Artists Space

Selections from the Artist File

September 28 – November 4, 1989

Organized by Connie Butler.

Annual exhibition of artists chosen from our ARTISTS FILE, a computerized slide registry of over 2600 artists.

Michael James Asente, Tina Aufiero, Willie Cole, Esperanza Cortés, Taka Kawachi, Eric Rhein, Teddy Schapiro, Sean Scherer, Katherine Sherwood, Jo Yarrington.

A photograph of a large gallery. In the center of the room, a person gazes at large, geometric sculptures.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of a large gallery. In the center of the room, a person gazes at large, geometric sculptures.]

Artists Space is pleased to present Selections, an annual exhibition organized from Artists Space's Artists File. Included in this exhibition are Michael James Asente, Tina Aufiero, Willie Cole, Esperanza Cortés, Taka Kawachi, Eric Rhein, Teddy Schapiro, Sean Scherer, Katherine Sherwood, and Jo Yarrington, whose work represents a diversity of media and broad range of concerns in contemporary art making. This year's exhibition is organized by Artists Space Curator Connie Butler, who selected from approximately 3000 artists in the artists file and made an extensive series of studio visits. Though the exhibition specifically does not adhere to any particular theme or stylistic trend, these artists share an interest in social and political concerns, as well as issues of sexual difference and history. These themes are re-contextualized through the making of heavily crafted objects and the development of a highly personal mythology.

A photograph of paintings hanging on the walls of a large gallery space with white walls. The work closest to the camera is a realistic painting of a baby, shown for the waist up.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of paintings hanging on the walls of a large gallery space with white walls. The work closest to the camera is a realistic painting of a baby, shown for the waist up.]
A photograph of three paintings hanging in a row on a white gallery wall. The closest to the camera, on the right, shows a ship at sea, the center shows a fountain, and the painting on the left is an abstract composition of black diagonal lines.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of three paintings hanging in a row on a white gallery wall. The closest to the camera, on the right, shows a ship at sea, the center shows a fountain, and the painting on the left is an abstract composition of black diagonal lines.]
A photograph of a large painting of vines and water hanging on a white gallery wall. Beyond it, more painting and sculptures are visible in an adjacent gallery.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of a large painting of vines and water hanging on a white gallery wall. Beyond it, more painting and sculptures are visible in an adjacent gallery.]
A photograph of a small room with clear walls and a clear door sitting against a wall in a white-walled gallery. Inside the room, a wooden chair and shelves are visible.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of a small room with clear walls and a clear door sitting against a wall in a white-walled gallery. Inside the room, a wooden chair and shelves are visible.]
A photograph showing a row of text-based paintings hanging on a gallery wall. Beyond them, another gallery space with other artworks is visible.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph showing a row of text-based paintings hanging on a gallery wall. Beyond them, another gallery space with other artworks is visible.]
A photograph of a low-ceilinged gallery space. On the right, drawings on black paper are arranged in grids and arches on the wall. On the left, electrical equiment sits on top of a pedestal.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of a low-ceilinged gallery space. On the right, drawings on black paper are arranged in grids and arches on the wall. On the left, electrical equiment sits on top of a pedestal.]
A photograph of a large gallery space with multiple rooms visible. In the foreground, the floor is covered with flooring, except for a silhouette of a human figure which has been cut out of the flooring, through which the concrete below is visible. Two geometric abstract paintings hang on the wall above.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of a large gallery space with multiple rooms visible. In the foreground, the floor is covered with flooring, except for a silhouette of a human figure which has been cut out of the flooring, through which the concrete below is visible. Two geometric abstract paintings hang on the wall above.]
A photograph of two walls of a gallery space. On one, photographs hang in an uneven row. On the other, two sculptures protrude from the wall.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of two walls of a gallery space. On one, photographs hang in an uneven row. On the other, two sculptures protrude from the wall.]
A photograph showing mostly the concrete floor of a gallery. Sitting on the floor is a large plexiglass box, the bottom of which is lined with eggs arranged in neat rows.
Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph showing mostly the concrete floor of a gallery. Sitting on the floor is a large plexiglass box, the bottom of which is lined with eggs arranged in neat rows.]

Selections from the Artists File Press Release

Selections from the Artists File Postcard

Selections from the Artists File Catalogue Cover

Artists Space programs are made possible by: the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, New York State Council on the Arts, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; AT&T Foundation, Inc., The David Bermant Foundation: Color, Light, Motion, The Bohen Foundation, The Cowles Charitable Trust, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Foundation for Contemporary Performance Arts, Inc., Horace w. Goldsmith Foundation, The Greenwall Foundation, Jerome Foundation, The J.M. Kaplan Fund, The Dorothea L. Leonhardt Foundation, Inc., The Joe and Emily Lowe Foundation, Inc., The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, The Menemsha Fund, Joyce Mertz-Gilmore Foundation, Betty Parsons Foundation, The Reed Foundation, Inc., The Rockefeller Foundation, The Mark Rothko Foundation, Inc., and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.; American Express Company, The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., Equitable Real Estate Group, Inc., General Atlantic Corporation, R.H. Macy and Company, Inc., Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, Philip Morris Companies Inc., and U.S. Trust Company of New York; as well as Artwatch, Galleries in Support of Artists Space, Members and numerous Friends.

Artists Space is a member of the National Association of Artists Organizations (NAAO) and the National Alliance of Media Arts Centers (NAMAC).

    A photograph of a large gallery space with multiple rooms visible. In the foreground, the floor is covered with flooring, except for a silhouette of a human figure which has been cut out of the flooring, through which the concrete below is visible.
    Selections from the Artists File. Installation view, Artists Space, 1989. [A photograph of a large gallery space with multiple rooms visible. In the foreground, the floor is covered with flooring, except for a silhouette of a human figure which has been cut out of the flooring, through which the concrete below is visible.]