303 Gallery is an art gallery in Manhattan, New York. It was established in 1984 by owner and director Lisa Spellman, described by art critic Jerry Saltz as "one of the greatest New York gallerists of our time". The gallery hosts contemporary works by contemporary American artists, including film, video, and painting.
History The 303 in the gallery's name references its original address, a fifth-floor, loft at 303 Park Avenue South,Carl Swanson (August 8, 2019), Richard Prince and Lisa Spellman Regret Nothing The art-world exes on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of her 303 Gallery. New York Magazine. as well as Room 303 of the Anderson Galleries, the site of Alfred Stieglitz's "Intimate Gallery" artist collective.
In 1989, 303 Gallery moved to 89 Greene Street in Soho.Roberta Smith (October 4, 1992), The Gallery Is the Message New York Times. By 1996, it relocated to West 22nd Street,Dan Duray (August 27, 2012), 303 Gallery to Open Second Location The New York Observer. making it one of the first galleries to do so.Rachel Wolff (October 14, 2010), The Renegade Insider New York Magazine. From 2008 until 2013, her the gallery was located at a former garage at 547 West 21st Street.Jerry Saltz (November 21, 2014), Lisa Spellman Is a National Treasure New York Magazine.Carl Swanson (April 27, 2016), Lisa Spellman’s 303 Gallery Moving to Norman Foster High-Rise New York Magazine. In 2013, it temporarily occupied a space designed by StudioMDA on 24th Street.Julie Baumgardner (May 3, 2016), A Beloved Gallery Opens an Expansive New Space — and a Show That Really Uses It The New York Times Magazine.
In 2015, 303 Gallery moved again, this time into a high-rise building designed by Foster and Partners on a lot Spellman purchased at 555 W 21st Street, where it has since been occupying the first and second floor with a total of of exhibition space.Dan Duray (February 6, 2013), Jacob Kassay Joins 303 Gallery, Which Is Headed to 24th Street The New York Observer.
Also in 2015, 303 in Print was established by Fabiola Alondra as a publishing arm of the gallery.Andrew Russeth (September 9, 2015), Bookish: On the Art World’s Publishing Boom ARTnews. It publishes limited edition artist's books, ephemera and other printed matter in collaboration with 303 gallery artists.
Major exhibitions Robert Gober and Christopher Wool, April 15–May 8, 1988. A collaboration between the two artists, this exhibition displayed Christopher Wool's Apocalypse Now painting opposite Bob Gober's sculpture Three Urinals, the first time either work was exhibited.
Karen Kilimnik, April 4–April 25, 1991. Kilimnik's first solo show featured several separate installations in the space, with one leading into the next. They covered a variety of themes, ranging from suicide and drugs, to schoolyard massacres, to Napoleonic clashes.
Sue Williams, May 2–May 30, 1992. Williams' first solo show at the gallery addressed female representation and domestic violence.
Rodney Graham: Vexation Island, November 1–December 20, 1997. First exhibited at the Venice Biennale in the Canadian Pavilion, this piece was shown at 303 Gallery later the same year. The exhibit consists of a looping film where Graham, in character as a shipwrecked 18th-century sailor, is trapped in a cycle of getting knocked out by a fallen coconut, only to reawaken and begin shaking the tree all over again.
Doug Aitken: “100 YRS", February 1–March 30, 2013. The show centered on a "Sonic Fountain" where water dripped from 5 rods suspended from the ceiling, falling into a giant crater dug out of the gallery floor, with underwater microphones amplifying the sound of the droplets. The show had a second installment where performers staged a demolition of the space using saws and drills to cut apart the walls and pile up debris, altering the architecture even further.
Other notable exhibitions throughout 303 Gallery's history include:
John Dogg, 1987 Dan Flavin, Robert Gober, Yves Klein, 1988 One Leading to Another, 1992 Vito Acconci, 1993 Paul Bloodgood, 1996 Alicja Kwade: I Rise Again, Changed But The Same, 2016 Tala Madani, 2017 Karen Kilimnik, 2019
Artists Among others, 303 Gallery has been representing the following living artists: Doug AitkenMeredith Mendelsohn (July 22, 2019), Doug Aitken's latest work is a 100-ft-tall mirrored hot air balloon CNN. Sam Falls (since 2018)Alex Greenberger (June 1, 2018), 303 Gallery Now Represents Sam Falls ARTnews. Hans-Peter Feldmann Ceal FloyerLisa Spellman and Richard Prince (August 8, 2019), Richard Prince and Lisa Spellman Regret Nothing: The art-world exes on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of her 303 Gallery. New York Magazine. Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster Kim Gordon (since 2019)Alex Williams (September 14, 2019), Kim Gordon’s Other Life New York Times. Rodney Graham Mary HeilmannAudrey Rose Smith interview with Lisa Spellman The Armory Show. Jeppe Hein Matt Johnson (since 2012)Michael H. Miller (January 27, 2012), Artist Matt Johnson Will Show at 303 Gallery The New York Observer. Jacob Kassay Karen KilimnikNumbers: Which New York Gallery Represents the Most Warhol-ian Artists? New York Observer, September 7, 2012 Alicja Kwade Elad Lassry Tala Madani (since 2017)Alex Greenberger (September 8, 2017), Tala Madani Is Now Represented by 303 Gallery ARTnews. Florian Maier-Aichen Nick Mauss Kristin Oppenheim Marina Pinsky (since 2016)Alex Greenberger (January 21, 2016), 303 Gallery Now Represents Marina Pinsky ARTnews. Rob Pruitt (since 2020)Claire Selvin (September 28, 2020), Following Gavin Brown Closure, Rob Pruitt Joins New York’s 303 Gallery ARTnews. Collier Schorr Stephen ShorePhilip Gefter (December 1, 2006), In New York, photo galleries broaden their focus New York Times. Sue Williams Jane and Louise Wilson
In the past, 303 Gallery helped launch the careers of artists Christopher Wool, Robert Gober, Rirkrit TiravanijaJudith H. Dobrzynski (2 September 1997), A Popular Couple Charge Into the Future of Art, but in Opposite Directions New York Times. and Karen Kilimnik. It also represented Thomas Demand, Andreas Gursky, Laylah Ali, Thomas Ruff, Inka EssenhighDorothy Spears (June 18, 2006), The First Gallerists' Club New York Times. and Laurie Simmons.
References
External links
ARTnews coverage of 303 Gallery