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April 15, 2021
A NEW ONLINE EXHIBITION Roger De Montebello’s Quest for 3-D Photography

As much inventor as artist, de Montebello developed a new type of camera that produced individual transparencies each consisting of 2,644 separate exposures. When such a transparency is seen through a “lens-viewing screen” (another invention of de Montebello’s), the multiple exposures merge into a single 3-D image that changes depending on…

April 8, 2021
EPHEMERA AS ART Ray Johnson (1927 – 1995)

In the 1960s and 1970s Ray Johnson was a familiar presence at art events handing out photocopy announcements with unusual designs, and collecting addresses for future mail-art networking. Artistically, Johnson can be classified as part of the Fluxus and Conceptual art movements, but his hard to decipher, sui generis messaging,…

April 1, 2021
SENSATION : EPHEMERA FROM THE CONTROVERSY Maggots & Elephant Dung at the Brooklyn Museum, 1999

Given the cautious nature of today’s art world it’s refreshing to remember a time when museum’s actually courted controversy. The Brooklyn Museum must have suspected there would be trouble when they brought Sensation: Young British Artists from the Saatchi Collection to New York in 1999.

March 25, 2021
FOUR GROUNDBREAKING GALLERIES OF THE 1980s Fun Gallery – Semaphore – 303 – International With Monument

Opening an art gallery in the 1980s was easy. Rents were low and there was no shortage of talented artists looking for places to show. In hindsight, it’s surprising to see how many now historic exhibitions were held in small, raw spaces run by neophyte dealers on a shoestring budget. The art world was ready for new…

March 18, 2021
HELL IS YOU: THE NEW CINEMA 1979 A Poster By Christopher Wool, 1994

One of the most conspicuous developments in downtown New York in the late 1970s was the decision by many young artists to start making low- budget, narrative films. This was part of a broader embrace of popular media, as many of these filmmakers were also active in rock bands.

March 10, 2021
THE FAST RISE OF METRO PICTURES Some Early Announcement Cards 1980-1982

The recent announcement that Metro Pictures art gallery will close at the end of 2021 stirs memories about how this once small gallery, founded in 1980 by Janelle Reiring and Helene Winer, got off to a roaring start with a quick succession of exhibitions featuring now famous artists whose…

March 4, 2021
KIKI SMITH Two Unusual Works From The Early 1980s

Gallery 98 has a special connection to the artist group Collaborative Projects Inc. (COLAB).  Old announcement cards, flyers and early multiples by artists connected to the group make up a significant part of our inventory.

February 25, 2021
TEA PARTY AT THE ALGONGUIN HOTEL A Gathering of Women Artists, 1991

In the same celebratory spirit as Great Day in Harlem, the famous group portrait of jazz musicians, Tea Party at the Algonguin Hotel salutes women artists as a newly empowered creative force. This iconic image was created to promote Show of Strength, a benefit exhibition for MADRE, an organization working with women to address humanitarian needs around the…

February 18, 2021
PORTRAITS OF CLUB STARS Nightlife Ephemera – The 1980s

Invitations, posters and other nightclub ephemera document the important role that clubs played in the creative spirit of Downtown NYC in the 1980s. The Mudd Club, Club 57, AREA, Danceteria, Palladium and other clubs were key venues for curators, performance artists, photographers, filmmakers and clothing designers. Gallery 98 spotlights some of these club stars…

February 13, 2021
HARLEM RENAISSANCE PICTORIAL MAP One Hundred Years of History, Art, and Culture

Harlem was never an isolated neighborhood. For most of the 20th century it was the center of African-American life in the United States, a mecca that attracted Black people from all around the country and the world.

February 4, 2021
ART EPHEMERA – ARTIST PORTRAITS William Pope. L, Judy Chicago, Julian Schnabel, Willem de Kooning

Collectors of art ephemera who focus on the career of a favorite artist highly prize cards and flyers that include a portrait of the artist.  Ephemera of this kind is surprisingly rare as most galleries and museums prefer to promote the works being exhibited rather than the artist. Gallery…

January 28, 2021
A LIFE IN ART CAPTURED IN EPHEMERA Edit DeAk, Critic and Curator (1948 – 2017)

Edit DeAk was an art enthusiast who truly got involved. Art-Rite (1973-78), the low budget newsprint magazine that she founded and co-edited with Walter Robinson, was one entry into the art world.

