print May 2001

“Alfred Stieglitz and His New York Galleries”

In the first half of the twentieth century, Alfred Stieglitz did more to introduce modern art to an American public than—arguably—any other single individual. Even for all of his fame as a photographer, he will probably be best remembered as an art dealer, a profession whose commercial activities he disdained. In an era when ego and greed have earned many gallerists the kind of reputation usually reserved for used-car salesmen, it is remarkable that a major American museum—the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, no less—would organize an exhibition that acknowledges

previews May 1999

The American Century: Art & Culture 1900-2000

The question “What is American in American art?” has perhaps been asked ever since the first easel was pitched on colonial soil. Answers, when they have not been contested outright, are at best deemed woefully inadequate. A more comprehensive reply should be offered by the Whitney Museum of American Art's massive two-part exhibition “The American Century: Art & Culture 1900-2000.” Continuing in the contextualist vein characteristic of former director David Ross's regime (Ross initiated this project before leaving for SF MOMA), this show, the biggest in the museum's history, will take up all four

books February 1999

Julien Levy

AS WE APPROACH THE FINAL MONTHS of this century, art critics and historians are increasingly compelled to identify and list the most important events that have occurred in the world of art over the course of the past hundred years. Histories differ, of course, depending on who provides them. Artists tend to chart progress through the accomplishments of other artists, whereas historians seem to prefer seeing styles develop logically in a seamless chronological sequence. The contributions made by curators in this historical flow have been well documented in books devoted to the most important art

Francis M. Naumann