Gary Simmons

Photo: Tito Molina, HRDWRKER

One of the foremost artists of a generation which emerged during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Gary Simmons has achieved wide acclaim over the past three decades for his work which explores the politics of race, class and social stereotypes through painting, sculpture, sound and architectural environments. Simmons uses imagery drawn from popular culture to create works that address personal and collective memories.

Born in New York in 1964, Simmons received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts in 1988, and his MFA from CalArts in 1990, studying under the tutelage of Charles Gaines, Michael Asher, Catherine Lord, and others. Early in his practice, Simmons established a studio in a former school in New York City. At this stage, he was working predominantly in sculpture, a medium he would return to in subsequent decades. Works from this period, such as ‘Big Dunce’ (1989), use schoolroom objects to address racial inequality and institutional racism through the filter of childhood experience, themes seen most explicitly in ‘Six-X’ (1989), comprising six child-sized Ku Klux Klan uniforms hanging from a schoolhouse coatrack.

Simmons’ use of pedagogical motifs, in particular readymade chalkboards, led to the formal and aesthetic breakthrough that would inform much of his subsequent work, in which erasure of the image has been a powerful and recurring theme. Outlines of characters, scenes and words—based on 20th-century cartoons steeped in the racist traditions of minstrelsy, disappeared architectural sites, vintage film title cards, evaporating clouds of smoke and stars—are drawn or painted then blurred and smeared by hand. The tropes of erasure and ephemerality suggest the fleeting nature of memory and histories re-written. As the artist explains: ‘I started to think about how images on blackboards can never be fully erased. It was about trying to erase a stereotype and the traces of the racial pain that you drag along with you.’ A landmark piece commissioned for the Whitney Biennial, ‘Wall of Eyes’ (1993), picturing a smudged field of cartoon eyes drawn with chalk over slate paint applied directly to the wall, revealed the aesthetic possibilities of chalkboard at a monumental scale.

In further key commissions, Simmons has expanded beyond the confines of museum and gallery walls, creating performative and site-specific works which underline a relationship to a trajectory of art history that includes minimalism and conceptual art. For ‘Sky Erasure Drawings’ (1996), commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, airplanes temporarily inscribed vapor stars in the daytime sky using liquid paraffin. For his immersive installation, ‘Fade to Black’ (2017), for the California African American Museum in Los Angeles, Simmons created five monumental wall drawings featuring the titles of vintage silent films and the names of largely forgotten African American actors in big typewriter-style letters blurred with ghostly traces. In a series of works from 2019, Simmons mined the architecture of surveillance through depictions of watchtowers and lighthouses. Deliberately ambiguous, these works collapsed the boundaries between signifiers of safety and those of control.

Simmons’ immersion in music has continually informed his practice which draws inspiration from dub, punk, hip-hop, reggae, and rap. Particularly influenced by the genres’ race and class-focused politics, the artist has created a number of works tracing the voices in music that have shaped contemporary culture. Simmons attracted significant critical attention in 2014 for his stacked speaker piece ‘Recapturing Memories of the Black Ark’. Inspired by Jamaican sound systems, the work is a living sculpture, with performers invited to activate it and then leave the configuration they utilized behind until the next performance. The work’s ongoing history offers both a contrasting and complementary approach to the record of the past offered by the artist’s erasure paintings.

For a site-specific installation commissioned for Culture Lab Detroit in 2016, Simmons was inspired by the guerrilla marketing style of fly-posting to promote gigs. Using found posters sourced from flea markets and the internet, he manipulated the originals, saturating the colors or reworking the texts, before layering onto the wall. This process has subsequently made its way into other works on plywood and canvas that evoke the fragmentation between individual and collective memory that preoccupies much of Simmons’ practice.

In his most recent works, Simmons continues to engage with popular culture, however, in an increasingly nuanced and abstracted way, as his focus shifts towards the history and materiality of painting and sculpture. Simmons has also reintroduced racist cartoon characters such as Bosko and Honey from the Looney Toons franchise and the crows from Disney’s film, ‘Dumbo’. Combined with the use of erasure, the artist references the attempt to cover up the engrained prejudices revealed by the popularity of such cartoons. Though these subjects first appeared in Simmons chalkboard drawings from the early 1990s, his newest works demonstrate an exploration of painterly issues such as background, depth of field, process and layering, citing Albert Oehlen and Martin Kippenberger as influences. The process involves a constant building and removal of up to fifteen layers of paint, evoking layered histories lying deep beneath the canvas. Simmons likens this effect to aged chalkboards, containing the traces of years of markings.

Gary Simmons has been the subject of solo exhibitions both nationally and internationally, including Henry Art Gallery, Seattle; California African American Museum, Los Angeles; Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth; and Kunsthaus Zürich. Selected group exhibitions include Museum of Modern Art, New York; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; among others. Simmons was featured in Thelma Golden’s landmark 1994 ‘Black Male’ exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, Franklin Sirmans’ 2014 Prospect Triennial in New Orleans, and Okwui Enwezor’s ‘All the World’s Futures,’ for the 2015 Venice Biennale.

In 2021, Simmons was appointed a National Academician by the National Academy of Design. He is the recipient of the Joyce Alexander Wein Prize, Studio Museum of Harlem; USA Gund Fellowship; Penny McCall Foundation Grant; and InterArts Grant, National Endowment for the Arts.

The first comprehensive institutional survey of Simmons’ work, ‘Gary Simmons: Public Enemy,’ will be on view at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago from 13 June – 1 October 2023, traveling to Pérez Art Museum Miami from 5 December 2023 – 24 April 2024.

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Gary Simmons

Biography

Print Biography
Born
New York NY, 1964
Education

BFA, School of Visual Arts, New York NY, 1988
MFA, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia CA, 1990

