Jack Pierson b. 1960
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Biography
Jack Pierson works in several different mediums, including sculpture, photography and video, and is known for word signage installations, drawings, and artist's books. He explores the emotional undercurrents of everyday life, from the intimacy of romantic attachment to the distant idolization of others. In his well-known appropriation of vintage texts, Pierson references traditional American motifs (roadside ephemera, small town stores) and thus a lost era of cultural symbolism; his resulting word sculptures are imbued with both nostalgia and disillusionment. Informed in part by his artistic emergence in the era of AIDS, Pierson’s work is moored by melancholy and introspection, yet his images are often buoyed by a celebratory aura of seduction and glamour. Using friends as models, he has consistently engaged star culture, whether the stars are from the screen, stage, or art world. Sometimes infused with a sly sense of humor, Pierson’s work is inherently autobiographical; his fixation with fame affirms the tendency to yearn for an ideal, allowing for the viewer’s identification with his imagery. Fueled by the poignancy of emotional experience and by the sensations of memory, obsession and absence, Pierson’s subject is ultimately, as he states, “hope.”
Jack Pierson was born in 1960 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston in 1984. He lives and works in New York. Pierson has had recent solo exhibitions at the CAC Malaga, the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin and the Aspen Art Museum. His work is in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, among other museums worldwide. Pierson is represented by Cheim & Read, New York.
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Works
Jack Pierson b. 1960
ANGEL YOUTH 1990
Portfolio of thirteen color prints mounted on composition board30 x 20 inches each
76.2 x 50.8 centimeters each1of 8Exhibitions-
Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
18 Apr - 21 Jul 2023 -
Art Basel Miami Beach
30 Nov - 14 Feb 2021Cheim & Read is delighted to particiapte in this year's Art Basel Miami Beach with a presenation of works by Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, William Eggleston, Ron Gorchov, Al Held,...Read more -
Art Basel
22 - 26 Sep 2021We are happy to be reunited with our colleagues and clients from around the world here at Art Basel for the first time since lockdown. Our presentation this year includes...Read more -
At Dawn
10 Sep - 3 Oct 2020Not knowing when the Dawn will come, I open every Door, Or has it Feathers, like a Bird, Or Billows, like a Shore — - Emily Dickinson Cheim & Read...Read more -
Art Basel
13 - 16 Jun 2019Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2019 edition of Art Basel with a presentation of works by Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Ron Gorchov, Hans Hartung, Jonathan Lasker,...Read more -
Art Basel Miami Beach
6 - 9 Dec 2018Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2018 edition of Art Basel Miami Beach with a presentation of works by Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Ron Gorchov, Al Held,...Read more -
All over the moon
Laurel Sparks, Lily Stockman, Richard Tinkler. Curated by Jack Pierson 12 Jul - 30 Aug 2018Cheim & Read is pleased to present All over the moon curated by Jack Pierson, an exhibition showcasing the work of three abstract painters: Laurel Sparks, Lily Stockman, and Richard...Read more -
Art Basel
14 - 17 Jun 2018Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2018 edition of Art Basel with a presentation of works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Louise Bourgeois, Lynda Benglis, Louise Fishman, Jenny Holzer,...Read more -
Frieze New York
3 - 6 May 2018A focus of our presentation will be a new suite of drawings by Tal R entitled : a ship called New York. The drawings in the new suite, executed in...Read more -
Jack Pierson
Independent Art Fair 8 - 11 Mar 2018Cheim & Read will present works in various media from the early nineties by Jack Pierson at the 2018 Independent Art Fair. Centered on the iconic 1990 sculpture, Diamond Life,...Read more -
Art Basel Miami Beach
7 - 10 Dec 2017Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2017 edition of Art Basel Miami Beach with a presentation of works by Ghada Amer, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Adam Fuss,...Read more -
The Horizontal
6 Jul - 31 Aug 2017Cheim & Read is pleased to announce The Horizontal, a group exhibition exploring the poetics of the horizon in abstract art. The show will feature an intergenerational selection of 21...Read more -
Frieze New York
5 - 7 May 2017Cheim & Read is pleased to particpate in the 2017 edition of Frieze New York with a presentation of works by Ghada Amer, Donald Baechler, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, William...Read more -
Art Basel Miami Beach
1 - 4 Dec 2016Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2016 edition of Art Basel Miami Beach with a presenation of works by Ghada Amer, Donald Baechler, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois,...Read more -
Art Basel
16 - 19 Jun 2016Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2016 edition of Art Basel with a presentation of works by Donald Baechler, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Louise Fishman, Ron Gorchov,...Read more -
Art Basel Miami Beach
3 - 6 Dec 2015Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2015 edition of Art Basel Miami Beach with a presenation of works by Donald Baechler, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, William Eggleston,...Read more -
