Curated by Philae Knight and Amanda Steck

As economic downturns can empower artists to connect with their oeuvres in new ways, Re-Accession: For Sale by Owner includes a cross-section of emerging and more established New York-based artists who are either without New York gallery representation, or whose representation has been affected by the present environment. The exhibition aims to break down the walls of ‘who’s who’ by bringing together a diverse group of artists working in this new economy. Artists include:

Re-Accession: For Sale by Owner begins with Devon Dikeou’s zeitgeist piece What’s Love Got to Do With It, 1991-ongoing, featuring a selection of 19 black box announcements of group exhibitions the artist has participated in from the period of the last downturn in the early 90s, with the addition of one newly made for Re-Accession. The black box is reminiscent of old Chelsea gallery signs; Dikeou has never been formally represented by a dealer in New York City. Other works in the show directly address the downturn, such as Matt Tackett’s We Finance Lottery Tickets, n.d., and Laura Gilbert’s The Zero Dollar, 2008, which she gave away free on Wall Street in the weeks after the stock market crashed in September 2008.

Knight and Steck’s curatorial approach is a reflection of the changing tide since the last recession. For this exhibition, they reviewed over 150 submissions via email, and conducted several studio visits in a short timeframe–three weeks from submission to installation. Artworks are for sale directly through the owner, with The FLAG Art Foundation merely acting as the tipping point.

No matter what the art market claims or dictates, artists are resilient and rarely stymied by the conditions of established channels of art commerce, including gallery closures. Work still gets made, artists find new representation, and while struggle through these times is unquestionable for them, this show hopes to provide the public with a view towards the shifting climate of exposure and how audiences connect to the art world.

About:

Philae Knight joined the business development team at Phillips auction house in 2007, where she leads the New York office of Client Advisory with a focus on the strategic growth of established and new art collections. Prior to joining Phillips, Knight served as a private art advisor, curator, and technology marketing manager to traditional companies seeking to transform their digital brands. She is currently active on several institutional committees, including The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY, and Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Aspen, CO. She graduated from Connecticut College, New London, CT, with a BA in Art History.

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