Resides
Lives and works in Los Angeles CA

Solo Exhibitions

2023
MCA Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 'Gary Simmons: Public Enemy', Chicago IL
Hauser & Wirth, 'Gary Simmons. This Must Be the Place', London, UK
2022
Hauser & Wirth, 'Gary Simmons. Remembering Tomorrow', Los Angeles CA
2021
TANK Shanghai, 'Gary Simmons', Shanghai, China
Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, 'Gary Simmons: The Engine Room', Seattle WA
2020
Metro Pictures, 'Gary Simmons: Screaming into the Ether', New York NY
Simon Lee Gallery, 'Gary Simmons: Dancing in Darkness', Central, Hong Kong
2018
Simon Lee Gallery, 'Green Past Gold', London, UK
Baldwin Gallery, 'Within Our Gates', Aspen CO
2017
California African American Museum, 'Fade to Black', Los Angeles CA
Southern Exposure, 'Recapturing Memories of the Black Ark', San Francisco CA
Regen Projects, 'Balcony Seating Only', Los Angeles CA
2016
The Drawing Center, 'Ghost Reels', New York NY
Culture Lab Detroit, Detroit MI
Simon Lee Gallery, 'Post No Bills', London, UK
Anthony Meier Fine Arts, 'Gary Simmons', San Francisco CA
2014
Metro Pictures, 'Fight Night', New York NY
Pérez Art Museum Miami, 'Project Gallery: Gary Simmons', Miami FL
Ikkan Art Gallery, 'Extant Phantoms', Singapore
2013
Baldwin Gallery, 'Gary Simmons. Sweet Science', Aspen CO
Regen Projects, 'Gary Simmons: Arena', Los Angeles CA
Museum of Modern Art Fort Worth, 'FOCUS: Gary Simmons', Fort Worth TX
2012
Metro Pictures, 'Gary Simmons', New York NY
Art Public at Art Basel Miami Beach, 'I Wish It Could Be Morning All Day Long', Miami Beach FL
2011
Simon Lee Gallery, 'Shine', London, UK
2010
Anthony Meier Fine Arts, 'Black Marquee', San Francisco CA
SAKS, 'Double Feature', Geneva, Switzerland
Metro Pictures, 'Midnight Matinee', New York NY
2008
Margo Leavin Gallery, 'Smoke', Los Angeles CA
Metro Pictures, 'Night of the Fires', New York NY
CAIS Gallery, 'Crawling Along the Edge of a Straight Razor', Seoul, South Korea / Hong Kong
2007
Anthony Meier, San Francisco CA
Simon Lee, 'House of Pain', London, UK
2006
The Bohen Foundation, '1964', New York NY
2005
Margo Leavin Gallery, 'Diggin’ in the Crates', Los Angeles CA
2004
Metro Pictures, New York NY
2003
Jan Weiner Gallery, 'Gary Simmons—Unique Drawings', Kansas City MO
Margo Leavin Gallery, 'Wishing', Los Angeles CA
Anthony Meier Fine Arts, 'Gary Simmons', San Francisco CA
2002
CAIS Gallery, 'Gary Simmons', Seoul, South Korea
The Studio Museum in Harlem, 'Gary Simmons', New York NY (Travelling Exhibition)
SITE Santa Fe, 'Gary Simmons', Santa Fe NM (Travelling Exhibition)
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 'Gary Simmons', Chicago IL (Travelling Exhibition)
2001
SITE Santa Fe, 'Ghost House', New Mexico NM
Metro Pictures, 'Wishful Drinking', New York NY
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 'Desert Blizzard', Philadelphia PA
2000
Dia Art Foundation, 'Wake' [Artist Web Projects], online
Musée D’Art Americain, 'Bench Markers', Giverny, France
Margo Leavin Gallery, 'Country Grammar', Los Angeles CA
1999
Saint Louis Art Museum, 'Currents 80', Saint Louis MO
1998
The Gallery of the Department of Art & Art History, Dana Arts Center, Colgate University, Hamilton NY
Margo Leavin, Los Angeles CA
Metro Pictures, New York NY
1997
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 'Gary Simmons: Gazebo', San Diego CA
Galeri Charlotte Lund, Stockholm, Sweden
Montgomery Glasoe Fine Art, Minneapolis MN
Kunsthaus Zurich, 'Wall Drawings', Zurich, Switzerland
1996
Metro Pictures, New York NY
Galerie Philippe Rizzo, 'Boom, Bang!', Paris, France
1995
Metro Pictures, New York NY
The Contemporary, New York NY
Lannan Foundation, 'Gary Simmons: Erasure Drawings', Los Angeles CA
1994
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institute, 'Directions: Gary Simmons', Washington DC
1993
Galerie Philippe Rizzo, Paris, France
Metro Pictures, New York NY
1992
Roy Boyd Gallery, Santa Monica CA
Jason Rubell Gallery, Miami FL
Whitney Museum at Philip Morris, 'The Garden of Hate', New York NY
1991
Roy Boyd Gallery, Santa Monica CA
Simon Watson Gallery, New York NY
1990
White Columns, New York NY
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Group Exhibitions

