Cheim & Read

Profile

In 1997, John Cheim and Howard Read left their longtime positions as directors of the Robert Miller Gallery to start an eponymous one of their own. Taking a loyal group of artists and collectors with them, they bought a raw, dark garage on 23rd Street. Then, with the help of architect Richard Gluckman, they opened this naturally lit, spacious gallery in 2001. In contrast to the free-flowing industrial layouts typical of its art-dealing neighbors, this bifurcated exhibition hall is meant to show art in what Read himself deems "architecturally conceived volumes of space." Shows range from Jenny Holzer's language-based light installations to William Eggleston's color photographs and from David McDermott and Peter McGough's bold, cartoonish paintings to Louise Fishman's Abstract Expressionist creations. Over time, the founders have gathered a core of major players—particularly female artists—thereby building a curatorial reputation that's respected by scholars and amateurs alike. — Lori Cole

Catalogues accompany about four or five shows annually such as Joan Mitchell's "Fremicourt Paintings 1960-62" and the inventive Jean-Michel Basquiat's "In Word Only."