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A.I.R. Gallery, 155 Plymouth Street, Brooklyn, NY, Jacqueline Ferrante, gallery assistant
A.I.R. Gallery, 155 Plymouth St, Brooklyn

A.I.R. Gallery (which stands for Artists in Residence) is a special art gallery. It was the first gallery in the United States created and run by women artists only. It started in 1972. The main goal was to give women artists a professional place to show their art. At that time, most art galleries in New York City mainly showed art by men. A.I.R. is a non-profit group. This means it doesn't try to make money. It is run by its artists who live in New York. The gallery has moved a few times. Since May 2015, it has been at 155 Plymouth Street in Brooklyn, New York.

A.I.R. wants to show how talented and diverse women artists are. It also aims to teach people and challenge old ideas about female artists. The gallery hopes to inspire other artists to create their own art groups.

History of A.I.R. Gallery

A.I.R. Gallery was founded in 1972. It was the first non-profit art gallery in the country run by women artists. When the gallery first opened, they said, "A.I.R. does not sell art; it changes attitudes about art by women." This means they wanted to change how people thought about art made by women. They wanted to give women artists a place to show new and creative work. This work would not be judged by what sells in the market. The gallery is based on ideas of fairness and working together. All decisions are made by the group. This way, A.I.R. helps protect artists' creative freedom.

How the Gallery Started

Two artist friends, Barbara Zucker and Susan Williams, found it hard to find galleries to show their work. They decided to look for other women artists to start a co-op. A co-op is a group where members work together and share ownership. In the 1970s, there were not many opportunities for women in the art world. For example, in 1970, a protest at the Whitney Museum of American Art showed that less than 5% of the art there was by women.

With help from art critic Lucy Lippard, Barbara and Susan, along with Dotty Attie and Mary Grigoriadis, visited many artist studios. They invited women artists to join their new co-op.

First Meetings and Challenges

The first meeting was on March 17, 1972, in Susan Williams' art studio. Many artists came, including Nancy Spero, Louise Bourgeois, Howardena Pindell, and Harmony Hammond. The artists wanted to show high-quality work. But they also had to deal with the idea that art by women might be seen as less important. After the gallery opened, one man said, "Okay you did it; you found 20 good women artists. But that's it." This shows the challenges they faced.

How A.I.R. Gallery Works

A.I.R. was set up to be a place for women's art. It was also meant to be a new and different kind of art group. Because it's a co-op, all members vote on decisions. They meet every month to plan shows and the gallery's future. Each artist pays membership fees. This means they own part of the gallery and have control over their own art careers. This is different from galleries run by art dealers.

New artists are chosen carefully by current members. They look at the artists' work and talk about it. Each artist gets to plan her own show. This allows for new ideas and risks that might not be possible in regular art galleries. The group also started working with other artists and holding international shows.

The Name "A.I.R."

The name "A.I.R." came from a meeting. Artist Howardena Pindell suggested "Jane Eyre." From that, the idea of "air" came up, which led to "A.I.R." It also referred to "Artist in Residence." This was a special permit that allowed artists to live in commercial buildings in the SoHo area of New York City.

Programs at A.I.R. Gallery

A.I.R. Gallery has many programs to support artists and the community. These include:

  • Solo Shows: Exhibitions of art by individual gallery artists.
  • Group Shows: Exhibitions featuring art by many artists.
  • Lectures and Panels: Talks and discussions about art.
  • Internship Program: Helps young people learn about running an art gallery.

Fellowship Program

The Fellowship Program started in 1993. It helps women and non-binary artists who have not had a solo show in New York City recently. The program gives these artists a chance to create new work for their own solo show. It also helps them connect with other artists and learn skills needed to run an art gallery. Artists who complete the program gain important experience and connections for their careers.

Fellowship Artists (1993–2021)

Many artists have been part of the Fellowship Program. Some of them include:

  • Tenesh Webber
  • Diyan Achjadi
  • Angie Eng
  • Debra Hampton
  • Juri Kim
  • Enid Crow
  • Christine Gedeon
  • Fay Ku
  • Diane Meyer
  • Damali Abrams
  • Suzanne Broughel
  • Kira Nam Greene
  • Jee Hwang
  • Juliana Cerqueira Leite
  • Sam Vernon
  • Rachel Farmer
  • Dina Kantor
  • Amelia Marzec
  • Jayanthi Moorthy
  • Laura Petrovich-Cheney
  • Ian Gerson
  • Shanti Grumbine
  • Jessie Henson
  • Sujin Lee
  • Hannah Smith Allen
  • Aimée Burg
  • Annie Ewaskio
  • Bang-Geul Han
  • Einat Imber
  • Katherine Tzu-Ian Mann
  • Régine Romain
  • Željka Blakšić
  • Amber Esseiva
  • Sara Mejia Kriendler
  • Alexandria Smith
  • Claudia Sohrens
  • Fanny Allié
  • Andrea Burgay
  • Shadi Harouni
  • Daniela Kostova
  • Kameelah Janan Rasheed
  • Negin Sharifzadeh
  • Manal Abu-Shaheen
  • Elizabeth Hoy
  • Eleanor King
  • Marykate Maher
  • Alison Owen
  • Naomi Elena Ramirez
  • Rachelle Dang
  • H. A. Halpert
  • Sareh Imani
  • Victoria Manganiello
  • Aliza Shvarts
  • Crys Yin
  • Melanie Crean
  • Isabella Cruz-Chong
  • Kim Dacres
  • Macon Reed
  • Gabriela Vainsencher
  • Zhiyuan Yang
  • Aya Rodriguez-Izumi
  • Caroline Wayne
  • Daniela Puliti
  • Dominique Duroseau
  • Karen Leo
  • Megan Pahmier
  • Aika Akhmetova
  • Destiny Belgrave
  • Lizania Cruz
  • Kyoung Eun Kang
  • Sky Olson
  • Bat-Ami Rivlin

Gallery Locations Over Time

A.I.R. Gallery has been in several places since it started.

  • The first gallery was at 97 Wooster Street. It opened on September 16, 1972. The artists renovated this space themselves.
  • From 1981 to 1994, it was at 63 Crosby Street.
  • From 1994 to 2002, it was at 40 Wooster Street.
  • From 2002 to 2008, it was at 511 West 25th Street.
  • On October 2, 2008, it opened a new space at 111 Front Street #228 in Dumbo, Brooklyn.
  • In May 2015, A.I.R. Gallery moved to its current home. The address is 155 Plymouth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

Founding Members of A.I.R.

The artists who helped start A.I.R. Gallery in 1972 were:

Current Memberships

A.I.R. Gallery has different ways for women artists to become members:

  • New York Artist membership: For women artists living in the New York area.
  • National Membership: For women artists from all over the United States.
  • Alumnae membership: For former New York, National, and Fellowship Artists who want to stay connected.
  • Adjunct Program: Artists who have been members for 7 years can join this program.

Artists Who Have Shown Work

Many artists have shown their work at A.I.R. Gallery. Some of them include:

See also

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