A.I.R. Gallery
Encyclopedia
A.I.R. was the first all female cooperative gallery in the United States
. It was founded in 1972 with the objective of providing a professional and permanent exhibition space for women artists during a time in which the works shown at commercial galleries in New York City
were almost exclusively by male artists. A.I.R. is an alternative means to exhibit women's art. The gallery was originally located in SoHo
at 97 Wooster Street, and is now located on 111 Front Street in the DUMBO
neighborhood of Brooklyn
.
A.I.R. is a non-profit organization that aims to show the diversity and artistic talent of women, to teach, to challenge stereotypes of female artists, and to subvert the historically male-dominated commercial gallery scene, with the overall hope to serve as an example for other artists who wish to realize their own art cooperative endeavors.
at that time had barely penetrated the New York Art scene, a 1970 Whitney Museum
protest drew attention to the less than 5 percent female representation. Directed by activist art critic
Lucy Lippard, the two, together with Dotty Attie and Mary Grigoriadis, visited 55 studios to select and invite women artists to form a co-op.
At a first meeting on March 17, 1972 in William’s loft, women artists met, among them Maude Boltz, Nancy Spero
, Louise Bourgeois
, Howardena Pindell, Ree Morton, Harmony Hammond, Cynthia Carlson. In the end, there was a highly eclectic mix of 20 artists (some of the approved declined joining the group, nervous of being in an all-female gallery).
For the artists themselves, their work and exhibition goals was all about quality. Still, having to deal with feminist politics was in the center, which meant fighting prejudices and fears that the showings would be considered second-rate. After the opening, the story goes, one man said grudgingly, “Okay you did it; you found 20 good women artists. But that’s it.”
The gallery was structured to be both an exhibition space for art by women and a radical, progressive, even subversive, not-for-profit institution.
Its cooperative nature and its democratic structure have meant that the members vote on all decisions and participate in monthly meetings to plan exhibitions, programs and the overall direction of the gallery. Each artist pays membership dues and thus has ownership over the organization itself and their own career.
In this way, the structure of A.I.R. differs from that of dealer-driven galleries. Incoming artists are chosen through a rigorous peer review process that includes reviewing the works of applicants, lengthy discussions and a studio visit by current members.
Each artist has to curate her own show, which allows for experimentation and risks that are not always possible in commercial settings.
The group soon acknowledged the importance of building a heritage: collaborations and international group shows, in parts curated by their members, were established.
The fellowship program in its earliest years provided sponsorship on a case-by-case basis as funds were available.
, Daria Dorosh, Loretta Dunkelman, Mary Grigoriadis, Harmony Hammond, Laurace James, Nancy Kitchell, Louise Kramer, Anne Healy, Rosemarie Mayer, Patsy Norvell, Howardena Pindell, Nancy Spero
, Susan Williams, Barbara Zucker
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was founded in 1972 with the objective of providing a professional and permanent exhibition space for women artists during a time in which the works shown at commercial galleries in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
were almost exclusively by male artists. A.I.R. is an alternative means to exhibit women's art. The gallery was originally located in SoHo
SoHo
SoHo is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City, notable for being the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, and also, more recently, for the wide variety of stores and shops ranging from trendy boutiques to outlets of upscale national and international chain stores...
at 97 Wooster Street, and is now located on 111 Front Street in the DUMBO
DUMBO, Brooklyn
Dumbo, an acronym for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. It encompasses two sections: one located between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, which connect Brooklyn to Manhattan across the East River, and another that continues...
neighborhood of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
.
A.I.R. is a non-profit organization that aims to show the diversity and artistic talent of women, to teach, to challenge stereotypes of female artists, and to subvert the historically male-dominated commercial gallery scene, with the overall hope to serve as an example for other artists who wish to realize their own art cooperative endeavors.
History
Barbara Zucker and Susan Williams, two artists and friends, confronted the challenges of finding a dealer and decided to look for other women artists to start a co-op. FeminismFeminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
at that time had barely penetrated the New York Art scene, a 1970 Whitney Museum
Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art, often referred to simply as "the Whitney", is an art museum with a focus on 20th- and 21st-century American art. Located at 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street in New York City, the Whitney's permanent collection contains more than 18,000 works in a wide variety of...
protest drew attention to the less than 5 percent female representation. Directed by activist art critic
Art critic
An art critic is a person who specializes in evaluating art. Their written critiques, or reviews, are published in newspapers, magazines, books and on web sites...