January 20, 2021
A PERFORMANCE ART CLASSIC Chris Burden, 747, Los Angeles, January 5, 1973

This early work by West Coast performance artist Chris Burden pushed all the limits.  Burden is best known for SHOOT (1971) a performance in which he was shot in his left shoulder with a rifle from 15 feet away.

January 13, 2021
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE More Art Ephemera From The Last Century

There are many reasons to collect art ephemera. This selection from the Gallery 98 inventory features prime items from the 1970s and 80s that skirt the lines traditionally separating art, entertainment, politics and everyday life, and offer a wide variety of choices. Andy Warhol, Happy Birthday Holly, 1986…

January 5, 2021
ART EPHEMERA FROM THE LAST CENTURY Telling Stories and Preserving History

As we move into this new year with everything in flux it is more important than ever to remember our past. Art ephemera can help keep what is behind us alive. How will people remember the artists and art events of the last century? These new additions to the Gallery 98 provide fodder for thought. Ray Johnson’s…

December 28, 2020
Looking Back Over The Last Twelve Months Some Favorite 2020 Newsletters

The art world of the 1970s, 80s and 90s is the focus of Gallery 98. These decades were noteworthy not only for art, but also for the vast amount of printed art ephemera that was a by-product of the display and marketing of the art. Each week we…

December 16, 2020
A HISTORY OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT Through Vintage Cards, Posters and Publications

The art ephemera of Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960 – 1988) is of special interest driven not only by his phenomenal success but also by the way his work brings together different segments of the art world.  Cards show him exhibiting in nightclubs, pop-up spaces and in the toniest art galleries.

December 10, 2020
You Want Your Picture With Me? Only 6 Guilders @ James Fuentes’ “COLAB No More Store!”

In the late 1970s young artists aspired to work outside the traditional art world. They wanted to be more in touch with life, reach new audiences, and achieve success with low-priced art that could appeal to a mass audience.

December 5, 2020
NEW ACQUISITION Art Ephemera from the Estate of Art Critic Edit DeAk

Gallery 98 is excited with the recent acquisition of two large boxes of announcement cards, posters and other art ephemera from the estate of art critic Edit DeAk (1948-2017).  As a co-founder of the influential DIY newsprint magazine ART-RITE, and as a writer for Artforum and other periodicals, DeAk was at the…

November 25, 2020
MINIMAL MUSIC – MINIMAL ART Steve Reich at the John Weber Gallery, 1973

The best kinds of art ephemera not only evoke a specific art event but also capture broader cultural trends. The flyer above announcing an exhibition of hand-notated scores and a series of concerts by composer Steve Reich at a leading Soho gallery, is a reminder that the concept of “minimalism” influenced…

November 17, 2020
STEFAN EINS: CROWBAR AND PULLEY, 1974 Two Ready-Made Art Objects Inspired by Wonder

Curiosity, a sense of wonder, and the belief that anything can be art are the elements that helped make Stefan Eins into an innovative art figure in the 1970s.  Born and raised in Austria, Eins came to NYC in 1967, and settled into a small storefront in Soho in 1972 when it was still a deserted manufacturing district. …

November 13, 2020
NEW YORK MAGAZINE, ART-WORLD COVER STORIES, 1975–85 Andy Warhol, Mary Boone, Andrew Crispo, Carl Andre & Ana Mendieta

It doesn’t happen often, but every now and then an art-world story makes the cover of a popular magazine. This tendency probably accelerated after the advent of Pop Art, an art movement that made the art world more accessible and attractive to the general public.

October 27, 2020
BEYOND WORDS, MUDD CLUB, 1981 Graffiti Based – Rooted – Inspired – Works

The 1981 exhibition Beyond Words held in the fourth-floor gallery of the then super-trendy Mudd Club stands out as a conspicuous point in the long road that brought subway art to art-world legitimacy. Curated by Fab 5 Fred Braithwaite and Keith Haring, the exhibition lives on today through this brightly colored, silk-screen poster by John Sex, and a small, offset announcement card…

October 20, 2020
THE VIDEO “GRAFFITI / POST GRAFFITI,” 1984 Futura 2000 – Lady Pink – Basquiat – Rammellzee – Haring

Among the works featured in the exhibition Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip Hop Generation at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (October 18 – May 16) is the videotape “Graffiti / Post Graffiti,” a rarely seen program first screened on the Learning Channel in 1984.

