Press Peter Freeby Press Peter Freeby

News: CITYarts SoHo Artists History Walk Online Exhibition

CITYarts is proud to present the first iteration of exhibitions in this online format for our project SoHo Artists History Walk. Celebrating the works of nearly 100 of the artists whose careers have helped to define New York's SoHo neighborhood and community.

 

CITYarts is proud to present the first iteration of exhibitions in this online format for our project SoHo Artists History Walk. Celebrating the works of nearly 100 of the artists whose careers have helped to define New York's SoHo neighborhood and community.

FEATURING WORKS BY

Stephen Antonakos | Arnaud | Leigh Behnke | Zigi Ben-haim | Siri Berg | Richard Bosman | Nancy Brett | Nancy Burson | Myrel Chernick | Christo |maxi Cohen | David W. Cummings | Jennifer Clifford Danner | Claudia Demonte | Agnes Denes | Michele Oka Doner | Cynthia Eardly | Don Eddy | Martha Edelheit | Tom Evans | Sandi Fellman | Jackie Ferrara | Susan Firestone | Cris Gianakos | Kathleen Gilje | Max Gimblett | Andrew Ginzel | Michael Gitlin | Richard Haas | Marcia Hafif | Mary Jane Hanja | Julie Harrison | Julian Hatton | Judith Henry | Stuart Hitch | Barry Holden | Erick Johnson | Donald Judd | Barbara Knight | Joyce Kozloff | Shigeko Kubota | Diana Kurz | Don Lewallen | Mon Levinson | Vered Lieb | Louis Lieberman | Robert Lobe | Vincent Longo | Beatice Mady | Lenore Malen | Charles Marburg | Margo Margolis | Jan Meisnner | Louis Mendez | Renee Monrose | Judith Murray | Wendy Nadler | Richard Nonas | Charles Thomas O'neil | Nam Jun Paik | Peter Pinchbeck | Lucio Pozzi | Dina Recanati | Peter Reginato | Deborah Remington | Rodney Ripps | Tony Robbin | Erika Rothenberg | Sumayyah Samaha | Andra Samelson | Claude Samton | Linda Schrank | Michal Shapiro | Cindy Sherman | Arlene Slavin | Sandi Slone | Katherine Sokolnikof | Michelle Stuart | Susanna Tanger | Alan Wexler | Daniel Wiener | Hannah Wilke | Thornton Willis | Susan Wittenberg | Nina Yankowitz | Robert Yasuda | Jerilea Zempel

VIEW THE EXHIBITION

Prior to becoming SoHo (an acronym for South of Houston Street), the area was a light manufacturing zone occupied by sweatshops in buildings that are now National Historic Landmarks. Deserted in the evenings and on the weekends, these buildings opened onto dark and beaten-up streets with no green spaces or community services. It wasn't until the late '60s when these buildings were taken over by “some crazy artists” who had the vision to turn them into live/work loft spaces that SoHo became the cultural model for the world. More information, along with a more comprehensive list of SoHo artists can be found on the main project webpage.

Yet, in spite of this phenomenal success & maybe because of it, many politicians are considering destroying it through up-zoning to allow for the construction of high-rise buildings that will put the historical uniqueness of this neighborhood in the shadows and shatter its spirit.

My co-curator, Lesley Heller, and exhibition advisors Joyce Pomeroy-Schwartz and Charlotta Kotik, want to raise awareness about the power of art to impact people’s lives as almost nothing else can.

CITYarts is actively reaching out to the New Mayor of NYC Eric Adams & Manhattan Borough President Marc Levine to come meet the artists of SoHo, have a conversation, and work towards understanding why we should contribute to preserving this unique neighborhood as a jewel in the crown of NYC, not destroying it!

Enjoy the exhibition. Purchase the works that you like. Artists will receive 50% of the proceeds & CITYarts 50% to support our projects. A portion of CITYarts proceeds will be allocated to promoting the work of incarcerated American Indian artist Leonard Peltier in recognition of Human Rights week.

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Press, News Jason Andrew Press, News Jason Andrew

Siri Berg (1921-2020): announcing new website!

Artist Estate Studio, LLC is pleased to announce the launch of a new website for Siri Berg (1921-2020) created in collaboration with the artist's estate. The new site builds upon an extensive archive compiled by the artist as revisited by Artist Estate Studio, LLC.

Jason Andrew writes:

"I had the great opportunity of meeting Siri on the occasion of her historic survey at the Shirley Fiterman Art Center in 2016. Previous to this, I was aware of her now legendary obsession with color. In the great tradition of geometric abstraction, Siri's work is noted for its purity as color became her calling card. Color and texture gave way to personal stories told through an embracing of total abstraction. Inspired by the theories put forward by Johannes Itten and Josef Albers, Siri took hold of their statements turning out her own theories ranging from bold and fast-forward to subdued and slow in motion."

 
1973_SBE0154_Shiftings_Ptg_web.jpg

Siri Berg (1921-2020) "Shiftings (SBE0154)", 2010, Oil on canvas (five parts), 30 x 107.5 in (overall) (76.2 x 273.1 cm) Collection of the Estate of Siri Berg

Berg_2010_1449-1457_Gradation-blue_web.jpg

Siri Berg (1921-2020) "Gradation (Blues) (SBE1449–1457)", 2010, Oil on canvas (nine parts), 20 x 90 in (overall) (50.8 x 228.6 cm), Collection of the Estate of Siri Berg

 

Work in Focus

"Kabbalah," 1985
Acrylic on canvas
72 x 72 in (182.9 x 182.9 cm)
SBE0479-11

Learn more about the intention behind the making this work here.

0479-II_insta.jpg
 
 

Book Store

In addition to a well-researched bibliography, several catalogs are newly available for purchase from various exhibition held of Siri Berg's work that include essays by William Zimmer, Gerald Haggerty, and Dominique Nahas.

 
Studio of Siri Berg, Mercer Street, SoHo, 2021. Photo: Ray Foley

Studio of Siri Berg, Mercer Street, SoHo, 2021. Photo: Ray Foley

Photo Essay: The Studio of Siri Berg by Ray Foley

On March 13, 2021, the Estate of Siri Berg in association with Artist Estate Studio, LLC hosted an open house at Siri Berg’s home and studio on Mercer Street in the heart of SoHo. The occasion celebrated the life and work of the artist and was attended my family, friends, and collectors and documented with this photo essay by Ray Foley.

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