January 21–April 2, 2017
Founded by art historians Shelly Bancroft and Peter Nesbett (Phillips Academy Class of 1984), Triple Candie—initially a non-profit art gallery established in Harlem in 2001—first gained attention for organizing D.I.Y. retrospectives without artists’ permissions or art—instead, it used printed reproductions and surrogates. Later, it promoted the work of fictional artists, exhibited broken bottles and rocks as historical artifacts, and hired an actor to protest one of its exhibitions. Vilified by some, revered by others, and always generating lively discussion, Triple Candie was called “Manhattan’s one truly alternative alternative space” by the New York Times and “one of the most mysterious and contemporary art institutions on the contemporary scene” by the Milan-based publication Domus. While the gallery in Harlem no longer exists, Triple Candie continues to produce exhibitions that are presented throughout the world with the goal of posing fundamental questions about the value of art and the nature of artistic experience. The first museum survey to focus on Triple Candie, this exhibition presents a selection of past and new projects.
Generous support for this exhibition has been provided by the Edward E. Elson Artist-in-Residence Fund.
