inside a display case including work by Bruce Weber and black and white figurative photography

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013

Press Release

‘Design by John Cheim’

In collaboration with London’s ICA (where a version of the exhibition is on view through November 17) White Columns is pleased to present the first exhibition to consider the design work of John Cheim. Better known as a co-founder of the New York gallery Cheim & Read, John Cheim has – for more than thirty years – quietly worked as an influential book designer collaborating closely with Bruce Weber, the Robert Miller Gallery, and Cheim & Read’s own roster of artists. Since studying at the Rhode Island School of Design, Cheim’s has designed more than fifty books and portfolios for Bruce Weber, Louise Bourgeois, Jack Pierson, Robert Mapplethorpe, and Andy Warhol among others. At White Columns we will present a selection of Cheim’s classic book designs, a series of early color Xerox works that anticipate his interest in typography, and a copy of Robert Mapplethorpe’s seminal ‘X Portfolio’ (1978) designed by Cheim in 1978.

Related Press

A photo print of two red signs of the letters “S” and “O” facing a cityscape
Two display cases filled with printed matter against two adjacent walls in a gallery. One framed image is on each wall and a wooden stool with a stack of books on top is slightly out of frame to the right
A display case is pictured in the far left of a gallery space. Two wooden stools and a wooden chair are to the left, with books stacked on top of the stools. A framed image hangs on the wall above the display case and another hangs above the wooden chair
A display case holding several books and photographs inside a gallery space. A framed image hangs on the wall above it
An up-close image of books and printed matter inside a display case including works by Ed Ruscha and Jean Michel Basquiat
An up-close image of books and photos inside a display case including work by Bruce Weber and black and white figurative photography

John Cheim, Untitled, N.D. (A photo print of two red signs of the letters “S” and “O” facing a cityscape). 

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013 (Two display cases filled with printed matter against two adjacent walls in a gallery. One framed image is on each wall and a wooden stool with a stack of books on top is slightly out of frame to the right). 

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013 (A display case is pictured in the far left of a gallery space. Two wooden stools and a wooden chair are to the left, with books stacked on top of the stools. A framed image hangs on the wall above the display case and another hangs above the wooden chair).

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013 (A display case holding several books and photographs inside a gallery space. A framed image hangs on the wall above it).

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013 (An up-close image of books and printed matter inside a display case including works by Ed Ruscha and Jean Michel Basquiat).

“Design by John Cheim,” installation view, 2013 (An up-close image of books and photos inside a display case including work by Bruce Weber and black and white figurative photography).