The Fourth Gallery in NYC to close in under a month
New York’s art realm quietly lost one of its most nurturing corners this week: renowned contemporary hub Clearing has officially closed its doors in both NYC and LA after a remarkable fourteen year run.
The announcement from founder Oliver Babin suggested the decision was made with tenderness, noting the harsh realities of “no viable path forward” amid mounting financial pressures.
Since its 2011 opening in Bushwick, the gallery cultivated, supported and grew a spirited community of emerging artists.
It launched West Coast and Brussels outposts over the years, before shifting its downtown footprint from a sprawling Brooklyn depot to a three-floor venue on the Bowery, a move supposedly driven by location more than expansion.
For over a decade, Clearing was a cradle for bold visions that included early shows by Harold Ancart, Korakrit Arunanondchai and Marguerite Humeau, to more intimate group exhibitions that stretched across painting, sculpture and multimedia. It gave a stage to voices that became synonymous with boundary-pushing programming.
Babin’s final reflection spoke volumes: “It was not an easy decision. Until the very end we hoped to turn the corner.”
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This closure lands amongst a procession of elite galleries shutting down. New York has seen others like JTT, Cheim & Read, Queer Thoughts, Denny Gallery and Marlborough Gallery (to name a few) fold in recent months signalling a turning tide for the art market that is unfortunately indicative of today’s economy.
Georgie Tancred