October 16, 2020
EXTRAVAGANT CREATIVE WOMEN OF DOWNTOWN NYC “Dubbed in Glamour” produced by Edit deAk, The Kitchen, 1980

Some art ephemera ages especially well. One example is this vintage 1980 poster for “Dubbed in Glamour” advertising three nights of performances at the Kitchen in Soho. …

October 8, 2020
FIND VINTAGE ART EPHEMERA BY YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS Over 5,000 Gallery Cards, Posters and Catalogs, 1960s – 90s

Gallery 98 offers different ways to explore our large inventory of gallery invitation cards, posters and catalogs. One popular option is to search by artist. More than 180 are listed on our “Artists’ Page” including David Hammons, Jenny Holzer, Joan Mitchell, William Pope.L,…

October 1, 2020
A Pictorial Map of The East Village Art by James Romberger & Marguerite Van Cook

In 2000, Ephemera Press began to commission artists to create illustrated maps of historic New York City neighborhoods that spotlight the homes and hangouts of the famous artists, writers and musicians.

September 24, 2020
PERFORMANCE ARTIST TEHCHING (SAM) HSIEH Vintage Art Invites and Posters, 1978-86

An article about endurance artist Tehching Hsieh in T: The New York Times Style Magazine inspired Gallery 98 to feature the 1980s performance art pioneer as the subject of this week’s email.

September 17, 2020
FIVE PORTRAITS OF ARTISTS Jenny Holzer – Lady Pink – Sturtevant – Colette – Nan Goldin

Gallery 98 features art and art ephemera connected to artists active in downtown New York in the 1960s to 90s. This was a time when artists were exploring their own real-life experiences, often creating works incorporating self-portraits and depictions of friends.

September 8, 2020
EXPLORE OUR INVENTORY BY HISTORIC STYLES – 5,000 Gallery Cards, Posters and Catalogs, 1970s – 90s

Website visitors can now explore Gallery 98’s large collection of vintage art ephemera using newly added sections devoted to the major art movements.  Gallery 98 is designed as an online resource for both collectors and researchers, and we are constantly working to improve our finding aids. See items from selected…

August 27, 2020
MARKETING ART WITH POSTERS, 1970s-90s – Original Offset Posters Suitable for Framing

While the bread and butter for galleries has traditionally been the sale of high priced art to a few wealthy collectors, this market is most successful when the art is also appreciated by a larger, less-privileged audience of art enthusiasts.

August 18, 2020
A GOLDEN AGE OF NYC NIGHTLIFE – Nightclub Ephemera from the 1980s

Back in the 1980s nightclubs were not just places to drink and cruise. They were also an important venue for the city’s cultural scene, a gathering spot where artists, musicians, designers, writers, performers and filmmakers exchanged ideas and networked during one of NYC’s most creative periods.

August 11, 2020
“BETTIE VISITS CBGB” AND “JOHN WATERS CLOSET PORTRAIT” Benefit Auction for the WPA Ends Thursday, August 13

There is still time to bid on items in the Washington Project for the Arts’ Benefit Auction on Artsy, ending on Thursday, August 13th at 6:30 PM. Of special interest are two unusual forays into portraiture by artists who participated in the WPA’s infamous Punk Art Exhibition (1978).

August 5, 2020
BENEFIT AUCTION FOR THE WASHINGTON PROJECT FOR THE ARTS John Waters Closet Portrait by Neke Carson, 2009

Neke Carson’s John Waters Closet Portrait must be one of the more unusual works in the Washington Project for the Arts’ Benefit Auction that is now open for online bidding at Artsy through August 13. Carson, a pioneering performance artist with links to Fluxus and Neo-Dada, is a true original who over his 50-year career has produced…

July 30, 2020
BENEFIT AUCTION FOR THE WASHINGTON PROJECT FOR THE ARTS “Bettie Visits CBGB” & WPA’s Punk Art Exhibition, 1978

The benefit auction for the Washington Project for the Arts (already canceled twice because of Covid-19!!) will finally be open for online bidding at 6:30 pm today (Thursday July 30th) at Artsy. In celebration of the WPA’s 45th Anniversary, the auction features many of the artists who over the years exhibited at this important venue for contemporary art…

July 23, 2020
ARTIST’S PAGES BY ANA MENDIETA AND DAVID HAMMONS From Franklin Furnace’s Flue Magazine, 1981

Artists in the 1980s had a lot to say but not necessarily with a work hanging on a wall. The downtown art space Franklin Furnace (founded by Martha Wilson in 1976) was one of the first galleries to recognize this reality with programming centered around performance art, artists books and other new formats.

