Profile

In 1996, 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 five years later. 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." One or two shows are mounted monthly, ranging 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."