Claire Oliver Gallery is expanding to include the upper floors of the four-story townhouse in New York’s Harlem neighborhood.
The gallery will continue its street-level space and, as part of this expansion, the upper floors are now dedicated to showcasing artwork in a more intimate salon style.
“Our expansion of the gallery space marks a return to our roots as a salon style space, the anti-white box, where visitors can take their time for art to spark dialogue and community,” owner Claire Oliver said in a statement. “When we founded the gallery 33 years ago, this was always our goal, to be a welcoming place for collectors, artists and art enthusiasts of all sorts; we’re thrilled to open the upper floors as a space for convening.”
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The move comes at a time when galleries such as Blum, Venus Over Manhattan, and Clearing all recently shuttered and the art market continues to contract, with some eschewing the traditional gallery and fair models for more fluid options.
Where others might see limitations in a traditional space, Oliver has long seen opportunity: “When we purchased the townhouse in 2016, we envisioned a wide ranging exhibition and creative space across all floors, never a white cube. Our gallery’s program has always focused on works by artists pushing the boundaries of the historical canon,” Oliver told ARTnews. Now, it seems, the space is following suit.
Oliver is among good company with Ben Hunter and Sebastian Gladstone, who both recently expanded their gallery spaces in London and Los Angeles, respectively.
Claire Oliver Gallery will inaugurate the new space with a solo exhibition by BK Adams on the ground floor and a group show on the upper floors highlighting represented artists Barbara Earl Thomas, Carolyn Mazloomi, Gio Swaby, Jeffrey Henson Scales, Judith Schaechter, Sami Tsang, Sharon Kerry Harlan, and Stan Squirewell. The exhibitions will be on view starting September 5.
“One of the goals is to have a mix of media and works ranging from small scale ceramics and prints to paintings and large scale textiles, something for everyone. Our vision is for the upper floors to be more intimate spaces, so visitors, be they curators for the Met or a first time art collector, will be comfortable and welcomed,” Oliver added. “Our mission has always been driven by art and artists and we hope to spark conversations and meaningful encounters that go beyond the surface, engage deeply and inspire dreams for the future.”