Dear Friends,
I will be showing major art objects from Africa, Oceania & The Americas
May 11-15 in New York City during NY's Tribal Art Week, kicking off events at
3pm this Wednesday May 11 with my colleagues in a big Opening Reception.
Art For Eternity gallery, 303 East 81st Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues),
under the direction and ownership of Howard Nowes Ancient Art,
is hosting me, David Zemanek of Zemanek Auction House in Europe,
and New York's own private dealer, Sebastian Fernandez.
Zemanek will offer for sale a loop-eared Mumuye, an ancient mask, Ex-Collection Jay Leff, long attributed to the Lega, and some powerful pieces from European collections. He will also have available to our visitors copies of his just-printed catalog of Zemanek's important and tempting May 28 Tribal Art Auction.
Also on hand will be the new book Exhibitionist ($45; supplies are limited),
by April Dammann, which details and illustrates the fascinating life of the legendary art impressario and groundbreaking early dealer of Pre-Columbian Art, Earl Stendahl.
Nowes will unveil significant recent acquisitions in Pre-Columbian Art and in Antiquities and some recent scores from an American collection. My personal favorites in his collection are a Paracas vessel Ex-Sonin, a Senufo deble pounder, and massive stone sculptures from Costa Rica, Mezcala, and Veracruz.
Fernandez will feature African figurative sculpture and masks, including strong Songyes, big and small, plus Nigerian masks. His published Kulango ancestor figure is elegant and his Epa mask and his Ekoi skin-covered helmet mask are unnervingly powerful.
Lovers of tribal art certainly seem to have a full and exciting week ahead in New York. This is all thanks to the enormous efforts and stunning cooperation of the NY dealers, of whom Maureen Zarembar could be most appropriately crowned Queen Of The May.
My colleagues Nowes, Zemanek, Fernandez and I are fortunate that our joint international exhibition is right in the center of this hotbed of tribal art activity:
* A mile southeast from our gallery will be two major Sotheby's auctions,
and their exhibitions and presentations right after our Opening Reception;
* A mile south of us will be the gallery exhibitions of visiting Parisians Bernard Dulon ("Kota Ancestors") and Christine Valluet with New York's Ron Nasser;
* A half-dozen blocks west from our location will be Maureen Zarembar's Tambaran Gallery, with guests Chris Boylan, from Australia, and David Bernstein, all the way from Park Avenue;
* Also a half-dozen blocks west of us, besides the Metropolitan Museum, will be the largest grouping of tribal dealers, the AOA Tribal Art Fair at the F-S Mansion: Becker, Dalton-Somare, Duncan, Flak (sadly absent the late great Roland), Jacaranda, Martin, Menser, Tambaran, and the Mestdaghs and the Vissers from Brussels;
* A few blocks stroll along Madison Avenue will allow visits to Alaska on Madison, John Molloy, and, in Mallett Gallery, the inimitable art and personality of John Giltsoff;
* Across the street from the Whitney Museum and 10 blocks west from our location, Amyas Naegele secured a venue and got five other dealers in African art to join him in exhibiting: Boyd, Keita, Stephenson, and Young/Robertson;
* A half-dozen blocks southeast of us will be a show at the Turner Gallery;
* And four blocks' walk will take me to one of my favorite NY galleries, Ken Bowers' The Lands Beyond, although Ken may be too curmudgeonly to consider himself an actual participant in NY's Tribal Week;
And then a little further afield, more of a cab ride than a walk but still only 3-4 miles:
* Take 79th Street through the park to the Upper West Side to Bruce Frank's gallery and you're immediately able to see the stimulating offerings of Craig DeLora, Michael Oliver, and Bruce;
* Back on the way toward midtown, Arte Primitivo is always a fun and friendly visit to see what their imminent auction offers;
* Down to midtown and you can see what Fred Becklar has acquired for his lively Bonham's auction, and tip your hat to him for keeping his estimates excitingly low;
* A visit to Spencer Throckmorton's 57th St. gallery provides a chance to view his major show, years in the planning, of 32 Pre-Columbian stone temples -- make sure to buy the book;
* Also on 57th Street, Carlo at Pace Primitive can be counted on for a spectacular show;
* I'd head further down Manhattan to visit Mark Eglinton, whose offerings were among the most impressive of all last year;
* And finally, over to Chelsea to help the host with the most, Mert Simpson, celebrate his anniversary (60 years!) exhibition.
* My apologies for unintentionally overlooking anyone amidst this vibrant scene.
Dave DeRoche Exhibiting May 11-15 at Art For Eternity Gallery
With Sebastian Fernandez, David Zemanek and Host Howard Nowes
Opening Reception: Wednesday May 11, 3-10pm
Champagne Brunch: Sunday, May 15, 9:30am--Noon
NY Tribal Week Runs Thursday--Sunday
303 East 81st Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenues)