One of today’s most respected art dealers, Michael Findlay, launched his career surrounded by the most exciting figures of the twentieth-century art scene. In his first memoir, Findlay traces his journey from his childhood in Scotland to his arrival in New York City in 1964, where he directed one of the first art galleries in SoHo, introducing American audiences to artists like Joseph Beuys and Sean Scully.
Findlay was responsible for the first solo exhibitions of John Baldessari, Hannah Wilke, Stephen Mueller, and Billy Sullivan. He shares fascinating recollections about his relationships with painters and sculptors, art dealers and collectors, actors, models, and other creative talents at the heart of New York’s Downtown scene.
Making appearances in Findlay’s stellar cast of characters are Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Bridget Riley, James Rosenquist, Robert Rauschenberg, Ray Johnson, Gerald Laing, Joseph Cornell, Allen Ginsberg, Gerard Malanga, and model Naomi Sims.
paper. 8 1/2 × 11 in. (21.6 × 27.9 cm). Collection
unknown © Ray Johnson Estate
He vividly depicts the comings and goings at The Chelsea Hotel, St. Mark’s Place, Studio 54, and Max’s Kansas City, and describes in candid detail the wild parties and the freewheeling lifestyle of that swinging era. Findlay’s evocative journey offers a fresh perspective on twentieth-century cultural history and provides a gripping tale for anyone interested in the post–World War II art market, as well as the vibrant New York art scene of the sixties and seventies.
Feigen Gallery, c. 1966. Photo: William S. Wilson ©
The Estate of William S. Wilson. Artwork: Clyfford
Still, PH-1074, 1956 © City & County of Denver,
Courtesy Clyfford Still Museum / DACS 2024
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MICHAEL FINDLAY is an internationally renowned art dealer and director of Acquavella Galleries in New York. His career began in 1964, when he became a pioneer of SoHo’s legendary gallery scene, presenting the first solo exhibitions of many then unknown artists who went on to become household names. He is the author of The Value of Art and Seeing Slowly (both published by Prestel).
- RRP £24.99 / $35.00, ISBN: 978-3-7913-7726-1
- Hardcover with jacket, 228 pages, 17 x 24 cm, 56 black and white illustrations
Portrait of the Art Dealer as a Young Man New York in the Sixties, Published by Prestel, is available to purchase from the 3rd of September, 2024
©2024 Prestel
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