As authorities in cities around the world begin to ease lockdown restrictions, the prospect of going out and looking at art is once again becoming a real possibility—even if, depending on where you are, you still can’t actually enter an art gallery.
So galleries and museums have been getting creative. In the early days of New York’s lockdown, Bill Powers of the Half Gallery in New York quickly organized a show called “Under Glass,” which took advantage of the gallery’s floor-to-ceiling windows to present a window display. (Speaking to WWD in April, Powers said that while initially he waffled over a space with so many windows, “now it may turn out to be the thing that saves us for a couple of months.”)
In New York’s suburbs, meanwhile, artist Warren Neidich arranged the first edition of “Drive By Art (Public Art in This Moment of Social Distancing),” in which 52 artists showed works outdoors that you could literally drive past and see. (Two new editions are slated for May 23 in Los Angeles.)
Even in cities like Dallas and Berlin, where galleries and museums have begun to reopen, you can see art safely from the street. We rounded up some of our favorite examples of socially distanced exhibitions below.
“Under Glass”
Half Gallery, New York
“Under Glass” at Half Gallery in New York. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
“Under Glass” at Half Gallery in New York. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
“Under Glass” at Half Gallery in New York. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
“Under Glass” at Half Gallery in New York. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
“Under Glass” at Half Gallery in New York. Courtesy of Half Gallery.
Drive-By-Art (Public Art in This Moment of Social Distancing)
Various Locations, South Fork, Long Island
Artist Dianne Blell’s “Table for Two / Separate Tables” in Drive-by-Art.
A sidewalk-installation by Laurie Lambrecht in South Fork, Long Island. Courtesy of Drive-by-Art’s Facebook. @laurielambrechtstudio
Works by Bruce M Sherman in the Drive-by-Art installation. Courtesy of the artist.
Installation by Toni Ross, courtesy the artist and Drive-by-Art.
Sculptures by Eric Fischl, courtesy of the artist and Drive-by-Art.
Nasher Windows
Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas
A view of the Nasher Sculpture Center in Texas. Courtesy of the Nasher Sculpture Center.
Tamara Johnson, Deviled Egg and Okra Column (2020). Photo: Trey Burns, courtesy of Nasher Windows.
Xxavier Edward Carter, Start Livin’ in a Brave New World (2020). Courtesy Nasher Windows.
“Bojan Sarcevic: Thank You for Pointing to Your Perineum“
BQ Gallery, Berlin
Outside view of “Bojan Sarcevic: Thank You for Pointing to Your Perineum” at BQ, Berlin.
Outside view of “Bojan Sarcevic: Thank You for Pointing to Your Perineum” at BQ, Berlin.
Outside view of “Bojan Sarcevic: Thank You for Pointing to Your Perineum” at BQ, Berlin.
Outside view of “Bojan Sarcevic: Thank You for Pointing to Your Perineum” at BQ, Berlin.
“Escape From New York”
Gagosian, Park & 75, New York
Adam McEwen, Escape from New York (2004) (still from “Battery Tunnel”). Four-channel video projection, black and white, silent. © Adam McEwen