Marian Goodman, one of the most influential art dealers of our time, has left a legacy that is deeply embedded in the global art world. She believed art mattered intellectually, morally and historically. Marian Goodman went far beyond solely representing artists, unafraid to support ambitious artists whose work was not initially commercially easy. Through her galleries in New York, opening in 1977, Paris, opening in 1994, and later in London, Marian Goodman was pioneering in creating one of the first truly transatlantic gallery models at a time when European and American art worlds were often segregated.
She is an example of a female dealer who succeeded in an overwhelmingly male dominated field. As an extension of her work, through her gallery openings, dinners and conversations, she created communities around ideas, not just markets around objects. Instead of attempting to compete with museums, Marian worked with them, helping to display seminal artworks in public collections and supporting museum exhibitions, shaping art history.
Marian Goodman had an exceptional eye for talent and, upon discovering an artist she believed in, she was fiercely loyal to them. On display in our hotels, you will find the work of some of the celebrated artists associated with the Marian Goodman Gallery. Tony Cragg’s sculptures are instantly recognisable, from the fluid and reflective stainless steel sculpture in the Haymarket Hotel lobby, to the extraordinary three metre high bronze in the Ham Yard Hotel courtyard, and most recently the powerful and feminine marble form in the Warren Street Hotel lobby.
The Marian Goodman Gallery played a crucial role in introducing the German artist Anselm Kiefer to the New York art scene. His work is beautifully framed above a driftwood bench in the lobby of the Crosby Street Hotel. Our most recent hotel, The Warren Street Hotel, is just a short walk from the gallery’s new flagship location, which Willow visited on her latest Art Walk.
We will remember Marian Goodman for believing in art as a force for understanding the world and, in doing so, she gave countless artists the time, space and confidence to make work that will outlive us all.