“Lisson Street,” Nicholas Logsdail thought. That name struck him like a thunderbolt. That is how the Lisson Gallery got its name in 1967.
Welcome to the Lisson Gallery. It is one of the world’s most influential contemporary art galleries. Nicholas Logsdail founded it. He wanted to support his artist friends. He probably did not know it would become an international success.
The Lisson Gallery has supported many international artists. It now has spaces in London, New York and Shanghai. Temporary spaces have opened in East Hampton and London’s Mayfair.
The gallery began in a small space on Bell Street. Early artists included Sol LeWitt, Richard Long and Robert Ryman. In 1986, Lisson Gallery expanded to Victoria. This allowed larger exhibitions. More visitors could come. The gallery continued to grow. It opened spaces in London. It then established a presence in New York City in 2011.
Lisson Gallery fostered artistic talent. It promoted the careers of its artists. Anish Kapoor, Ai Weiwei and Marina Abramović are some represented artists. The gallery gave them opportunities. They exhibited in major international institutions. They also attended biennials.
The Lisson Gallery publishes catalogues and monographs. These publications document the work of its artists. The gallery wants to promote understanding. It also wants to promote appreciation of contemporary art.
Lisson Gallery has pioneered new technologies in art. It experiments with digital platforms. It also experiments with virtual exhibitions. In 2020, it launched Lisson Gallery Online. Visitors can explore artworks. They can also purchase them from the gallery’s collection.
Logsdail has always built the gallery around a particular style. Greg Hilty has been Lisson’s curatorial director since 2008. He said it seemed natural to keep material. Many artists started with the gallery early in their careers. Sol Lewitt and Dan Graham were emerging artists. Later artists included Anish Kapoor and Richard Deacon.
Yoko Ono once visited Logsdail. She gave him instructions. He followed them. He found his way to her space. Everything was painted white. There were cushions. He could sit down and relax. He listened to white noise. A tape recorder recorded the silence. It was a John Cage-like experience.
Richard Deacon’s work dealt with interiors and exteriors of forms. It alluded to forms in the real world. It was post-conceptual and post-minimal.
Anish Kapoor’s pigment works caught Logsdail’s attention. He walked into Kapoor’s studio. There were geometric forms. They had exquisitely beautiful powdery color. It was pure pigment. They felt fresh and new.
Lisson Gallery once made an enormous poster. It was for the front of the gallery. It was illegal because it lacked a license. The police made them take it down. It had already been up for two weeks. It reached Chinese authorities. It resulted in someone’s release.
The Lisson Gallery continues to shape the art world. It supports artists. It embraces innovation. It provides a platform for creativity. It remains a vital part of the contemporary art scene.