Exhibitions Organized at the Queens Museum, New York City
1986 – 1992
The Heroic Spirit: Classical Sculpture from Ancient Greece to Michelangelo, 1986
The works in this exhibition were drawn from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 19th century plaster cast collection that was rescued from deterioration and subject to an intensive restoration project at the Queens Museum.
Classical Myth and Imagery in Contemporary Art, 1988
This exhibition highlighted the diversity of work by artists from around the world inspired by classical art. It offered a provocative juxtaposition with the museum’s presentation of 19th century plaster casts on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The show of works by 40 artists included Jim Dine, Audrey Flack, George Segal, Leon Golub, Nancy Spiro, and Mary Beth Edelson and offered viewers an array of interpretations and media.
The Expressionist Surface: Contemporary Art in Plaster, 1990
This exhibition was the first extensive exploration highlighting the importance of plaster as a medium for contemporary artists. It also presented another avenue to appreciate the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s cast collection. Showcasing the work of 16 artists, including Peter Agostini, Manuel Neri, George Segal, Grace Knowlton, Rudolph Serra, and Jonathan Silver, it demonstrated how plaster could be used in diverse and unexpected ways. The show was supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Fragile Ecologies: Contemporary Artists’ Interpretations and Solutions, 1992
Fragile Ecologies is often regarded as the first major museum exhibition to recognize groundbreaking, ecological artworks. A catalogue published by Rizzoli, along with an introductory video and illustrated timeline, provided an historical overview of art beginning with cave paintings.
Centering on the importance of the natural world, the exhibition featured projects by Patricia Johanson, Helen and Newton Harrison, Nancy Holt, Mel Chin, Mierle Laderman Ukeles, Betty Beaumont, and Heather McGill & John Roloff. The show also highlighted a video documenting the Los Angeles River by students at Wilson High School under the aegis of Cheri Gaulke and Susan Boyle.
Fragile Ecologies was developed for circulation by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and subsequently traveled to five museums across the country.
Emerging Artists series
During my tenure at the Queens Museum, I curated monthly solo exhibitions of emerging artists who created innovative works in all media. In 1990, the museum expanded its Emerging Artists series into a satellite gallery at the Bulova Corporate Center, New York. Lesley Dill and Chris Cristofaro were among the first artists featured.