James Cohan: Twenty Years

James Cohan is pleased to present James Cohan: Twenty Years, a special group exhibition celebrating the gallery's twentieth anniversary. On view from November 1 through December 20 at James Cohan's Tribeca and Lower East Side gallery spaces, the exhibition will feature new or historical works by every artist in the current program. James Cohan will host opening receptions on Friday, November 1 from 5-7 PM at 291 Grand Street and 6-8 PM at 48 Walker Street.

James Cohan opened on West 57th Street in the fall of 1999 with an exhibition of early work by Gilbert and George, followed by the gallery’s first exhibitions with artists Trenton Doyle Hancock, Robert Smithson, Fred Tomaselli, and Bill Viola. The gallery moved to 533 West 26th Street in 2002, where it mounted important exhibitions by artists including Spencer Finch, Beatriz Milhazes, Yun-Fei Ji, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Xu Zhen, etc. More recently in Chelsea, the gallery presented exhibitions by newer additions to the program such as Kathy Butterly, Federico Herrero, Mernet Larsen, Lee Mullican, and Elias Sime amongst others. James Cohan operated an additional location in Shanghai, China from 2008 through 2015. This space functioned as a locus of cross-cultural exchange, introducing American and European contemporary art to a Chinese audience.

In November 2015, James Cohan opened a second New York location at 291 Grand Street. Its inaugural exhibition in the Lower East Side neighborhood was a revelatory exhibition of early Robert Smithson drawings. This location has allowed the gallery to expand its dynamic programming with focused and experimental exhibitions of gallery artists and curated shows.

The gallery’s twentieth year marks an exciting new chapter in its history, beginning with the relocation of its flagship space to 48 Walker Street in September. This new location opened with an exhibition by Josiah McElheny, his first with the gallery. In this new space, James Cohan will present upcoming exhibitions of recent additions to the gallery roster, including Teresa Margolles, Firelei Báez, and Grace Weaver. 

James Cohan: Twenty Years will be accompanied by an illustrated catalogue that documents the achievements of the artists in the program, to be published in Spring 2020. Featuring an essay by Gregory Volk alongside contributions from several gallery artists, this major publication commemorates the gallery’s rich history and bright future, celebrating the artists who have made it all possible. 

Participating artists include:

Helene Appel

Firelei Báez

Kathy Butterly

Simon Evans™

Omer Fast

Spencer Finch

Michelle Grabner

Trenton Doyle Hancock

Federico Herrero

Yun-Fei Ji

Byron Kim

Mernet Larsen

Richard Long

Teresa Margolles

Josiah McElheny

Beatriz Milhazes

Lee Mullican

Jordan Nassar

Tuan Andrew Nguyen

Scott Olson

Katie Paterson

The Propeller Group

Matthew Ritchie

Hiraki Sawa

Yinka Shonibare CBE

Elias Sime

Robert Smithson

Tabaimo

Alison Elizabeth Taylor

Fred Tomaselli

Bill Viola

Grace Weaver

XU ZHEN®