2023
The Church, 'Strike Fast, Dance Lightly: Artists on Boxing', Sag Harbor NY
Christie’s, 'Desert X at Christie’s', cur. Neville Wakefield, Beverly Hills CA
St. Louis Art Museum, 'The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century', St. Louis MO
2022
The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse, 'Selections From the Collection of Elizabeth Margulies', Miami FL
Rubell Museum DC, 'What’s Going On', Washington DC
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, 'Regeneration: Black Cinema 1898–1971', Los Angeles CA
New Britain Museum of American Art, '30 Americans', New Britain CT (Travelling Exhibition)
National Arts Club, 'Consequences. A Parlor Game', New York NY
2021
FTZART, 'Wherehouse', Shanghai, China
Columbia Museum of Art, '30 Americans', Columbia SC (Travelling Exhibition)
Frye Art Museum, 'Black Refractions: Highlights from the Studio Museum in Harlem', cur. Connie H. Choi, Seattle WA (Travelling Exhibition)
Galleri Opdahl, 'Pushing The Margins: A Survey of LA Artists', cur. Charles Gaines, Stavanger, Norway
Utah Museum of Fine Arts, 'Black Refractions: Highlights from the Studio Museum in Harlem', cur. Connie H. Choi, Salt Lake City UT (Travelling Exhibition)
Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, 'Leather Throwers', Las Vegas NV, May 21 - August 22, 2021
2020
Albuquerque Museum, '30 Americans', Albuquerque NM (Travelling Exhibition)
Smith College Museum of Art, 'Black Refractions. Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem', Northampton MA (Travelling Exhibition)
Honolulu Museum of Art, '30 Americans', Honolulu HI (Travelling Exhibition)
2019
Barnes Foundation, '30 Americans', Philadelphia PA (Travelling Exhibition)
Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts, 'Black Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem', Kalamazoo MI (Travelling Exhibition)
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, '30 Americans', Kansas City MO (Travelling Exhibition)
Gibbes Museum of Art, 'Black Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem', Charleston SC (Travelling Exhibition)
Desert X, 'DX19', Coachella Valley CA
Joslyn Art Museum, '30 Americans', Omaha NE (Travelling Exhibition)
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 'Prisoner of Love', Chicago IL
The Museum of the African Diaspora, 'Black Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem', San Francisco CA (Travelling Exhibition)
2018
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 'Walls Turned Sideways', Houston TX
São Paulo Museum of Art, 'Histórias Afroatlânticas', São Paulo, Brazil
Museum of the African Diaspora, 'Second Look, Twice: Selections from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation', San Francisco CA
2017
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 'Drawings from the Collection', San Francisco CA
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 'Urban Planning', St. Louis MO
Studio Museum in Harlem, 'Excerpt', New York NY
Whitney Museum of American Art, 'An Incomplete History of Protest', New York NY
Walker Art Center, 'I am you, you are too', Minneapolis MN
The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 'Process and Practice', Philadelphia PA
2016
Whitney Museum of American Art, 'Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney Collection', New York NY
de Young Museum, 'Paulson Bott Press: Celebrating Twenty Years', San Francisco CA
2015
La Biennale di Venezia, '56th International Art Exhibition. All the World’s Futures', Venice, Italy
Sharjah Biennial, 'The Past, The Present, The Possible', United Arab Emirates
Brooklyn Museum, 'I See Myself in You', Brooklyn NY
University of Michigan Museum of Art, 'Come As You Are: Art of 1990s', Ann Arbor MI (travelling exhibition)
Telfair Museums, 'Come As You Are: Art of 1990s', Savannah GA (travelling exhibition)
Montclair Art Museum, 'Come As You Are: Art of 1990s', Montclair NJ (travelling exhibition)
Krannert Art Museum, 'Time / Image', Champaign IL (travelling exhibition)
Blaffer Art Museum, 'Time / Image', Houston TX (travelling exhibition)
2014
Prospect International Contemporary Art Biennial, 'Prospect.3: Notes for Now', New Orleans LA
Cidade Matarazzo, 'Made by Brazilians', São Paulo, Brazil
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Washington University in St. Louis, 'Drawing Ambience: Alvin Boyarsky and the Architectural Association', St. Louis MO
Concept NV, 'Black Eye', New York NY
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Washington University in St. Louis, 'Encountering the City: The Urban Experience in Contemporary Art', St. Louis MO
2013
Children’s Museum of the Arts, 'Drawn to Language', New York NY
Artipelag, 'Blackboard: Teaching and Learning from Art', Värdmö, Sweden
LAND Los Angeles Nomadic Division, 'Painting in Place', Los Angeles CA
New Museum, 'NYC 1993: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star', New York NY
Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld, 'Merci Mercy ', New York NY
2012
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, 'Behold, America!', San Diego CA
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 'Decade: Contemporary Collecting 2002-2012', Buffalo NY
The Studio Museum in Harlem, 'The Bearden Project', New York NY
Haggerty Museum of Art, Marquette University, 'Thenceforward, and Forever Free', Milwaukee WI
2011
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea, 'The American Art: Masterpieces from the Whitney', Seoul, South Korea
Parrish Art Museum, 'Artists Choose Artists', Southampton NY
Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, 'Building the Contemporary Collection: Five Years of Acquisitions', Durham NC
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 'Pandora’s Box: Joseph Cornell Unlocks the Museum of Contemporary Art Collection', Chicago IL
2010
Whitney Museum of American Art, 'Singular Visions', New York NY
2009
Miami Art Museum, 'NeoHooDoo: Art of a Forgotten Faith', Miami FL
The Studio Museum in Harlem, '30 Seconds off an Inch', New York NY
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles 'Collecting History: Highlighting Recent Acquisitions', Los Angeles CA
The Jumex Collection, 'Nothingness and Being', Mexico City, Mexico
E-Flux Project Space, 'Unbuilt Roads', New York NY
Whitney Museum of American Art, 'Sites', New York NY
Margo Leavin Gallery, 'Reading Standing Up', Los Angeles CA
2008
The Jumex Collection, 'An Unruly History of the Readymade', Mexico City, Mexico
Midblock East,'The Station', Miami FL
Rubell Museum, '30 Americans', Miami FL (travelled to: North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh (2011); Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. (2012); Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk (2012); Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville (2013-2014); Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans (2014); Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock (2015); Detroit Institute of Arts; Cincinnati Art Museum (2015-2016); Tacoma Art Museum (2016-2017); McNay Art Museum, San Antonio (2018); Juliet Art Museum, Charleston (2018); Tucson Museum of Art (2018-2019); Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha (2019)
Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, South Korea
The Menil Collection, 'NeoHooDoo: Art for a Forgotten Faith', Houston TX
Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces, 'The Softness in the Rock: Hope in Disappointing Times', Melbourne, Australia
2007
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum, 'For the Love of the Game, Race and Sport in America', Hartford CT
Chambers Fine Art, 'Chelsea to Caochangdi', Bejing, China
Nasher Museum of Art, Duke University, 'Collected Identities: Gifts from the Blake Byrne Collection', Durham NC
The Museum of Modern Art, 'Comic Abstraction: Image-Breaking, Image-Making', New York NY
2006
La Colección Jumex, 'Fifth Interpretation of the Collection', Pachuca, Mexico
Dorsky Gallery, 'The Constant Possibility of Erasure', New York, NY
Lennon, Weinberg, INC., 'Wallpaper Lab', cur. Ron Keyson, New York NY
