Downtown New York’s Simone Subal Gallery Closes

Simone Subal Gallery, which opened in 2011 on New York’s Lower East Side, will shut its doors for good on June 22. The closure coincides with the last day of its current show, a solo exhibition of the work of painter Nova Jiang. In its nearly thirteen years in business, the gallery gained a reputation for showing experimental work by emerging artists, much of it focusing on the body. Among the artists it currently represents are Julien Bismuth, Baseera Khan, Anna K.E., Florian Meisenberg, and Brian O’Doherty, who died in 2022. The gallery was instrumental in elevating the profiles of artists including painter and sculptor Kiki Kogelnik (1935–1997), sculptor B. Ingrid Olson, and painter Emily Mae Smith.“The gallery has always been a place that has nurtured and encouraged artists to take risks, challenge viewers, and create thought-provoking exhibitions,” wrote Subal in a June 6Instagrampost. “I’m endlessly grateful for the amazing community of artists, collectors, curators, writers, and gallerists who believed in our program and offered their support in a multitude of ways. I’m proud and humbled by all that we have accomplished together.”

The announcement of Simone Subal’s closure comes just days after David Lewis revealed he was set to close his eponymous TriBeCa gallery. The two are the latest in a wave of small and midsize contemporary art galleries to shutter in New York in recent months, among themHelena Anrather,Queer Thoughts,JTT, andFoxy Production, all downtown. Farther uptown, the long-runningCheim & Readin Chelsea announced its closure in late 2023. Larger galleries, too, are reckoning with an art market changed by the Covid-19 crisis, inflation, and the rise of online sales: Long-running stalwartMarlboroughis also set to close this month after nearly eighty years in business.

Though the abovementioned factors have undoubtedly contributed to many gallery closings, the role of changing personal desires can’t be discounted. Announcing the closure of his own gallery, whose run was similar in length to that of Subal’s, Lewis noted, “It feels right to come full circle.” Subal’s decision to end her gallery’s operations appeared to be similarly internally motivated. “I personally came to the conclusion that this was the right time to end this chapter of my life, and I always believe it’s best to leave a party when it’s in full swing,” she told Artnews. “That’s what I’m doing now, leaving when I know I’ve had the best time and no regrets.”