July 15, 2020
ART/NEW YORK, A VIDEO MAGAZINE ON ART Announcement Cards from the 1980s

For those who were part of the New York art world in the 1980s and attended the exhibitions and events featured on the art ephemera sold by Gallery 98, these mementos preserve not only art history but also personal memories.

July 10, 2020
GALLERY CARD FOR LYLE ASHTON HARRIS’ WHITE FACE SERIES The 1990s roots of today’s social discourse

What makes for a collectible gallery announcement card? The key quality is a powerful iconic image by a well-known artist that evokes the concerns of the particular time the exhibition took place.

July 1, 2020
ARTIST COLLABORATOR OR HIRED HAND? The Story of Keith Haring and Angel Ortiz (aka LA2)

Artist/documentarian Clayton Patterson’s recent article in the Village Sun adds a new perspective to some Keith Haring announcement cards in the collection of Gallery 98. Patterson has been a longtime advocate of artist Angel Ortiz (better known as LA2) who worked with Haring in the early 1980s but who is now increasingly excluded from the Haring story.

June 24, 2020
YOUR CHOICE: NANCY SPERO OR RICHARD PRINCE? A Franklin Furnace Card with Two Displayable Sides, 1991/1992

Some of the most desirable gallery announcement cards are those with a portrait of the featured artist. In this regard Franklin Furnaces’ Food for Thought card is an exceptional example of art ephemera because it displays two high profile artists, one on each side of the card.

June 18, 2020
ART EXHIBITIONS WORTH REMEMBERING Gallery Invitations, Posters and Catalogues, 1960s to 90s

Art ephemera – the advertising and promotional material created by galleries to publicize and sell art – is now a coveted collectible onto itself.  Collecting ephemera is a way to own vintage objects connected to famous artists, and at the same time, learn more about the history of art as it actually…

May 27, 2020
JOHN FEKNER’S “DECAY” and “BROKEN PROMISES” The South Bronx, Street Art, and the Election of 1980

Dramatically sited amidst the ruins of Charlotte Street in the South Bronx, John Fekner’s 1980 murals –DECAY and BROKEN PROMISES — are the best known work of this early street artist noted for his use of stencils for a political purpose.

May 25, 2020
GALLERY CARDS & NIGHTCLUB INVITES, 1970s-90s Browse by Artist, Venue, and Collecting Theme

For those nostalgic for that still memorable fin-de-siècle moment in downtown New York when art, nightlife, fashion, politics and decadence mingled and thrived, the more than 5,000 items of paper ephemera from the 1970s – 90s posted online at Gallery 98 might be the perfect remedy.

May 13, 2020
NIGHTCLUBS – ART – FASHION – 1980s New issues of Details Magazine added to inventory

Details Magazine, founded by Annie Flanders in 1982, is best known for its fashion coverage. Starting with the very first issue the magazine was brimming with creatively designed ads from small downtown boutiques and newly launched clothing lines.

May 7, 2020
SELECTED VINTAGE ART MAGAZINES, 1970s-90s Collectible Covers, Historic Advertisements, Rare Titles

Since going into lockdown six weeks ago Gallery 98 has been busy unpacking and sorting through thirty-three massive boxes containing the library of art critic Edit deAk (1948-2017).   Most of the boxes contained art books and gallery catalogues but about a quarter of them were filled with art magazines from all…

April 29, 2020
$50 Lockdown Sale Art Catalogues: Top Artists & Galleries, 1970s-90s

Gallery 98 has received and organized 33 boxes of art critic Edit deAk’s library, and are now selling vintage catalogues, books, and periodicals, in a $50 Lockdown Sale featuring important and rare items.

April 22, 2020
“PRIMITIVISM” IN 20th CENTURY ART Press Packet for the Controversial MoMA Exhibition, 1984

Gallery 98 offers the press kit from MoMA’s controversial 1984 exhibition, ‘Primitivism’ In 20th Century Art. The kit includes photos, press releases, and critical essays illuminating the exhibition’s cultural bias, a significant event in the discussion around diversity and multiculturalism in the art world.

April 16, 2020
Francesco Clemente Conquers the Art World; Gallery Invitations, Catalogues and Art Periodicals, 1970s-90s

Gallery 98’s recent acquisition of a large collection of books and ephemera from the library of art critic Edit deAk (1948-2017) brings to light many interesting art world stories.