Mary Boone Gallery stands as one of the most influential and pioneering contemporary art galleries of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Founded by Mary Boone in 1977, the gallery has played a pivotal role in shaping the New York art scene and launching the careers of numerous prominent artists.
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ContactThe Early Years
Mary Boone opened her first gallery in 1977 at 420 West Broadway in SoHo, New York City. This small ground floor space quickly became a hub for innovative young artists. Boone’s keen eye for talent and her ambitious approach to promoting artists set her apart from the start. Her first artist was Ross Bleckner, whose abstract paintings caught her attention and became the foundation of her gallery’s early success.
Rise to Prominence
By the early 1980s, Mary Boone Gallery had become synonymous with the booming New York art scene. The gallery gained international recognition for championing Neo-expressionist painters like Julian Schnabel and David Salle. In 1982, Boone was famously dubbed “The New Queen of the Art Scene” by New York magazine, cementing her status as a powerhouse in the art world.
Notable Artists and Exhibitions
Throughout its history, Mary Boone Gallery represented an impressive roster of artists, including:
- Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Eric Fischl
- Barbara Kruger
- Brice Marden
- Ai Weiwei
- Francesco Clemente
- Georg Baselitz
- Anselm Kiefer
The gallery was known for its groundbreaking exhibitions, often collaborating with other prominent galleries. These shows helped define the artistic zeitgeist of the 1980s and beyond.
Expansion and Evolution
In 1996, Mary Boone Gallery moved to a new location on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. This move uptown signaled a shift in the gallery’s focus, as it began to showcase more established artists alongside emerging talents.
In 2000, the gallery expanded further by opening an additional space in Chelsea, allowing for larger-scale installations and a more diverse exhibition program.
Legacy and Impact
Mary Boone Gallery played a significant role in:
- Championing Neo-expressionism and other contemporary art movements
- Elevating the status of art dealers to cultural tastemakers
- Supporting women artists and dealers in a male-dominated field
- Innovating art market practices, such as creating waiting lists for artworks
Controversies and Closure
Despite its many successes, Mary Boone Gallery faced challenges in later years. In 2018, Mary Boone pleaded guilty to tax fraud charges. This legal trouble led to her imprisonment and the closure of both gallery locations in 2019.
Conclusion
Mary Boone Gallery’s impact on the contemporary art world is undeniable. For over four decades, it served as a launching pad for numerous artists’ careers and helped shape the direction of contemporary art. While the gallery’s closure marks the end of an era, its legacy continues to influence the art world today.
The story of Mary Boone Gallery serves as a testament to the power of vision, ambition, and innovation in the art world. It remains a fascinating chapter in the history of contemporary art and the New York gallery scene, showcasing both the heights of success and the pitfalls that can accompany it in the fast-paced, high-stakes world of fine art.
Citations: [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Boone [2] https://gallery98.org/news/remembering-mary-boone/ [3] https://www.maryboonegallery.com/gallery [4] https://remodernreview.wordpress.com/2021/08/06/daily-art-fix-13-key-shows-in-mary-boone-gallerys-history/ [5] https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a26932490/what-happened-to-mary-boone/ [6] https://research.frick.org/directory/detail/4615 [7] https://www.maryboonegallery.com/artists [8] https://leslierankow.wordpress.com/2018/05/17/an-extraordinary-track-record-mary-boone-gallery-with-ron-warren/