Riverside Park Fund, 'Studio in the Park', produced by BravinLee Programs, New York NY
The Armory Show, 'Champagne Fall', New York NY
2005
More Art, Art Basel, 'Art Creates Communities Project', Miami Beach FL
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 'Double Consciousness: Black Conceptual Art Since 1970', Houston TX
Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria, 'Past, Presence, Childhood and Memory', New York NY
Andrea Rosen Gallery, 'Looking at Words: The Formal Presence of Text in Modern and Contemporary Works on Paper', New York NY
2004
Krannert Art Museum, 'Social Studies', Champaign IL
The Studio Museum in Harlem, 'Seeds and Roots: Selections from the Permanent Collection', New York NY
Center for Art and Visual Culture, University of Maryland, 'White: Whiteness and Race in Contemporary Art', Baltimore MD
2003
Laguna Art Museum, 'Whiteness, A Wayward Construction', Laguna Beach CA
Metro Pictures, 'Drawings', New York NY
Margo Leavin Gallery, 'Raid the Icebox', Los Angeles CA
Museum Villa Stuck, 'One Planet Under a Groove: Hip Hop and Zeitgenössische Kunst', Munich, Germany
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 'Supernova: Art of the 1990s from the Logan Collection', San Francisco CA
2002
Metro Pictures, New York
Palazzo Reale, 'New York Renaissance– Masterworks From the Whitney Museum of American Art', Milan, Italy
Douglas Udell Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2001
Lawing Gallery, 'Locating Drawing', Houston TX
UCLA Hammer Museum, 'I’m Thinking of a Place', Los Angeles CA
Walker Art Center, 'One Planet Under a Groove - Hip Hop and Contemporary Art', Minneapolis MN (travelling exhibition)
Bronx Museum, 'One Planet Under a Groove - Hip Hop and Contemporary Art', New York NY (travelling exhibition)
The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College Chicago, 'Audible Imagery: Sound and Photography', Chicago IL
2000
Main Line Art Center, 'Art on the Line Comes Inside', Haverford PA
Addison Gallery of American Art, 'Point of Reference', Andover MA
1999
Tate, 'Heaven. An exhibition that will break your heart', Liverpool, UK (Travelling exhibition)
Metro Pictures, 'Drawn by...', New York NY
Kunsthalle Dusseldorf, 'Heaven. An exhibition that will break your heart', Dusseldorf, Germany (Travelling exhibition)
Museum of Contemporary Art 'At Century's End', Lake Worth FL
Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, 'Billboard', North Adams MA
Whitney Museum of American Art, 'American Century', New York NY
New Museum, 'Videodrome', New York NY
Frederieke Taylor, 'SHOES, SHOES, SHOES', New York NY
Bakalar Gallery and Huntington Gallery, Massachusetts College of Art, 'Rapture', Boston MA
The Museum of Modern Art, 'Sight Gags: Grotesque, Caricature, and Wit in Modern and Contemporary Drawing', New York NY
1998
Royal College of Arts, 'The Campaign Against Living Miserably', London, UK
Meyerson & Nowinski, 'Drawings...Second Annual Invitational', Seattle WA
Margo Leavin Gallery, Los Angeles CA
The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 'Cut on the Bias', Philadelphia PA
1997
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 'New York: Drawings Today', San Francisco CA
Walker Art Center, 'No Place (Like Home)', Minneapolis MN
ICA Boston, 'Gothic', Boston MA
Metro Pictures, 'Now on View II', New York NY
McCollum / Simmons, S.L. Simpson Gallery, 'Karl Blossfeldt', Toronto, Canada
Meyerson and Nowinski, 'Drawings', Seattle WA
2nd Johannesburg Biennale, 'Trade Routes: History and Geography', Johannesburg, South Africa
Rhona Hoffman Gallery, 'No Small Feat', Chicago IL
Visual Arts Gallery, 'Coming Home Again', New York NY
Whitney Museum of American Art, 'Heart, Mind, Body, Soul: American Art in the 1990’s', New York NY
Installation Gallery, 'inSite97', San Diego CA
1996
Oldham Art Gallery, 'Imagined Communities', London, UK (travelling exhibition)
Museum of Contemporary Art, 'Defining the 90's: Consensus Making in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami', Miami FL
Stedelijk Museum, 'Under Capricorn: Art in the Age of Globalization', Eindhoven, Netherlands
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago IL
MK Espositieruimte, 'Getekend, Amerika!', Rotterdam, Netherlands
Galerie Philippe Rizzo, 'Aer 27 '96, Basel International Art Fair', Basel, Switzerland
Metro Pictures, New York NY
Friedrich Petzel, New York NY
Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, 'A/drift', New York NY
Museu d'Art Contemporani, 'Fragments: Proposta per a una col.leccio de fotografia contemporania', Barcelona, Spain
Künstlerhaus, 'Inklusion, Exklusion: Kunst im Zeitalter von Postkolonialismus und globaler Migration', Graz, Austria
1995
The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 'Glenn Ligon, Gary Simmons', Philadelphia PA
'Configura 2 - Dialog Der Kulturen - Erfurt 1995', Erfurt, Germany
Metro Pictures, New York NY
1994
Fine Arts Gallery, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 'The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism', cur. Charles Gaines, Baltimore MD (Travelling exhibition)
Paine Webber Art Gallery, 'Urban Paradise: Gardens in the City', New York NY
Metro Pictures, New York NY
Randolph Street Gallery, 'Lousy Fear', Chicago IL
John Michael Kohler Arts Center, 'Labor and Leisure', Sheboygan WI
PaceWildenstein Gallery, 'Summer Academy I', New York NY
Whitney Museum of American Art, 'Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art', New York NY (Travelling exhibition)
University Art Gallery, University of California, Riverside, 'The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism', cur. Charles Gaines, Riverside CA (Travelling exhibition)
1993
Richard R. Nelson Gallery, University of California, Davis, 'The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism', cur. Charles Gaines, Davis CA (Travelling exhibition)
Whitney Museum of American Art, '1993 Biennial Exhibition', New York NY
Thread Waxing Space, New York NY
Jersey City Museum, 'Contacts Proofs', Jersey City NJ
Metro Pictures, New York NY
Fine Arts Gallery, University of California, Irvine, 'The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism', cur. Charles Gaines, Irvine CA
Otis College of Art and Design, 'Dissent, Difference, and the Body Politic', Los Angeles CA (Travelling exhibition)
1992
BlumHelman Warehouse, 'Structural Damage', New York NY
Berland/Hall, 'A Paper Trail', New York NY
University Art Gallery, University of California, 'The Politics of Difference: Artists Explore Issues of Identity', Riverside CA
The Heckscher Museum, 'The Edge of Childhood', Huntington NY
New Museum / French Cultural Services, 'The Big Nothing or Le Presque Rien', New York NY
Tony Shafrazi Gallery, 'How It Is', New York NY
Randolph Street Gallery, 'Back Talk', Chicago IL
Whitney Museum of American Art at Equitable Center, 'Songs of Innocence/Songs of Experience', New York NY
Portland Art Museum, 'Dissent, Difference, and the Body Politic', Portland OR (travelling exhibition)
The Drawing Center, 'Wall Drawings', New York NY
1991
Grey Art Gallery, NYU, 'Interrogating Identity: The Question of Black Art', New York NY (travelled to Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts; Walker Arts Center, Minneapolis; Madison Art Center, Wisconsin; Center for Fine Arts, Miami; Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, Ohio; Duke University Museum of Art, Durham, North Carolina)
Simon Watson Gallery, 'The Subversive Stitch', New York NY
Meyers/Bloom Gallery, 'Someone Or Somebody', Santa Monica CA
Neue Gesellschaft fur Bildende Kunst, 'Schwarze Kunst: Konzepte zu Politik und Identitat', Berlin, Germany
1990
Krygier/Landau Contemporary Art, 'Earth', Santa Monica CA
Lang & O'Hara, 'Membership Has Its Privileges', New York NY
New Museum of Contemporary Art at Marine Midland Bank, 'Spent: Currency, Security and Art on Deposit', New York NY
Espace de Dieu, 'All Quiet on the Western Front?', Paris, France
San Francisco Art Institute Galleries, 'Official Language', San Francisco CA
Simon Watson Gallery, 'Total Metal', New York NY
1989
American Fine Arts, Co., New York NY
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Awards & Grants

