22 September 2009 – Last week marked the opening of the Gagosian’s first ever retail space located on the ground floor of 988 Madison Avenue. The 2500 square foot space was designed by Daniel Rowen Architects with MN Designs, and was launched with the presentation of Richard Prince’s newest limited edition artist book, Bettie Kline last week. It will feature a selection of publications, posters and prints as well as limited editions by John Currin, Tom Friedman, Ellen Gallagher, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Marc Newson, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, Tom Sachs, and Franz West.
As part of this exciting new launch, London based art retailer Other Criteria will take a section of the Gagosian store. Currently running two shops in London, Other Criteria is already established as one of London’s best locations for buying artist editions, books and multiples, as well as a range of artist designed merchandise.
Launched in 2005, Other Criteria began life as a web company and continues to have an expanding catalogue available online. Originally created by Damien Hirst , Hugh Allan, and Frank Dunphy, with senior designer Jason Beard, Other Criteria focuses on a wide range of 'quality products made for every taste and pocket'. Renowned for their unique and original array of objects, the New York store will feature distinctive pieces from the collection. Highlights will include limited edition prints previously unseen in the US such as ‘Hallucinatory Head’ and ‘Transcendent Head’, the iconic skulls created as the unpredictable result of the now famous and highly sought after ‘Spin’ painting technique developed by the artist.
“We’re all about working with artists to make things that they want to create and other people want to buy. It’s as simple as walking in to the shop, or clicking through the website, and buying it there and then. It shouldn’t intimidate anyone”, says Hirst.
Other Criteria
Launched in 2005, Other Criteria began as a publishing company headed up by Damien Hirst, Hugh Allan and Frank Dunphy, with senior designer Jason Beard. Evolving organically from their website, the company opened shop fronts in London on New Bond St (October 2008) and Hinde St (February 2009). Stocking a handpicked array of established and emerging artists, the store prides itself on “great quality art by the best artists and making it available to everyone.” Each edition is launched with a book created in close collaboration with the artist and published by Other Criteria.
For more information on Other Criteria please contact:
Kate Atkinson kate@purplepr.com +44 207 434 7061
Sam Talbot sam@purplepr.com +44 207 434 7063
Gagosian
Opened in 1979 in New York by Larry Gagosian, Gagosian Gallery is considered to be one of the world's foremost modern and contemporary art galleries. With nine locations worldwide, including three in New York, one in Beverly Hills, two in London, one in Rome, an office in Hong Kong, and a new location opening in Athens this fall, Gagosian Gallery plays a pivotal role in the contemporary art scene. Over the last three decades, Gagosian Gallery has presented countless memorable exhibitions of leading international artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst, Jenny Saville, Richard Serra, and Cy Twombly while also mounting ambitious, museum-quality exhibitions of such modern masters as Francis Bacon, Willem de Kooning, Alberto Giacometti, Roy Lichtenstein, Pablo Picasso, David Smith, and Andy Warhol. The recent and highly acclaimed Picasso exhibition "Mosqueteros" in New York drew almost 100,000 viewers in ten weeks.
*********************
For more information on Gagosian please contact:
Meghan McGinnis meghan@nadinejohnson.com 212-228-5555
shop@gagosian.com 212.744.9200