Jack Pierson
onthisisland 25 Jun - 28 Aug 2015Cheim & Read is pleased to announce its sixth exhibition by the artist Jack Pierson. This will be his first solo exhibition at the gallery in six years. Opening to...Read more -
Art Basel
18 - 21 Jun 2015Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2015 edition of Art Basel with a presenation of works by Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Al Held, Jenny Holzer, Joan Mitchell,...Read more -
Art Basel Miami Beach
4 - 7 Dec 2014Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2014 edition of Art Basel Miami Beach with a presentation of works by Ghada Amer, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Louise Fishman,...Read more -
Art Basel
19 - 22 Jun 2014Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in the 2014 edition of Art Basel with a presentation of works by Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Ron Gorchov, Jenny Holzer, Joan Mitchell,...Read more -
Frieze New York
9 - 12 May 2014Cheim & Read is pleased to participate in Frieze New York with a presentation of works by Ghada Amer, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, William Eggleston, Louise Fishman, Adam Fuss, Al...Read more -
Jack Pierson
Abstracts 8 Oct - 14 Nov 2009Cheim & Read is pleased to announce an exhibition of abstract sculpture by multi-media artist Jack Pierson. Pierson's last exhibition with the gallery was in 2006. Most recently, his show,...Read more -
Abstractions by Gallery Artists
24 Sep - 3 Oct 2009Works by Ghada Amer, Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Louise Fishman, Adam Fuss, Jenny Holzer, Bill Jensen, Jonathan Lasker, Joan Mitchell, Jack Pierson, Milton Resnick, Pat Steir, and Juan Usle will...Read more -
The Sum of its Parts
8 Jan - 2 Feb 2008Cheim & Read is pleased to announce a group exhibition of works by a diverse selection of artists, all of whom create artworks configured from multiple parts, sequences or series....Read more -
I Am As You Will Be
The Skeleton in Art 20 Sep - 3 Nov 2007Cheim & Read is pleased to announce I Am As You Will Be, a group exhibition of more than thirty works which incorporate the skeleton as subject. Curated in part...Read more -
Jack Pierson
Melancholia Passing into Madness 30 Mar - 6 May 2006MELANCHOLIA PASSING INTO MADNESS March 30 to May 6, 2006. Opening Reception: Thursday, March 30, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Cheim & Read is pleased to announce an exhibition of new...Read more -
I Am the Walrus
Curated by Jan Avgikos 10 Jun - 31 Jul 2004Featuring the work of Vito Acconci, Donald Baechler, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ashley Bickerton, Olaf Breuning, John Bock, Maurizio Cattelan, Roni Horn, Michael Hurson, Martin Kippenberger, Sean Landers, Tony Matelli, Dan McCarthy,...Read more -
Jack Pierson
20 Nov 2003 - 3 Jan 2004Cheim & Read announces a new exhibition by Jack Pierson, his third at the gallery. The themes of his work – sex, drugs, and the vicissitudes of longing in general...Read more -
Simple Marks
23 Jul - 2 Sep 2003Cheim and Read is pleased to announce a summer group exhibition 'Simple Marks' including work by Richmond Burton, Louise Bourgeois, Lynda Benglis, Louise Fishman, Joe Fyfe, Joan Mitchell, Jack Pierson,...Read more -
Liquid Properties
Lynda Benglis, Louise Bourgeois, Richmond Burton, Adam Fuss, Mary Heilmann, David Hines, Gary Hume, Dona Nelson, Jack Pierson, Pat Steir, Juan Usle 6 Jul - 3 Aug 2001Cheim & Read is pleased to announce the group exhibition Liquid Properties The exhibition examines the formal and metaphorical qualities of liquid as it: becomes hard in the work of...Read more -
Jack Pierson
2 Nov 2000 - 6 Jan 2001Cheim & Read is pleased to announce an exhibition of new works by Jack Pierson. Born in 1960, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, this will be the artist's second presentation at the...Read more -
Couples
6 Jan - 26 Feb 2000Inspired by a recent rereading of John Updike's classic 1960's novel, Couples, Cheim & Read is pleased to announce an exhibition of that same name. Couples is a group exhibition...Read more -
Jack Pierson
31 Mar - 1 May 1999For his first solo exhibition at Cheim & Read, Jack Pierson will exhibit large paintings on canvas from three recent series, 'Hang On To Your Ego' (1997), 'Watercolors' (1999) and...Read more -
Small Paintings
1 - 31 Jul 1998SMALL PAINTINGS: HAND PAINTED PICTURES by Ingo Meller Louise Fishman Juan Uslé Richmond Burton Joan Mitchell Mary Heilmann Bill Jensen Jack Pierson Dona Nelson Eva Hesse Philippe Richard Lynda Benglis...Read more
PublicationsNews-
Jack Pierson's Dreamy, Erotic Hungry Years
August 23, 2017 Read more -
The Horizontal
Cheim & Read July 21, 2017 Read more -
Jack Pierson
February 6, 2017 Read more -
Jack Pierson: onthisisland
Cheim & Read October 1, 2015 Read more -
Jack Pierson: onthisisland
Cheim & Read August 14, 2015 Read more -
Hands Over Head: An Interview with Jack Pierson
August 7, 2015 Read more -
Four Two Nine
July 1, 2015 Read more -
Jack Pierson: New Drawings
May 1, 2012 Read more -
Jack Pierson
Bortolami Gallery August 9, 2010 Read more -
Jack Pierson: Abstracts
Cheim & Read January 1, 2010 Read more -
Jack Pierson: Abstracts
Cheim & Read January 1, 2010 Read more -
Jack Pierson: Abstracts
Cheim & Read December 1, 2009 Read more -
Jack Pierson: Abstracts
Cheim & Read November 9, 2009 Read more -
Jack Pierson: Abstracts
Cheim & Read October 29, 2009 Read more -
Jack Pierson
June 1, 2008 Read more -
Wings of Desire
November 1, 2006 Read more -
Jack Pierson: Melancholia Passing into Madness
Cheim & Read June 1, 2006 Read more -
Jack Pierson: Early Works and Beyond
Daniel Reich Gallery January 20, 2006 Read more