US Galleries Unveil Solidarity with General Strike Against ICE
Art spaces across the United States and beyond will dim their lights on Friday, January 30, in solidarity with a nationwide general strike protesting the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) actions. This movement, sparked by the grassroots initiative National Shutdown (nationalshutdown.org), builds upon Minnesota's January 23 strike, organized by the progressive group Indivisible (indivisible.org). The strike aims to inflict economic strain and liberate participants from their daily routines to voice opposition to the federal occupation of American cities.
The decision to close galleries, especially on a Friday when many host openings, is not without financial implications. However, gallery owners and organizers deemed it crucial to make this sacrifice. Cristin Tierney, owner of the New York-based gallery bearing her name, expressed the sentiment: 'It's a simple yet powerful gesture of solidarity. We want Minnesota residents and immigrants nationwide to know they're not alone. Our artists, staff, and community stand with them. We are all Minnesotans now.'
The list of participating galleries in New York includes emerging spaces like Manhattan's Blade Study and Queens' Mrs., as well as established institutions such as Bortolami, Magenta Plains, and renowned galleries like Greene Naftali, Peter Blum, Pace, and Marian Goodman. In Los Angeles, The Pit, Regen Projects, and Vielmetter have pledged their support. Portland, Oregon's Adams and Ollman, and Denver's David B. Smith Gallery will also participate. Chicago's Corbett vs Dempsey and Document will close their doors, as will several non-profit organizations, including New York's White Columns, Brooklyn's A.I.R. Gallery, Newark, New Jersey's Project for Empty Space, and the Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles.
The strike's impact extends beyond the US, with European galleries showing solidarity. Bern, Switzerland's Gallery Kendra Jayne Patrick and Paris' Bridgette Muholland announced their closure for the day. Muholland, the Paris gallery owner, shared her stance on Instagram: 'I'm an American immigrant living in France. I grew up in New York, proud to be part of the melting pot. My ancestors fled there to escape famine, persecution, and war. The gallery will be closed tomorrow in solidarity, and I won't spend any money with US companies.'
This partial list of January 30 closures was compiled from Instagram announcements as of January 29, featuring commercial and non-profit galleries alike.
Commercial Galleries:
- 303 Gallery (NYC)
- 56 Henry (NYC)
- Adams and Ollman (Portland, OR)
- Alexander Gray Associates (NYC)
- Alison Bradley Projects (NYC)
- Almine Rech (NYC)
- Andrew Edlin (NYC)
- Andrew Kreps Gallery (NYC)
- Anonymous Gallery (NYC)
- Anton Kern Gallery (NYC)
- Blade Study (NYC)
- Bortolami (NYC)
- The Brick (Brooklyn, NY)
- Brigitte Mulholland (Paris)
- Canada (NYC)
- Casey Kaplan (NYC)
- Charlie James Gallery (Los Angeles)
- Chapter NY (NYC)
- Chart Gallery (NYC)
- Chris Sharp Gallery (LA)
- Company (NYC)
- Corbett vs Dempsey (Chicago)
- Cristin Tierney (NYC)
- David B. Smith Gallery (Denver)
- David Zwirner (NYC, LA)
- DC Moore (NYC)
- D.D.D.D. (NYC)
- Document (Chicago)
- Fragment (NYC)
- Fraenkel Gallery (SF)
- Fridman Gallery (NYC)
- Galerie Lelong (NYC)
- Gallery Kendra Jayne Patrick (Bern, Switzerland)
- Gordon Robichaux (NYC)
- Gray (NYC, Chicago)
- Greene Naftali (NYC)
- Harkawik (NYC)
- Henrique Faria New York (NYC)
- Higher Pictures (NYC)
- Hoffman Donahue (NYC)
- Hostler Burrows (LA)
- ILY2 (NYC; Portland, OR)
- Jacqueline Sullivan Gallery (NYC)
- James Cohan (NYC)
- Jane Lombard Gallery (NYC)
- Jeffrey Deitch (NYC, LA)
- JOAN (LA)
- Karma (NYC)
- Kavi Gupta (Chicago)
- Klaus von Nichtssagend (NYC)
- Kristen Lorello (NYC)
- kurimanzutto (NYC)
- Lehmann Maupin (NYC)
- Luhring Augustine (NYC)
- Make Room (LA)
- Management (NYC)
- Marian Goodman (NYC, LA)
- Marianne Boesky (NYC)
- Magenta Plains (NYC)
- Margot Samel (NYC)
- Microscope Gallery (NYC)
- Miguel Abreu Gallery (NYC)
- Monique Meloche (NYC)
- Moskowitz Bayse (LA)
- Mrs. (Queens, NY)
- Nara Roesler (NYC)
- Nazarian/Curcio (LA)
- Nicola Vassell (NYC)
- Nina Johnson (Miami)
- Nguyen Wahed (NYC)
- Olney Gleason (NYC)
- Pace (NYC, LA)
- Paula Cooper (NYC)
- Peter Freeman (NYC)
- Petzel (NYC)
- Peter Blum Gallery (NYC)
- The Pit (LA)
- PPOW (NYC)
- Regen Projects (LA)
- Roberts Projects (LA)
- Ryan Lee (NYC)
- Salon 94 (NYC)
- Sargent's Daughters (NYC)
- Sean Kelly (NY)
- Sebastian Gladstone (LA, NYC)
- Shrine (NYC)
- Silke Lindner (NYC)
- Sikkema Malloy Jenkins (NYC)
- Tanya Bonakdar (NYC)
- Timothy Taylor (NYC)
- Vielmetter Los Angeles (LA)
- Western Exhibitions (Chicago)
Nonprofits:
- A.I.R. (Brooklyn, NY)
- Artists Space (NYC)
- CARA (Center for Art, Research, and Alliances) (NYC)
- Drawing Center (NYC)
- El Museo del Barrio (NYC)
- Eyebeam (NYC)
- Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (LA)
- Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (Madison, WI)
- MOCAD (Detroit)
- MOCA LA (LA)
- New Art Dealers Association (canceled talk in NYC)
- Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (Portland, OR)
- Printed Matter (NYC)
- Project for Empty Space (Newark, NJ)
- Recess (Brooklyn, NY)
- Screen Slate (NYC/SF)
- Smack Mellon (Brooklyn, NY)
- The Luminary (St. Louis)
