Exploring New York's art scene is about embarking on a vibrant and diverse journey through some of the most influential and exciting art galleries in the world. With a rich tapestry of creative expressions, the city offers a unique panorama of galleries that embrace a variety of artistic styles, periods and mediums. In this article, we'll delve into a carefully curated list of some of the city's most renowned galleries, each carrying its own history, artistic vision and valuable contribution to New York's rich cultural fabric. From contemporary avant-gardes to historic masterpieces, these galleries form an essential part of the artistic experience the city has to offer. We'll explore the different atmospheres, innovative exhibitions and influential artists that make these spaces a must-see destination for art lovers looking to be inspired and connected with New York's effervescent art scene.
Gagosian Gallery
Address: Various locations in New York
A Gagosian Gallery is one of the most influential and prestigious galleries in the world of contemporary art, representing an array of internationally renowned artists. Its locations offer innovative exhibitions in various artistic forms. Founded by Larry Gagosian in Los Angeles in 1980, Gagosian is a gallery specializing in modern and contemporary art that employs more than three hundred people in nineteen exhibition spaces across the United States, Europe and Asia.
David Zwirner Gallery
Address: Various locations in New York
This gallery is known for displaying an eclectic mix of contemporary art, including painting, sculpture, photography and digital media. David Zwirner Gallery is a contemporary art gallery with locations in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and Hong Kong, and currently represents over seventy artists and collections. The gallery has been home to groundbreaking, unique and groundbreaking exhibitions across a variety of media and genres. Active in both primary and secondary markets, David Zwirner has helped to advance the careers of some of the most influential artists working today and maintains a long-term representation of a diverse international group of artists.
Pace Gallery
Address: Various locations in New York
A Pace is an international art gallery representing some of the most influential contemporary artists and collections of the last century, maintaining decades-long relationships with Alexander Calder, Jean Dubuffet, Barbara Hepworth, Agnes Martin, Louise Nevelson and Mark Rothko. Pace enjoys a unique heritage in the United States, spanning both the East and West coasts, through its early support of artists central to the Abstract Expressionism and Light and Space movements. Since its founding by Arne Glimcher in 1960, Pace has developed a distinguished legacy as an artist-focused gallery, hosting seminal historical and contemporary exhibitions. Under the current leadership of CEO Marc Glimcher, Pace continues to support its artists and share its visionary work with audiences worldwide, remaining at the forefront of innovation. Pace also has a legacy of art book production and has published over five hundred titles in close collaboration with artists, with a focus on original research.
Hauser & Wirth
Address: 548 W 22nd St, New York, NY 10011
This gallery showcases a variety of contemporary, modern and post-war art, representing a diverse range of artists. A Hauser & Wirth was founded in 1992 in Zurich by Iwan Wirth, Manuela Wirth and Ursula Hauser, who were joined in 2000 by Partner and President Marc Payot and CEO Ewan Venters in 2020. A family business with a global perspective, Hauser & Wirth has spaces in Hong Kong, London, New York, Southampton, Los Angeles, Somerset, Menorca, Monaco, Zurich, Gstaad and St. Moritz. The gallery represents over 90 artists and collections who were instrumental in shaping its identity and who are the inspiration for Hauser & Wirth's wide range of activities that engage with art, education, conservation and sustainability. Hauser & Wirth has built a reputation for its dedication to artists and support for visionary art projects around the world. In addition to presenting a dynamic schedule of exhibitions, the gallery collaborates with renowned curators to present museum-quality research and invests considerable resources in new studies and research.
Lehmann Maupin
Address: 501 W 24th Street New York, NY 10011
Rachel Lehmann and David Maupin founded the Lehmann Maupin in 1996. The gallery represents a diverse range of contemporary artists and collections from around the world. Since its inception, Lehmann Maupin has been instrumental in introducing international artists to new geographies. This mission resulted in historical exhibitions in New York, Hong Kong and Seoul. Lehmann Maupin New York is located on the island known as Mannahatta (Manhattan) in Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape people.
Sikkema Jenkins & Co.