2022
Aspen Award for Art, Aspen Art Museum, Aspen CO
2013
The Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize, Studio Museum in Harlem, New York NY
2007
USA Gund Fellowship, George Gund Foundation, Cleveland OH
1991
Penny McCall Foundation Grant, New York NY
1990
Interarts Grant, National Endowment for the Arts, Washington DC
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Bibliography

Monographs

2023
Morales, René, Collingwood, Jane (eds.), 'Gary Simmons. Public Enemy', Chicago: Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, New York: DelMonico Books, 2023, ill. (exh. cat.)
2012
Ferrando, Alexander, Mozo, Manuela (eds.), 'Paradise', Bologna: Damiani, 2012, ill.
2008
CAIS Gallery (ed.), 'Crawling Along the Edge of a Straight Razor', Seoul: CAIS Gallery, 2008 (exh. cat.)
2002
Berger, Maurice, Golden, Thelma, Sirmans, Franklin, 'Gary Simmons', Chicago: Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 2002, ill. (exh. cat.)
Gaines, Malik, 'Gary Simmons', Seoul: CAIS Gallery, 2002, ill. (exh. cat.)
2001
Gordon, Avery, 'Gary Simmons: Ghost House', Santa Fe: SITE Santa Fe, 2001, ill. (exh. cat.)
2000
The Fabric Workshop and Museum (ed.), 'Glenn Ligon and Gary Simmons', Philadelphia: The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 2000, ill. (exh. cat.)
1998
Princenthal, Nancy, 'Gary Simmons', Hamilton: The Gallery of the Department of Art & Art History, Dana Arts Center, Colgate University, 1998, ill. (exh. cat.)
1996
Galerie Philippe Rizzo (eds.), 'Gary Simmons', Paris: Galerie Philippe Rizzo, 1996 (exh. cat.)
1995
Lyons, Lisa, 'Gary Simmons: Erasure Drawings', Los Angeles: Lannan Foundation, 1995 (exh. cat.)
1994
Cruz, Amanda, 'Gary Simmons: Directions', Washington DC: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 1994, ill. (exh. bro.)
1992
Golden, Thelma, 'Gary Simmons: The Garden of Hate', New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 1992 (exh. cat.)
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Publications

2023
Centre Pompidou (eds.), 'Les Cahiers du Musée national d’art moderne', Paris: Éditions du Centre Pompidou, no. 162, Winter 2022/2023, pp. 55-69, ill.
2021
Zuckerman, Heidi, 'Conversations with Artists III', Santa Ana: HiZ.art, pp. 175-184, ill.
2019
Choi, Connie H., 'Black Refractions: Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem', New York: American Federation of Arts/Rizzoli Electa, 2019, pp. 178-179
2018
Pedrosa, Adriano, Toledo, Tomás (eds.), 'Histórias Afro-Atlânticas', São Paolo: Instituto Tomie Ohtake/Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand, 2018, pp. 248, 291 (exh. cat.)
2016
Allard, Alexandre, 'Creative Invasion: Cidade Matarazzo', Sao Paolo: Associação Feito por Brasileiros, 2016, pp. 246-47
Black, Matt, 'Reflections. In Conversation with Today’s Artists', New York: Assouline, 2016, pp. 210-219
2015
Miller, Dana (ed.), 'Whitney Museum of American Art: Handbook of the Collection', New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 2015, p. 350
Schwartz, Alexandra, 'Come As You Are: Art of the 1990s', Montclair: Montclair Art Museum, Berkeley: University of California Press, 2015, p. 129 (exh. cat.)
Powell, Amy L. (ed.), 'Time / Image', Houston: Blaffer Art Museum, University of Houston, 2015, pp. 112-113 (exh. cat.)
2014
Chang, Jeff, 'Who We Be: The Colorization of America', New York: St. Martin's Press, 2014, p. 152
2013
Andersson, Frida, Höglund, Jessica (eds.), 'Blackboard: Teaching and Learning from Art', Värdmö: Artipelag, 2013, pp. 124-129, 162-163 (exh. cat.)
Gioni, Massimiliano, Carrion-Murayari, Gary, 'NYC 1993: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star', New York: New Museum, 2013, p. 145 (exh. cat.)
Galpin, Amy (ed.), 'Behold, America! Art of the United States from Three San Diego Art Museums', San Diego: Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego / San Diego Museum of Art / Tinken Museum of Art, 2013, p. 325 (exh. cat.)
2012
Dreishpoon, Douglas, Grachos, Louis, Pagel, David (et al.), 'Decade: Contemporary Collecting
2002-2012' Buffalo: Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 2012, pp. 144-145 (exh. cat.)
Lott, Jessica, Patel, Samir S. (eds.), 'The Bearden Project', New York: The Studio Museum in Harlem, 2012, pp. 197, 275 (exh. cat.)
Foster, A. Kristen, Murray, Kali, 'Thenceforward, and Forever Free', Milwaukee: Haggerty Museum of Art, Marquette University, 2012, pp. 20-21 (exh. cat.)
2011
Smith, Mariann W. (ed.), 'Albright-Knox Art Gallery: Highlights of the Collection', London: Scala Publishers, Buffalo: Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 2011, pp. 143
2010
Joo, Eungie, Simmons, Gary, 'Re:Collection: Selected Works from The Studio Museum in Harlem', New York: The Studio Museum in Harlem, 2010, pp. 156-157
2009
Rattemeyer, Christian, 'The Judith Rothschild Foundation Contemporary Drawings Collection: Catalogue Raisonné', New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2009 p. 254
Beckwith, Naomi, '30 Seconds off an Inch', New York: The Studio Museum in Harlem, 2009, p. 49 (exh. cat.)
Dreishpoon, Douglas, Huyssen, Andreas, Riley Terence (et al.), 'Guillermo Kuitca: Everything', Buffalo: Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Washington DC: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Miami: Miami Art Museum, London: Scala Publishers, 2009, p. 57
2008
Hobbs, Robert, Ligon, Glenn, Sirmans, Franklin (et al.), '30 Americans', Miami: The Rubell Family Collection, 2008, pp. 138-143 (exh. cat.)
CAIS Gallery (ed.), 'Crawling Along the Edge of a Straight Razor', Seoul: CAIS Gallery, 2008, p. 53 (exh. cat.)
Morgan, Jessica, 'An Unruly History of the Readymade', Mexico City: Fundación Jumex, 2008 (exh. cat.)
2007
Roberts, Rebecca, 'MoMA. Highlights Since 1980', New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2007, p. 156
