Exhibition will debut at Menconi + Schoelkopf in New York in June, and a second Estes exhibition will be presented at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery in London in September
NEW YORK, NY, May 25, 2021 – The renowned American photorealist painter Richard Estes’s iconic work will be displayed internationally through a series of exhibitions and events that celebrate his work, his process and his contribution to the canon of American art. The series includes gallery shows in New York at Menconi + Schoelkopf and in London at Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery.
Menconi + Schoelkopf, who represents Estes, will present Voyages which includes images from the artist’s travels, as well as his singular vision of New York City. The show, which will run from June 14th to July 30th at the 22 East 80th Street location, is Menconi + Schoelkopf’s first Richard Estes exhibition. Voyages delves deeply into the artist’s canon, offering a riveting and intimate look at some of his most impassioned work with pieces created from his own world voyages, some even capturing transit itself. Emerging from a period where global travel has been an unsatisfied longing, the photorealism of these paintings captures small, personal moments of the artist’s adventures – touching down in Copenhagen, approaching Antarctica by sea, stepping aboard the New York City subway, and memorizing the landscapes of New Zealand, Nepal, Tanzania and Tahiti.
“Menconi + Schoelkopf is thrilled to begin our representation of Richard Estes with the Voyages exhibition and celebrate these works in a city that holds so much meaning to him,” said Andy Schoelkopf, Owner of Menconi + Schoelkopf. “Through 31 paintings, Voyages tells the story of some of Richard’s personal journeys with special resonance. We are excited to encourage greater scholarship and dialogue around the importance of Richard’s body of work within the continuum of the American canon.”
Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery will present the first major exhibition of the celebrated American artist’s work in the UK in September. The show, which opens on September 10th, will include 45 paintings made over the last thirty years.
“I am thrilled to be able to bring Richard Estes’ first retrospective to the UK. Richard is a living icon of American painting and this will be a rare opportunity to see his mesmerizing works in person,” said Damien Hirst. “I’ve loved his work since I was shown it when I was 13 by my art teacher in high school, Mr. Wood. While trends and movements come and go, Richard has stayed true to his vision and singular approach to painting for more than fifty years and I find this unwavering commitment to be a true inspiration.
While Estes is best known for his paintings of New York, the London show will also feature paintings made following trips to Europe, Asia, Africa and Antarctica.
“While Richard’s much-loved paintings of New York will be central to the show, the lesser-known works made from his travels around the world are a revelation and I’m super excited to include them in his show and to be helping to give a broader understanding of Richard’s work to a British audience,” said Hirst.
The exhibit will be accompanied by a fully illustrated, hardbound monograph with a new text by Patterson Sims.
Richard Estes’ last European retrospective was held at El Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in 2007. Most recent US retrospectives were organized jointly by The Portland Museum of Art in Portland, Maine and The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC –both curated by Patterson Sims who is writing for the NPSG catalogue.
About Richard Estes
Richard Estes is the standard-bearer of photorealist painting and its most devoted and accomplished practitioner. His work is defined by a profound commitment to the quotidian truths of his depictions. Of equal importance is his unique creative process in which repeated observations coalesce into an image in his mind. The painting of that image represents a vision within his subjective reality. Over the last half-century, the rare integrity of his process has unveiled a true understanding of the world around us, even as our cities, our landscapes and our rituals change – slowly and steadily, then all at once. As the pendulum swings back from abstraction and realism recaptures the imagination, Richard Estes place is secured as one of the leading painters of the 20th century. His body of work includes his interpretations of timeless, pristine images of New York City as well as his many adventures in travel.
About Menconi + Schoelkopf
Menconi + Schoelkopf is a leader in the field of American art, focusing on the finest works of this country’s artists, created from 1875 to today. The gallery’s program communicates the entire sweep of the modernist impulse in America through its presentation of innovative and important works in both abstract and realist modes. The mission of the gallery is to expand the field of American art through research, scholarship and our treasured relationships with the leading collectors and museums. The gallery is a member of the Art Dealers Association of America, of which Andrew Schoelkopf serves as President, and the Private Art Dealers Association. It maintains a robust schedule of programming and exhibitions which support the engagement of new audiences. The gallery strives to inspire a richer understanding of the contributions of the leading American artists. The gallery is located on New York City’s Upper East Side and is open to the public and by appointment. Visit: www.msfineart.com for a schedule of upcoming programming or to engage with us.
About Newport Street Gallery
Located in Vauxhall, south London, Newport Street Gallery presents exhibitions of work from Damien Hirst’s art collection. Exhibitions vary between solo and group shows and admission to the gallery is free. Newport Street Gallery is the realization of Hirst’s long-term ambition to share his art collection with the public. Designed by architects Caruso St John, the gallery spans 37,000 square feet and includes six exhibition spaces – one with a ceiling height of 11 meters– split over two levels. The Murderme collection, which Hirst has been acquiring since the late 1980s, contains over 3,000 works. Featured artists include Francis Bacon, Banksy, Tracey Emin, Richard Hamilton, Jeff Koons, Sarah Lucas, Pablo Picasso, Richard Prince, Haim Steinbach and Gavin Turk, as well as a number of young and emerging artists and a significant collection of indigenous artists from the Pacific Northwest Coast. Also featured are natural history specimens, taxidermy, anatomical models and historical artefacts. The collection has previously been the subject of large-scale exhibitions at the Serpentine Gallery, London (2006) and the Pinacoteca Agnelli, Turin (2013).
The construction of Newport Street Gallery involved the conversion of three listed buildings, which were purpose-built in 1913 to serve as scenery painting studios for the booming Victorian theatre industry in London’s West End. With the addition of two new buildings, the gallery now spans half the length of the street.
Contact:
Susan Ainsworth
For Menconi + Schoelkopf
Ph: 1-917-861-7949
Email: Susan@ainsworthassociates.net
Erica Bolton
For Newport Street Gallery
Bolton & Quinn, 6 Addison Avenue, London W11 4QR
Office: +44 (0)20 7221 5000 / Mobile: +44 (0)7711 698186
Email: Erica@boltonquinn.com
