Greetings friends,
In light of the recent global developments regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we would like to note that Blum & Poe in Los Angeles, New York, and Tokyo remain open in good faith that in trying times, art offers a place of refuge and sanctuary. However, in keeping with the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the local departments of public health, we will be foregoing large public openings and events, a temporary policy aimed at inhibiting the spread of the virus. We are being proactive in taking preventative measures, including sanitizing both public and private spaces throughout the day. By moving forward with exhibition programming while simultaneously making common sense adjustments to prioritize the safety of visitors and staff, we intend to continue to create community in the face of this difficult moment.
Closing this Saturday in Los Angeles, the monumental exhibition New Images of Man curated by Alison M. Gingeras revisits the eponymous MoMA exhibition of 1959 and artwork that grapples with the human condition. Shio Kusaka's solo presentation curated by Douglas Fogle and Hanneke Skerath at the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences is open until April 4 and responds to the unique architectural environment with the artist's signature idiosyncratic ceramics, sculpture, and hand-crafted textile design. Last week in New York we opened Mimi Lauter's Symphony No. 1 – twenty-five pastel on paper paintings with saturated hues and lush strokes, on view through April 18. And on April 4 in Los Angeles, we will open three new solo exhibitions – a three-decade survey of the work of Yukinori Yanagi; figurative paintings from 1970 to present day by March Avery; and a portrait series documenting the LA art scene by Marc Richards, organized by Jonas Wood.
In Tokyo, we have extended Paloma Bosquê's exhibition of new wall work and floor pieces called Dark Matter – and will postpone the upcoming exhibitions of Asuka Anastacia Ogawa and Kenny Schachter until further notice. We have limited daily gallery hours at this location in an effort to reduce travel for office staff during peak commute hours.
Outside of gallery programming, Blum & Poe is pleased to support Art Basel Hong Kong by participating in the fair's first iteration of the Online Viewing Room, which opens to the public March 20, with VIP preview days from March 18 to March 20, 2020 (accessed here).
We'd like to recognize the artists we work with living across the globe whose forthcoming exhibitions will be impacted. We are sensitive to the challenges this moment poses to them and will support their efforts in every way we can.
The situation is constantly changing and we will continue to monitor daily, making adjustments as necessary. Blum & Poe is committed to creating a safe, uplifting, and healthy space for all – please join us at one of our locations to see what is on view.
Wishing you all peace and good health in this challenging time.
Blum & Poe