Logan, Kent, Logan, Vicki, 'Impulse: Works on Paper from the Logan Collection', Vail: Logan Collection Vail, San Francisco: Overseas Printing Corporation, 2007, pp. 260-261
Marcoci, Roxana, 'Comic Abstraction: Image-Breaking, Image-Making', New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2007, pp. 108-113 (exh. cat.)
2006
Blancsubé, Michel, 'Fifth Interpretation of the Collection', Pachuca: La Colección Jumex, 2006, pp. 233, 250, 256
2005
Drucker, Johanna, 'Sweet Dreams: Contemporary Art and Complicity', Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2005, pp. 112-124
Wright, Richard, 'The Ethics of Living Jim Crow: An Autobiographical Sketch', Los Angeles: BukAmerica, 2005, cover, ill.
Kantor, Jordan, 'Drawing from the Modern: After the Endgames', New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 2005, p. 143
Museo d’Arte Contemporanea (ed.), 'Castello Di Rivoli', Milan: Museo d’Arte Contemporanea / Castello di Rivoli Publishing, 2005, p. 291
2004
Coetzee, Mark, 'Rubell Family Collection – Not Afraid', New York: Phaidon Press Limited, 2004, p. 185
Zabunyan, Elvan, 'Black is a Color', Paris: Éditionas Dis voir, 2004, pp. 79-80
2002
Kertess, Klaus, 'Photography Transformed', New York, Harry N. Abrams, 2002, pp. 192, 253
Hirschberg, Stuart, Hirschberg, Terry, 'Every Day, Every Where—Global Perspectives on Popular Culture', Boston: McGraw Hill, 2002, p. 449
Whitney Museum of American Art (ed.), 'New York Renaissance—Masterworks from the Whitney Museum of American Art', Milan: Palazzo Reale, 2002, p. 174 (exh. cat.)
Davies, Hugh M., Kamps, Toby, 'Lateral Thinking: Art of the 1990s', San Diego: Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, 2002, pp. 112-113, 135 (exh. cat.)
Stroud, Marion Boulton, 'New Material as New Media', Philadelphia: The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 2002, pp. 98-105, 260-263
2001
Anderson, Maxwell Lincoln, 'American Visionaries', New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 2001, p. 281
Kamps, Toby, 'Lateral Thinking: Art of the 1990’s', San Diego: Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, 2001, pp. 112-113, 135
2000
Bakalar Gallery and Huntington Gallery (eds.), 'Rapture', Boston: Bakalar Gallery and Huntington Gallery, Massachusetts College of Art, 2000
Musée D’Art Americain (ed.), 'Giverny Garden Projects', Giverny: Musée D’Art Americain, 2000
Varnedoe, Kirk, Antonelli, Paola, Siegel, Joshua (eds.), 'Modern Contemporary: Art at MoMA Since 1980', New York: Museum of Modern Art, 20-00, p. 470
The Fabric Workshop and Museum (ed.), 'Glenn Ligon and Gary Simmons', Philadelphia: The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 2000 (exh. cat.)
1999
Phillips, Lisa, 'The American Century: 1950-2000', New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 1999, p. 339 (exh. cat.)
Steiner, Rochelle (ed.), 'Gary Simmons' [Currents 80 series], Saint Louis: The Saint Louis Art Museum, 1999 (exh. cat.)
1998
Gleadowe, Teresa, McFarland, Dale, 'The Campaign Against Living Miserably', London: Royal College of Arts, 1998 (exh. cat.)
Perée, Rob (ed.), 'Postcards from Black America', Netherlands: Hedendaagse Afrikans-Amerikaanse Kunst, 1998
1997
Vidler, Anthony, Wallen, Peter, 'Scene of the Crime', Los Angeles: The Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Center, 1997 (exh. cat.)
Marcoci, Roxana, Murphy, Diana, Sinaiko, Eve, 'New Art', New York: Abrams, 1997, p. 122
Siegel, Jeanne, 'Coming Home Again', New York: Visual Arts Gallery, 1997 (exh. cat.)
Fibicher, Bernhard, 'Wall Drawings', Zurich: Kunsthaus, Zurich, 1997
Decter, Joshua (ed.), 'A/Drift', Annandale-on-Hudson: Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, 1997 (exh. cat.)
Buck-Morss, Susan, García Canclini, Néster, Lewis, George E. (et al.), 'Insite97: Private Time In Public Space', San Diego: Installation Gallery, 1997, pp. 150-151, cover, ill.
1996
Papastergiadis, Nikos, 'Annotations 1: Mixed Belongings and Unspecified Destinations', London: Institute of International Visual Arts, Southampton: John Hansard Gallery, 1996
Hylton, Richard, Mercer, Kobena, 'Imagined Communities', London: Oldham Art Gallery, 1996 (exh. cat.)
Stedelijk Museum (ed.), 'Under Capricorn: Art in the Age of Globalization, Eindhoven: Stedelijk Museum, 1996 (exh. cat.)
Museu d'Art Contemporani (ed.), 'Fragments', Barcelona: Museu d'Art Contemporani, 1996 (exh. cat.)
1995
Dialog Der Kulturen (ed.), 'Configura 2 - Dialog Der Kulturen - Erfurt 1995', Erfurt: Dialog Der Kulturen, 1995 (exh. cat.)
1994
Alexander, Elizabeth (et al.), 'Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art', New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, Los Angeles: Armond Hammer Gallery, University of California at Los Angeles, 1994 (exh. cat.)
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (ed.), 'Directions: Gary Simmons', Washington: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institute, 1994 (exh. cat.)
1993
Watson, Simon, Weber, John, 'Dissent, Difference and the Body Politic', Portland: Portland Art Museum, 1993 (exh. cat.)
Bhabha, Homi K., Fusco, Coco, Rich, B. Ruby (et al.), '1993 Biennial Exhibition', New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 1993 (exh. cat.)
Lord, Catherine, 'The Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism', Irvine: Fine Arts Gallery,
University of California, Irvine, 1993 (exh. cat.)
1992
Coller, Barbara, Kuspit, Donald, 'The Edge of Childhood', Huntington: The Heckscher Museum, 1992 (exh. cat.)
Jones, Kellie, Phillips, L. Meredith, Sokolowski, Thomas W., 'Interrogating Identity: The Question of Black Art', New York: Grey Art Gallery, NYU, 1992 (exh. cat.)
Whitney Museum of American Art (eds.), 'Songs of Experience/Songs of Innoncence', New York: Whitney Museum of American Art, 1992, ill. (exh. bro.)
View more +

