City Gallery (Manhattan)
| Company type | Art gallery |
|---|---|
| Industry | Contemporary art |
| Founded | November 1958 |
| Founder | Red Grooms, Jay Milder |
| Defunct | May 1959 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | New York City |
| Products | Contemporary art exhibitions |
City Gallery was an art space in New York City dedicated to contemporary artists, operating within a loft environment collaboratively overseen by emerging avant-garde talents.
History
City Gallery was established in November 1958 by artists Red Grooms and Jay Milder inside Grooms' third-floor loft located at 735 Sixth Avenue in the Flatiron District. The area, approximately twenty by forty feet, primarily functioned as Grooms' workspace. Both founders had previously been involved with the Phoenix Gallery, a cooperative associated with the 10th Street gallery movement. After Phoenix declined to present works by Claes Oldenburg, Grooms and Milder departed and organized Oldenburg's inaugural New York City exhibition at City Gallery.
The gallery ceased operations in May 1959 when Grooms left for the summer. Upon his return, he moved further downtown to Delancey Street, where he founded the Delancey Street Museum. This new venue continued to feature many artists from City Gallery and played a role in the early development of Happenings. Shortly after, the original building housing City Gallery was torn down.
Exhibitions
In addition to hosting Oldenburg's first show in New York, City Gallery was instrumental in presenting Jim Dine's initial exhibition in the city. The gallery also showcased works by Mica Nava, Chris Lane, Gandy Brodie, Sari Dienes, Jackie Ferrara, Stephen Durkee, Mimi Gross, Bob Thompson, Lester Johnson, Robert Beauchamp, George Nelson Preston, Joan Herbst, Peter Passuntino, Budd Hopkins, Emily Mason, Wolf Kahn, and Alex Katz. Founders Milder and Grooms themselves participated in several group exhibitions. Grooms reflected on their youthful vigor and their capacity to draw attention within the dynamic downtown art scene of 1958-59, which bore similarities to the contemporary atmosphere of SoHo.