Address: 530 W 22nd St, New York, NY 10011
A Sikkema Jenkins & Co. is a contemporary art gallery located at 530 West 22nd Street in the West Chelsea Arts District of New York City. Founded in 1991 by Brent Sikkema as Wooster Gardens, the gallery was originally located on Wooster Street in SoHo. In 1999, the gallery moved to its current location, which has subsequently undergone extensive renovation and expansion.
Sikkema Jenkins & Co. exhibits work in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, installation, photography and sculpture. The program includes key established artists such as Tony Feher, Arturo Herrera, Sheila Hicks, Vik Muniz and Kara Walker, as well as emerging talent such as Josephine Halvorson, Louis Fratino and Erin Shirreff. In addition to its represented artists, the gallery collaborates directly on exhibitions and projects with other artists.
Brent Sikkema began his gallery work in 1971 as Director of Exhibitions at the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, NY. He opened his first gallery in 1976 in Boston, MA. The other principal at the gallery, Michael Jenkins, has worked on various projects with the gallery since opening in 1991 and in January 1996 joined the gallery as director.
Chem & Read
Address: 23rd E 67th St, New York, NY 10065
Founded in 1997 by John Cheim and Howard Read, Chem & Read is a contemporary art gallery in New York City that presents recent and historically significant works in museum-quality exhibitions. We work directly with some of the world's most important artists, foundations and collections, including Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Ron Gorchov, Matthew Wong and Sean Scully.
Paula Cooper Gallery
Address: 524 W 26th St, New York, NY 10001
A Paula Cooper Gallery, the first art gallery in SoHo, opened in 1968 with an exhibition to benefit the Student Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam. The exhibition included works by artists such as Carl Andre, Dan Flavin, Donald Judd, Robert Mangold and Robert Ryman, among others, as well as the first wall drawing by Sol LeWitt. For more than fifty years, the gallery's artistic agenda has remained focused, though not limited, to conceptual and minimalist art. In 1996 the gallery moved to Chelsea, occupying a redesigned and award-winning 19th century building. The architect was Richard Gluckman. In 1999, Paula Cooper opened a second exhibition space at 521 West 21st Street. In the fall of 2018, the gallery temporarily relocated its main space to 524 West 26th Street, opening with a 50th anniversary exhibition that benefited the "March For Our Lives" movement.
In addition to its immediate artistic program, the gallery regularly hosts concerts, music symposiums, dance performances, book launches, poetry readings, as well as art exhibitions and special events to benefit various national and community organizations. For 25 years, until 2000, the gallery presented a highly celebrated series of New Year's Eve readings of "The Making of Americans" by Gertrude Stein and "Finnegans Wake" by James Joyce.
Luhring Augustine Gallery
Address: Various locations in New York
A Luhring Augustine Gallery was founded by Lawrence Luhring and Roland Augustine in 1985. The gallery represents a cross-generational cast of international artists and features innovative contemporary exhibitions and rigorous historical displays. Working closely with more than twenty-five artists and collections, the gallery's dedicated team nurtures decades-old practices and cultivates meaningful relationships with institutions and collectors.
Based in Chelsea since 1998, Luhring Augustine established a second location in Bushwick, Brooklyn in 2012, where its flexible exhibition space allows for large-scale installations and long-term projects. In 2020, the gallery opened Luhring Augustine Tribeca, marking its 35th anniversary with a distinctive third platform in New York City to showcase its dynamic program.
Marian Goodman Gallery
Address: Marian Goodman Gallery, 24 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019
The Marian Goodman Gallery supports the work of artists who are among the most influential of our time, representing more than five generations of diverse thought and practice. What makes the gallery unique is the deep-rooted, enduring collaboration and understanding with artists – a connection that is simultaneous with curators, thought leaders and art institutions around the world. The Gallery is led by a team of partners, with Philipp Kaiser as President and Partner, Rose Lord and Emily-Jane Kirwan as Managing Partners, and Leslie Nolen and Junette Teng as Partners. Marian Goodman is the Founder and CEO.