10 Years Later, Magenta Plains Is Still Embracing the Unexpected
An anniversary exhibition spotlights the artists who’ve made the gallery one of Lower Manhattan’s most adventurous success stories.
In 2015, Olivia Smith, the owner of Exhibition A, a firm that deals in exclusive contemporary art editions, was approached by artists Chris Dorland and David Deutsch. The two artists were eager to establish a commercial gallery on the Lower East Side, and they sought Smith's help in managing such a venture. Despite her previous experience in managing limited edition print production, Smith found herself stepping into unfamiliar territory when it came to running a full-fledged gallery and dealing with museums.
It was essential for Dorland and Deutsch to find a suitable location and name for their new gallery. They eventually settled on a ground-floor storefront on Allen Street, but first, they needed to agree on a name that would give their space an expansive and open-ended feel. Smith explained to Hyperallergic that they wanted "something expansive and open-ended," and eventually settled on the name "Magenta Plains." The gallery is currently located at 149 Canal Street (photo by Aaron Short for Hyperallergic).
A decade later, Magenta Plains has become a notable player in the Downtown contemporary art scene. The gallery has grown from its original location and now occupies a spacious 4,500-square-foot space at 149 Canal Street. The space houses a wide array of groundbreaking installations, sculptures, and paintings, some of which are currently on display in the gallery's 10-Year Anniversary show, running until October 31.
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