The Art Students League of New York Presents the First-Ever Survey Exhibition of Cinque Gallery: "Creating Community. Cinque Gallery Artists"

(New York, NY): Today, The Art Students League of New York (ASL) announces their new exhibition “Creating Community. Cinque Gallery Artists” (November 1 - December 2, 2020). The League is the first institution to chronicle the history of Cinque Gallery, one of the United States’ most innovative and enduring non-profit artists’ spaces. This ground-breaking exhibition will celebrate a diverse selection of late twentieth century and contemporary artists who participated from 1969 – 2004 in this pioneering artist collective. 

Founded by three master League artists, Romare Bearden (1911 – 1988), Ernest Crichlow (1914 – 2005), and Norman Lewis (1909 – 1979), who were determined to “provide a place where the works of unknown, and neglected artists of talent….primarily minority artists” would “not only be shown but nurtured and developed.” (Excerpts. 1969 Cinque Gallery by-laws), Cinque Gallery successfully fostered a mutually supportive community of artists, young and mature, for nearly four decades - and yet, it is virtually undetectable in modern scholarship and criticism. 

Operating with minimal staff and relying on circles of volunteers, the Gallery hosted solo, group, and touring exhibitions presenting hundreds of artists and education programs. Initially located in a space offered by Joseph Papp’s New York Public Theatre, the Gallery later moved to other venues then finally re-located in 1988 to 560 Broadway in Soho, until its closing in 2004. Cinque Gallery is fondly remembered for its lively receptions and social events attracting writers, musicians, actors, and other artists.   

The League is working with renowned arts administrator and curator Susan Stedman to direct this ambitious curatorial and scholarly endeavor. This exhibition of paintings, works on paper, sculptures and archival documents are part of Stedman’s oral history project, and they illuminate the achievements of several generations of artists such as Emma Amos, Nanette Carter, Tom Feelings, Cynthia Hawkins, Norma Morgan, Howard McCalebb, and Ben Wigfall. 

Spanning two floors, the exhibition also features other artists, in addition to the Gallery’s founders, who have become widely celebrated: Charles Alston, Robert Blackburn, Frank Bowling, Melvin Edwards, Sam Gilliam, Hughie Lee-Smith, and Stanley Whitney.

“We are honored to present this groundbreaking exhibition,” Art Students League's Director of External Affairs and Curatorial Programming Genevieve Martin says. “The League seeks to create a space that encourages the public to have challenging conversations around social justice issues and intersectional approaches to arts education and exhibition-making. The founders initiated Cinque Gallery because of the denial of opportunities for serious artists, particularly artists of color. The League seeks to create public recognition of these overlooked contributors of American art while investing in the next generation of artists and cultural producers through our affordable classes and free programs.” 

“Creating Community. Cinque Gallery Artists” will be supplemented by a series of public programs, artist talks, and an accompanying catalog featuring never before exhibited archival images and documents. Curator Susan Stedman will be supported by ArtTable Fellow, Jewel Ham. 

The Art Students League is one of ten partners across the United States to participate in ArtTable's Diversity Fellowship Program. The objective of ArtTable’s Diversity Fellowship Program is to provide quality experiences and mentorship for female graduate students from backgrounds generally underrepresented in the field to aid their transition from academic to professional careers. 

SUSAN STEDMAN is an arts administrator, grantmaker, and advisor to museums, arts, social justice, and other nonprofit organizations. Susan is also an independent curator and manager for artists estates, artists, and their collections. She contributed to the 2015 catalog and exhibition “Procession: The Art of Norman Lewis” at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. 

JEWEL HAM is a 2020 summa cum laude Howard University graduate, with a Bachelor in Fine Arts. She intends to utilize her fellowship and professional experience to increase art access in black and brown communities.

THE ART STUDENTS LEAGUE OF NEW YORK was founded in 1875 by students breaking away from the National Academy of Design. That independent spirit remains at The League today, where students pursue their work unconstrained by dogma, politics or burdensome tuition. The League educates students in the language and process of making art in an environment where anyone who wishes to pursue arts education can realize his or her full potential. The League fulfills this mission by offering affordable, high-quality education and instruction in painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture and assemblage. Artists who have studied at the League include Georgia O'Keeffe, Norman Rockwell, Jackson Pollock, Robert Rauschenberg, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, James Rosenquist and Ai-Weiwei, among others. www.theartstudentsleague.org