New York University’s Grey Art Museum has reopened at its new location with an ambitious new exhibition dedicated to American artists working in Postwar France
Lauren Heath-Jones | Planet Attractions | 04 Mar 2024
The Grey Art Museum reopened in early March at its new location in Lower Manhattan’s Cooper Square Credit: Ennead Architects
New York University’s Grey Art Museum, has reopened at its new location in Manhattan’s Cooper Square with a major exhibition inspired by American artists working in postwar Paris.
The exhibition, entitled ‘Americans in Paris: Artists Working in Postwar France, 1946 - 1962’, has been in development for more than six years and has been described as the museum’s “most ambitious show to date.”
Curated by Grey Art Museum director Lynn Gumpert and scholar Debra Bricker Balken, the exhibition explores the “artistic freedoms that allowed American artists to thrive in Postwar France” and features more than 130 artworks from the likes of Joan Mitchell, Ellsworth Kelly, Jack Youngerman, Herbert Gentry, Kenneth Noland and Ed Clark.
“Americans in Paris continues the Grey’s tradition of academic investigations and scholars that are central to its mission,” Gumpert told NYU News.
“It’s really important to look back and discover artists who have been overlooked. Part of the thrill of working on the exhibition was uncovering so many new names. It was exciting to see the variety of styles these artists engaged in,” she added.
The museum has also produced a 300-page book to accompany the exhibition, which is scheduled to run at the Grey Art Museum until July 20, 2024, when it will transfer to Massachusetts before travelling to Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
The exhibition, dedicated to American artists in postwar Paris, has been described as the museum’s “most ambitious to date” CREDIT: Ennead Architects
Housed inside a purpose-designed space in Lower Manhattan, the new museum is home to Grey’s 6,000-strong collection and features three state-of-the-art galleries, including the Cottrell-Lovett Gallery, and the new Cottrell-Lovett Study Center, a research facility for students, faculty and fellow researchers, as well as a bookstore, reception area, art preparation workshops, office and storage spaces.
The expanded location is hoped to attract 60,000 visitors annually and was created by New York-based architecture practice Ennead Architects.
It is the result of a significant donation from activists and art patrons Dr James Cottrell and Joseph Lovett, who also donated more than 100 contemporary artworks, created by New York artists, to the museum’s collection.
“For almost 50 years, the Grey has been one of New York’s great treasures, with an impact that has far exceeded its size, and wonderful, carefully curated shows that have delighted art lovers from all over,” said NYU president Linda Mills.
“In its fabulous new, more spacious and more accessible quarters, the Grey will continue contributing to making lower Manhattan a world-class arts destination.”
Museums and galleries
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