Lucy Lippard, the two, together with Dotty Attie and Mary Grigoriadis, visited 55 studios to select and invite women artists to form a co-op.
At a first meeting on March 17, 1972 in William’s loft, women artists met, among them Maude Boltz, Nancy Spero
Nancy Spero
Nancy Spero was an American visual artist.-Life and work:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Spero lived for much of her life in New York City. She was married to, and collaborated with artist Leon Golub....
, Louise Bourgeois
Louise Bourgeois
Louise Joséphine Bourgeois , was a renowned French-American artist and sculptor, best known for her contributions to both modern and contemporary art, and for her spider structures, titled Maman, which resulted in her being nicknamed the Spiderwoman...
, Howardena Pindell, Ree Morton, Harmony Hammond, Cynthia Carlson. In the end, there was a highly eclectic mix of 20 artists (some of the approved declined joining the group, nervous of being in an all-female gallery).
For the artists themselves, their work and exhibition goals was all about quality. Still, having to deal with feminist politics was in the center, which meant fighting prejudices and fears that the showings would be considered second-rate. After the opening, the story goes, one man said grudgingly, “Okay you did it; you found 20 good women artists. But that’s it.”
The gallery was structured to be both an exhibition space for art by women and a radical, progressive, even subversive, not-for-profit institution.
Its cooperative nature and its democratic structure have meant that the members vote on all decisions and participate in monthly meetings to plan exhibitions, programs and the overall direction of the gallery. Each artist pays membership dues and thus has ownership over the organization itself and their own career.
In this way, the structure of A.I.R. differs from that of dealer-driven galleries. Incoming artists are chosen through a rigorous peer review process that includes reviewing the works of applicants, lengthy discussions and a studio visit by current members.
Each artist has to curate her own show, which allows for experimentation and risks that are not always possible in commercial settings.
The group soon acknowledged the importance of building a heritage: collaborations and international group shows, in parts curated by their members, were established.
The fellowship program in its earliest years provided sponsorship on a case-by-case basis as funds were available.
Name
The name “AIR” arose when, in a first meeting, artist member Howardena Pindell suggested “Jane Eyre”. From that came “air” – then, “A.I.R.” This was also a reference to the “Artist in Residence” Certification given by the city to allow artists to live in otherwise illegal Soho commercial spaces.Programs
Monday-Night Program Series 1972-1981; Current Issue Series 1982-1987 (both programs included general-audience panels on criticism, the market, public art as well as ‘how-to’s – for example ‘tax night’, and so on); Exhibition Programs: Solo Shows of Gallery Artists; Sponsored Solo Shows for Fellowship Artists; Group Shows of National Artists; Group Shows designed to include a broader community of women artists such as the "Generations" invitational series and juried Biennial Exhibitions; Lectures/Symposia/Panels; Fellowship Program; Internship ProgramGallery Locations
The first, self-renovated location for the inaugural A.I.R. exhibition was 97 Wooster Street, which opened on September 16, 1972. After occupying a gallery space at 63 Crosby Street from 1981-1994, A.I.R. Gallery was located at 40 Wooster Street from 1994-2002, at 511 West 25th Street from 2002-2008 and opened a new space at 111 Front Street # 228, Dumbo - Brooklyn, New York, starting with The History Show on October 2, 2008.Founding Members
Dotty Attie, Rachel bas-Cohain, Judith Bernstein, Blythe Bohnen, Maude Boltz, Agnes DenesAgnes Denes
Agnes Denes is an American Land Art artist. Born in Budapest in 1931, her family moved to Stockholm, then New York City. Denes has been a pioneer of both the environmental art movement and Conceptual art....
, Daria Dorosh, Loretta Dunkelman, Mary Grigoriadis, Harmony Hammond, Laurace James, Nancy Kitchell, Louise Kramer, Anne Healy, Rosemarie Mayer, Patsy Norvell, Howardena Pindell, Nancy Spero
Nancy Spero
Nancy Spero was an American visual artist.-Life and work:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Spero lived for much of her life in New York City. She was married to, and collaborated with artist Leon Golub....
, Susan Williams, Barbara Zucker