Artists Space

Artists Draw:
Tom Martin, Auste Peciura, Alan Saret,
Patti Smith, Nancy Spero

January 6 – February 10, 1979

Various drawings are hung up on white walls. The drawings consist of simple shapes and lines.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [Various drawings are hung up on white walls. The drawings consist of simple shapes and lines.]

Artists Draw includes drawings by five artists: Tom Martin, Auste Peciura, Alan Saret, Patti Smith, and Nancy Spero. This exceptional show reflects the exploratory nature of the medium. Each artist in the exhibition uses drawing to investigate subject matter that is intensely personal. Saret deals with abstract approaches to nature, Smith with private anxieties, Spero with the relationship between internal and external violence, Martin with psychological interpretation of media images, Peciura with the relationship between drawing and writing.

Artists Draw was organized by painter Donald Sultan and reflects his own view of drawing as represented by his choice of diverse but stylistically related work.

Artists Draw is an example of Artists Space's commitment to presenting artist organized exhibitions. Offering an individual artist's viewpoint on drawing is another means Artists Space has chosen to move beyond traditional curatorial approaches to new art.

Six framed drawings are hung in a row on a white wall.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [Six framed drawings are hung in a row on a white wall.]
Various people having conversations and looking around at the art during the exhibition opening.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [Various people having conversations and looking around at the art during the exhibition opening.]
Various people having conversations and looking around at the art during the exhibition opening.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [Various people having conversations and looking around at the art during the exhibition opening.]
Four drawings are hung in a row on a white wall. The leftmost drawing shows two women sitting in a living room. The next shows a figure holding their head in their hands. The next depicts two men sitting at a table. The drawing on the far right depicts a man and a woman looking out a window through window blinds.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [Four drawings are hung in a row on a white wall. The leftmost drawing shows two women sitting in a living room. The next shows a figure holding their head in their hands. The next depicts two men sitting at a table. The drawing on the far right depicts a man and a woman looking out a window through window blinds.]
Two drawings are hung up on adjacent walls.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [Two drawings are hung up on adjacent walls.]
A large open space with drawings hung up on the walls. One drawing shows a woman surrounded by musical notes. Another shows a woman
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [A large open space with drawings hung up on the walls. One drawing shows a woman surrounded by musical notes. Another shows a woman's profile with a pipe in her mouth.]
Two drawings hung up on adjacent walls. On the left is a nude headless figure with a star covering its groin and smaller figures walking along the top. On the right is a nude headless figure with two disembodied heads floating nearby with long extended tongues.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [Two drawings hung up on adjacent walls. On the left is a nude headless figure with a star covering its groin and smaller figures walking along the top. On the right is a nude headless figure with two disembodied heads floating nearby with long extended tongues.]
A drawing of a man
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [A drawing of a man's head cut off at the neck with horns made of hair. Text along the top reads "flames of genius."]
A simple drawing of a figure with a horse-like head wearing a dress and black gloves. Text along the top reads: "thorn dress for the rianthrope." Text along the bottom reads "the shoulder length glove."
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [A simple drawing of a figure with a horse-like head wearing a dress and black gloves. Text along the top reads: "thorn dress for the rianthrope." Text along the bottom reads "the shoulder length glove."]
A group of people sitting in chairs arranged in a circle, all facing inwards. Drawings are hung on the walls.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [A group of people sitting in chairs arranged in a circle, all facing inwards. Drawings are hung on the walls.]
A drawing depicting the entrance to a cave from the outside as well as the inside of a subterranean cave filled with stalagmites.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [A drawing depicting the entrance to a cave from the outside as well as the inside of a subterranean cave filled with stalagmites.]
A drawing of a figure on white paper. The figure has horns and lines emenate from its eye.
Artists Draw. Installation view, Artists Space, 1979. [A drawing of a figure on white paper. The figure has horns and lines emenate from its eye.]

Programming at Artists Space is supported in part by the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.