Lobby: Richard Hell’s Small Press Publishing

January 16–January 27, 2018 320 West 13th Street Project

Richard Hell, installation view, 2018

Three vitrine display tables lined up inside a gallery.

Richard Hell, installation view, 2018

A collage by Richard Hell and an untitled photograph by Richard Prince installed on a narrow wall. A vitrine display table is installed freestanding in the foreground.

Richard Hell, installation view, 2018

Angled view of a vitrine display table containing various printed materials, including a movie poster.

Richard Hell, installation view, 2018

Various printed materials laid out inside a vitrine display table, including books and pamphlets by Richard Hell and a poster for the movie Blank Generation.

Richard Hell, installation view, 2018

Various printed materials laid out inside a vitrine display table, including correspondences, books of poetry and issues of "Genesis: Grasp."

Richard Hell, installation view, 2018

Various printed materials laid out inside a vitrine display table, including correspondences, books of poetry and editions of “CUZ” magazine.

Richard Hell, installation view, 2018

Press Release

White Columns will host a small exhibition of Richard Hell’s 50-year history – 1968-2018 – as a small press writer, publisher, editor and designer. Hell, under his original name of Richard Meyers, began his first small literary magazine and press at the age of 17, shortly after arriving in New York City. The magazine was called Genesis : Grasp, as was the press. Genesis : Grasp ran for six issues (numbers 1-5/6, 1968 – 1971), and also released three authors’ first books and two folders of broadsheets. Richard’s small press endeavors have proceeded, under a variety of names (Ernie Stomach, Theresa Stern, Richard Meyers; Genesis : Grasp Press, Dot Books, CUZ Editions …), up through the present, in publications often typeset and printed, as well as designed, by Hell.

The reception on the opening night of the exhibition will also be a party for the publication of Richard’s most recent small press book, Untitled, which contains new fiction as well as poems, and is published by Merde : Press, edited by Kyle Void. Richard will give a very brief reading and will sign copies of his new book. Also available at the party will be the new issue, number 3/4, of Merde magazine, featuring cover art by Richard and contributions from Elaine Equi, Christopher Wool, John Godfrey, Katherine Faw, and Charles Henri Ford, among others.

Richard Hell’s 1977 album Blank Generation was just released in a two-disc 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. He is the author of the novels Go Now and Godlike, the autobiography I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp, and the essay collection Massive Pissed Love, as well as many other books.

For further information contact: info@whitecolumns.org