'Non-profits failed in the late 90s,' according to White Columns director Matthew Higgs, 'so we had to rethink non-profit art culture.' White Columns is one of the oldest and most respected non-profit art spaces in New York, and Higgs, the first non-American to head the organization, has in his relatively brief tenure restored some of its relevance and soul. In the past 20 months, White Columns has mounted 45 shows and exhibited the work of over 300 contemporary artists. He's even started a White Columns record label, with each artist being commissioned to compose songs called 'White Columns.' The first release is from the San Francisco-based band Tussle, and has just been immortalized in vinyl.
The current show is entitled 'Looking Back - the inaugural White Columns Annual.' Conceived to 'reveal something of the complexities involved in trying to negotiate--and engage with--New York's constantly evolving art communities,' the show was selected (this time, they're avoiding the word 'curate') by Higgs himself, whose humorless exterior can't conceal a knowing inner smirk. Essentially, the show consists of stuff Higgs likes that he thinks works well together. It does. In the past 12 months of studio and gallery visits, Higgs encountered the work of the artists featured here, including memorable pieces from Fia Backstrom, Ari Marcopoulos, Jeff Burton, Klara Liden, Graham Durward, David Moreno and Thomas Bayrle.
The opening night crowd was a genial group, with art world types and stylish students clutching free bottles of Grolsch and gabbing about current projects. Artist Lucky DeBellevue (who left Feature gallery only this week) was there with artist Jeff Davis, to show support for White Columns, as were gallerist Anna Kustera and Team gallery director Miriam Katzeff. Venerable painter Graham Durward chatted with fellow expat Nicola Tyson. The evening favorite was the bubbly and brilliant Fia Backstrom, whose A New Order for a New Ecomony-To Form and Context, Proposal to Re-Arrange ArtForum (October 2006) was displayed along the perimeter of the gallery on shelves close to the ceiling. Backstrom has taken the staples out of ArtForum magazine and 'curated' the ads, arranging them in a new kind of order based on formalistic and thematic content. This month's Bruno Bischofberger ad has a cow in it, so it is in the animal section... but for visual reasons is also placed next to the Brice Marden exhibit announcement. 'I want to ruin the hierarchies,' declares Backstrom.
Doug McClemont
'Looking Back - the inaugural White Columns Annual'
Until 20 December
White Columns
320 West 13th Street
New York
T: +1 212 924 4212
Matthew Higgs
Lucky DeBellevue and Jeff Davis
Fia Backstrom
Graham Durward
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