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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

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