A vintage exhibition poster is an especially good way to preserve a moment of art history. Posters are large, they can be framed and hung on the wall, and the best feature images and words in ways that effectively reveal the essence of an artist’s work at a specific time and place.
Gallery 98 has dug deep into its inventory to come up with nine exceptional posters. They cover a range of art styles from 1960’s Minimalism, to 1970s social engagement, and 1980s Expressionism. And there is more to discover in our special poster section.
Dwan Gallery (Los Angeles), Andre, Baer, Flavin, Judd, LeWitt…, Poster, 1967
Virginia Dwan, the art dealer, patron and collector with galleries in Los Angeles and New York, played an important role in the rise of Minimalism, Conceptual Art and Earthworks. Dwan Gallery posters are especially rare collectibles.
Joseph Beuys, The Secret Block For A Secret Person In Ireland, Modern Art Oxford, SIGNED Poster, 1974
Joseph Beuys’s concept of “social sculpture” transformed performance, education and political action into legitimate areas of the fine arts. The energetic Beuys kept a full schedule of lectures and exhibitions, making and selling posters along the way.
Fred Lonidier, Alan Sekula, Health and Safety Game, Whitney Museum & Council 37 AFL-CIO, Poster, 1977
The conceptual photographer Fred Lonidier believed that art should address social issues and be seen not just by art audiences, but also by people affected by these issues. This poster is for an exhibition about work injuries presented at both the Whitney Museum and at an AFL-CIO union hall.
Edit deAk, Dubbed in Glamour, Kitchen, Poster, 1980
Art critic Edit deAk’s three-night performance series featured a Who’s Who of downtown’s most creative women including nightclub curator Tina L’Hotsky, writer Cookie Muller, fashion leader Anya Phillips, actress and gallerist Patti Astor, and rapper Sha-Rock (Funky Four + One More).
Luis Frangella, Civilian Warfare, Poster, 1985
Luis Frangella, Civilian Warfare, Poster, 1985. Size: 17.5 x 18.5 Inches — Available
In the 1980s the East Village gallery Civilian Warfare attracted major attention with exhibitions by David Wojnarowicz, Greer Lankton, Louis Frangella and others. Many of the gallery’s artists sadly died early. Frangella (1944-1990) has recently received posthumous recognition by being included in the MoMA PS1 “Greater New York 2021” exhibition.
Ray Kelly, Rivington School Auction, Silkscreen Poster Printed At The Lower East Side Print Shop, 1988
The so-called Rivington School is best known for its ruckus club No Se No and the short-lived, perilous and threatening sculpture garden that Rivington School artists created out of junk metal in an abandoned Lower East Side lot. This poster features the group’s famous “6 o’clock” (it’s time to start drinking!) logo.
Kenny Scharf, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, Poster, 1984/1985
Kenny Scharf, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, Poster, 1984/1985. Size: 23 x 29 inches — Available
The Tony Shafrazi Gallery brought mainstream attention to many young artists associated with the East Village and graffiti. This poster for Kenny Scharf’s second exhibition at the Shafrazi gallery is one of the many posters that Shafrazi published over the years promoting the gallery’s artists.
Keith Haring, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, Poster, 1988/1989
Keith Haring, Tony Shafrazi Gallery, Poster, 1988/1989. Size: 34.5 x 25 Inches — Available
This exhibition had special poignancy for Keith Haring (1958 -1990) who, just a few months earlier had been diagnosed with AIDS. In this poster he confronts his mortality with a photograph of himself as a baby in a bubble about to burst.
Nan Goldin, Children, 1976 – 1996, Matthew Marks Gallery, Poster, 1996
Nan Goldin, Children, 1976 – 1996, Matthew Marks Gallery, Poster, 1996. Size: 16 x 23.5 Inches. — Available
Nan Goldin’s photo series “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency” chronicled the lives of friends, many of whom succumbed in the late 80s to the scourge of drugs and AIDS. In this exhibition Goldin looks into the future in a series of photographs that feature children.