Press

2023
Harris, Gareth, 'Building bridges post-Brexit: London Gallery Weekend to pay for European curators to attend third edition', on: theartnewspaper.com, 7 March 2023, ill.
2022
Pete, Joseph S., 'Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago planning major major Gary Simmons exhibit', on: nwitimes.com, 24 December 2022, ill.
Hornaday, Ann, 'At the Academy Museum, a resurrection of Black film history', on: washingtonpost.com, 12 September 2022
Meyer, Anna, 'Contemporary Commentary. ArtWeek features Gary Simmons and other impactful contemporary artists', on: aspentimes.com, 28 July 2022, ill.
Block, Fang, '50 Contemporary Artists Donate Works to Raise Funds for Aspen Art Museum', on: barrons.com, 26 July 2022, ill.
King Cap, Max, 'Bring the Pain. Gary Simmons at Hauser & Wirth', on: artillerymag.com, 12 July 2022, ill.
Diehl, Travis, 'Fighting Forward', in: Aspen Art Museum Magazine, Aspen, Summer 2022, pp. 32-33, ill.
___, 'Aspen Art Museum to honor Gary Simmons at ArtCrush', on: aspentimes.com, 12 May 2022, ill.
Griffin, Tim, 'Gary Simmons' [review], on: 4columns.org, 6 May 2022, ill.
Laster, Paul, 'From Coast to Coast, 6 Must-See Gallery Shows in May 2022', on: galeriemagazine.com, 2 May 2022, ill.
Becker, Natasha, 'Gary Simmons with Natasha Becker' [interview], in: The Brooklyn Rail, New York, May 2022, pp. 24-29, cover, ill.
Becker, Natasha, 'Gary Simmons with Natasha Becker' [interview], on: brooklynrail.org, May 2022, ill.
Jackson, Leigh-Ann, 'History, memory and rethinking it all' [interview], in: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 26 April 2022, ill.
Jackson, Leigh-Ann, 'Gary Simmons on how his artork "forces you to go down certain parts of memory lane"', on: latimes.com, 22 April 2022, ill.
Zellen, Jody, 'Gary Simmons. Remembering Tomorrow' [review] on: artnowla.com, 1 April 2022, ill.
___, 'Gary Simmons. Remembering Tomorrow' [review], on: damnmagazine.net, 22 March 2022, ill.
Dambrot, Shana Nys, 'Gary Simmons Makes Art That Clarifies by Blurring the Lines' [review], in: LA Weekly, Los Angeles, vol. 44, no. 17, 4 – 18 March, 2022, p. 10-11, ill.
Dambrot, Shana Nys, 'Gary Simmons Makes Art That Clarifies by Blurring the Lines' [review], on: laweekly.com, 3 March 2022, ill.
___, 'Hauser & Wirth debuts new paintings, wall drawings, and sculptures by Gary Simmons', on: artdaily.com, 24 February 2022, ill.
Zara, Janelle, 'Who Remembers Subliminal Racism? Gary Simmons’s New Body of Work Explores the Symbols That Shaped Us', on: culturedmag.com, 18 February 2022, ill.
Falco Raez, Constantino, 'Gary Simmons | "Remembering Tomorrow" at Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles', on: flaunt.com, 17 February 2022, ill.
Durón, Maximilíano, '"The Residue of a Performance You Never Get to See": Gary Simmons Discusses His First Show at Hauser & Wirth with Thelma Golden', on: artnews.com, 17 February 2022, ill.
Robertson, Emma, 'Gary Simmons: "You Want to Create Questions"' [interview], on: the-talks.com, 16 February 2022, ill.
___, 'Gary Simmons: Remembering Tomorrow' [preview], on: airmail.com, 10 January 2021, ill.
2021
Sosan, Bolaji, 'MCA Chicago Appoints New Leaders to Curatorial Team', on: sociallifechicago.com, 23 November 2021, ill.
Valentine, Victoria L., 'Jamillah James Appointed Senior Curator at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: As a Student "Visting the MCA Helped Me Realize the Possibilities of Curating and of Museums"', on: culturetype.com, 17 November 2021, ill.
Malcolm, Kim, O’Brien, John, 'Powerful moments mark reopening arts events', on: kuow.org, 2 July 2021, ill.
Gallow, Lauren, 'What Curator Emily Zimmerman wants to do this summer', on: seattletimes.com, 25 June 2021, ill.
Garcia, Sandra E., 'This Modest New York Apartment Holds One of the Best Art Collections in Town', on: nytimes.com, 14 June 2021, ill.
2018
Keimig, Jasmine, 'Gary Simmons Built a Life-Sized Garage for a Rock Band Inside This Seattle Museum', on: thestranger.com, 27 May 2021, ill.
Taft, Catherine, 'Gary Simmons', in: Artforum, New York, February 2018, p. 197
Herbowy, Greg, 'Hands On', in: Visual Arts Journal, New York, Fall/Winter 2018, pp. 56-65, cover, ill.
2017
Vankin, Deborah, 'His art centers on African American actors whose film titles 'Fade to Black'',
on: latimes.com, 12 July 2017
2016
Stryker, Mark, 'NYC Artist Gary Simmons Papers Detroit with Vintage Music Posters', on: DetroitFreePress.com, 14 September 2016
Dafoe, Taylor, 'Gary Simmons Installation to Inaugurate Culture Lab Detroit', on: BlouinArtInfo.com, 31 August 2016
2015
Indrisek, Scott, 'Come As You Are: A ‘90s Flashback in New Jersey', on: Artinfo.com 10 February 2015
Bass, Jodie, 'Gary Simmons', on: bombmagazine.org, 7 January 2015
2014
___, 'Pamm Project Gallery: Gary Simmons', on: Tropicult.com 12 November 2014
Peers, Alexandra, 'The Art World: Billions are in the Eye of the Beholder', in: New York Observer, New York, 10 November 2014, pp. 44-45
Dawson, Jessica, 'Gary Simmon’s Boxing-Related Art at Two Locations', in: The Wall Street Journal, New York, 24 October 2014
___, 'Gary Simmons at Perez Art Museum Project Gallery', on: miamiartguide.com, 15 July 2014
Lefort, Pierre, 'La Nouvelle-Oréans Mise en Prospective', in: L’Officiel Art, Paris, March 2014, pp. 122-127
___, '2013 Joyce Alexander Wein Artist Prize: Gary Simmons', in: The Studio Museum in Harlem Magazine, Winter/Spring 2014, pp. 79-80
2013
___, 'Gary Simmons: Downtown Reflections' [with video directed by Matt Black], on: Nowness.com, 27 August 2013
Doran, Anne, 'NYC 1993: Jet Set, Trash and No Star', in: Art in America, New York, May 2013, pp. 161-162
2012
Becker, Noah, 'Gary Simmons', in: ArtVoices, Winter 2013, pp. 8-11, cover, ill.
2011
Gwen Allen, 'Reviews: Gary Simmons', in: Artforum, New York, February 2011, p. 235
Rosenberg, Karen, 'A Haunting Tour, One Room at a Time', in: The New York Times, New York, 21 January 2011, p. 31
Selz, Gabrielle, 'What’s Black and White and Tread All Over', on: huffingtonpost.com, 24 February 2011
2010
Katchaluba, Oksana, 'Gary Simmons', on: ArtWrit.com, Volume IV, Fall 2010
Baker, Kenneth, 'Gary Simmons on ‘70s 'blaxploitation' Nostalgia', in: San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, 4 December 2010
___, 'Gary Simmons Double Feature', in: Artcollector, September/October 2010, pp. 42-43
McClemont, Doug, 'Reviews New York: 30 Seconds off an Inch', in: Art News, New York, April 2010, pp. 112-113
2009
