Silverlens, one of Southeast Asia’s top galleries, is headed to New York City. Although a mainstay at Art Basel’s Swiss and Hong Kong fairs, the Manila-based gallery is one of the few Southeast Asian entities to make the trek to the U.S. market.
“It’s definitely a big move, a big jump,” Silverlens founder and co-owner Isa Lorenzo told Artnet News in an interview. “Now we feel it’s the right time.” The new space will be located in a 2,500-square-foot ground floor space in Chelsea. Opening on September 8, Silverlens NYC will feature a two solo exhibitions — the first by Dutch-Filipino artist, Martha Atienza, while the latter will present the work of Kota Kinabalu-based visual artist, Yee I-Lann.
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The gallery aims to integrate a curator-based program from local New York and international talent who “deal with certain aspects of the diasporic communities and artists,” said the gallery’s co-owner Rachel Rillo.
Founded in 2004, Rillo joined Lorenzo at Silverlens in 2007 and recalled the lack of representation in the U.S. market in the early days. “We couldn’t be identified as Asian because we didn’t look Chinese or Japanese. They were so confused. Like, why are your names Hispanic? It was like history lesson 101 every 30 minutes. So that didn’t work,” Rillo added.
Both gallerists are going all-in that this space will change the conversation for present and future generations of Asian artists seeking to break through.
For more on art, Fondation Louis Vuitton will showcase a monumental exhibition on Claude Monet and Joan Mitchell.
Silverlens
505 W 24th St
New York, NY 10011
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