Wylie, Charles, 'Words and Images', in: Dallas Cowboys Star Gameday, 1 November 2009, pp. 147-148
Cash, Stephanie, 'Insight: Dallas Scores', in: Art in America, New York, October 2009, p. 36
Neil, Jonathan T.D., '30 Americans', in: Art Review, March 2009, pp. 128-129
2008
___, 'It Was All A Blur', in: V Magazine, no. 56, Winter 2008, p. 55
Decter, Joshua, 'Gary Simmons: Metro Pictures', in: Artforum, New York, December 2008, pp. 297-298
Knight, Christopher, 'Behind 'Smoke,' Fiery Messages', in: The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 7 November 2008, p. E18
Cohen, David, 'Painting’s Post-Feminist Form & Sculpture’s Matron Saint', on: NYSun.com, 17 September 2008
2007
Pitcher, Cheri, 'Gary Simmons', in: Creative Quarterly, Spring 2007, pp. 10-15
Baker, Kenneth, 'An Aesthetic Appreciation of quarries', in: The San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, 6 October 2007
Riley, Cheryl R., 'Gary Simmons: The Art of Erasure', in: Ebony, April 2007, pp. 108-112
Smith, Roberta, 'Visions That Flaunt Cartoon Pedigrees', in: The New York Times, New York, 2 March 2007, pp. E27, E34
2006
Douglas, Sarah, 'Staying Power', in: Art + Auction, November 2006, pp. 160-167
Heartney, Eleanor, 'Gary Simmons at the Bohen Foundation', in: Art in America, New York, October 2006, p.188
Martegani, Micaela, 'Gary Simmons, Tema Celeste', September / October 2006, p. 78
Cotter, Holland, 'Experience Matters: Creators in Midcareer and Beyond', in: The New York Times, New York, 21 April 2006, pp. E31, E39
___, 'Gary Simmons: '1964'', in: Time Out New York, 13-19 April 2006, p. 80
Cotter, Holland, 'The World Tour Rolls into Town, Sprawling but Tidy', in: The New York Times, New York, 10 March 2006, pp. E29, E41
2005
Sussman, Elisabeth, 'Then and Now: Whitney Biennial 1993', in: Art Journal, Spring 2005, pp. 74-79 Stakias, Lauren, 'The Beginning is the Word', in: ArtReview, May 2005, p. 29
Swift, Rob, Tate, Greg, 'We’re Going Back: Gary Simmons talks with Rob Swift and Greg Tate' [interview], in: Yard, London Terrace Station, New York, pp. 34-41
2003
Kerr, Merrily, 'Gary Simmons—If These Walls Could Talk', in: Flash Art, January/ February 2003,
pp. 98-100
Ebony, David, 'Gary Simmons at the Studio Museum in Harlem', in: Art in America, New York, June 2003, p. 116
Campbell, Clayton, 'The Last White Art Show', in: Flash Art, October 2003, pp. 59-61
2002
Golden, Thelma, 'Diary', in: Slate, 20 February 2002
Hummer, Tracey, 'The Persistence of Memory', in: Smock, New York, Winter 2002, pp. 52-3
Hawkins, Margaret, 'Chalk One Up For Simmons', in: Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago, 10 February 2002
Artner, Alan G., 'Memory of Now', in: Chicago Tribune, Chicago, 21 February 2002, p. 3
Ming-Wong, Derek, 'Erasure and Expansion at the MCA', in: Chicago Weekly News, Chicago, 21 February 2002
Thorson, Alice, 'Simmons: Unerasable Impact', in: The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, 3 March 2002, pp. K-1, 4
Womack, Ytasha, 'Gary Simmons Erasure Art Featured at MCA', in: Chicago Daily Defender, Chicago, 9 March 2002
Camper, Fred, 'Pushing Back', in: Chicago Reader, Chicago, 29 March 2002
Douglas, Sarah, 'Gary Simmons: Site Santa Fe', in: The Art Newspaper (What's On), June 2002, p. 8
Kirshner, Judith Russi, 'Gary Simmons—Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago', in: Artforum, New York, Summer 2002, p. 170
Cline, Lynn, 'The Fleeting Work of Gary Simmons', in: Pasatiempo, New Mexico, 21-27 June 2002, pp. 34-6
___, 'Chalk Show', in: New York Magazine, New York, 9 September 2002, p. 68
Newhall, Edith, 'Chalk Talk', in: New York Magazine, New York, 14 October 2002, p. 109
Sundell, Margaret, 'Return Engagement', in: Time Out New York, 24-31 October 2002, pp. 66-67
Valdez, Sarah, 'Gallery—Gary Simmons', in: Paper Magazine (PM), November 2002, p. 12
___, 'Studio Museum in Harlem', in: The New Yorker, New York, 11 November 2002, p. 38
Schwendener, Martha, 'New York Critics’ Picks—Gary Simmons', on: Artforum.com, 29 October 2002
Bhatnagar, Priya, 'Focus Painting—Gary Simmons', in: Flash Art, November-December 2002, p. 88
2001
Zellen, Jody, 'Reviews: Los Angeles', in: Art Papers, March/April 2001, pp. 52-53
Lee, Morgan, 'Art House', in: Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, 14 May 2001, pp. 1, 3
Sirmans, Franklin, 'The No-Tech Way Toward Art-Making', in: The New York Times, New York, 2 September 2001, p. AR 27
Dannatt, Adrian, 'Black Conceptualist Month', in: The Art Newspaper, September 2001, p. 78
Knight, Christopher, 'Simmons: Emotions Emerging in Art', in: The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 28 September 2001, pp. F1, F18
Richard, Frances, 'Preview Spring 2002—Gary Simmons', in: Artforum, New York, January 2001, p. 46
Stone, Katherine, 'On Digital Art', in: ARTisSpectrum, vol. 10, pp. 15-19
2000
Kerwin, Jessica, 'The Digital Camera', in: W Magazine, May 2000, p. 196
Shottenkirk, Dena, 'Four on the Floor', in: International Contemporary Art, no. 66, Summer 2000, p. 44
___, 'An Artists’ Community Opens Its Doors This Weekend', in: The Boston Globe, Boston, 18 October 2000
1999
Baker, George, 'Gary Simmons: Metro Pictures', in: Artforum, New York, March 1999, p. 113
Bayoumi, Moustafa, 'Intellectual Spectacle', in: Borderlines, no. 48, 1999, pp. 12-15
Frankel, David, 'Billboard', in: Artforum, New York, May 1999, p. 59
Kerman, Byron, 'Space Explorer', in: The Riverfront Times, 8-14 December 1999, p. 27
Watson, Simon, 'Laura Says', on: Artnet.com, 3 December 1999
1998
Hollander, Kurt, 'Import/Export: Crossover Dreams', in: Art in America, New York, May 1998, pp. 46-51
Bhabha, Homi K., 'The White Stuff', in: Artforum, New York, May 1998, pp. 21-24
Ferguson, Russell, 'Tomato Cans', in: Visual Arts and Culture, New York, June 1998, pp. 2-13
Pagel, David, 'Too Close for Comfort', in: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 5 June 1998, p. F 25
Darling, Michael, 'Gary Simmons at Margo Leavin', in: LA Weekly, Los Angeles, 2 July 1998, p. 58
Fredericksen, Eric, 'Drawing Lessons', in: The Stranger, Seattle, 23 July 1998, p. 25
Updike, Ron, 'Drawing on a Diverse Palette', in: Seattle Times [Visual Arts Section], Seattle, 16 July 1998
Hackett, Regina, 'Drawing Invitational Reveals Personal Taste', in: Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, 22 July 1998, p. F5
Isé, Claudine, 'Gary Simmons', in: Art Issues, September/October 1998, p. 44
Campbell, Clayton, 'Gary Simmons', in: Flash Art, November/December 1998, pp. 109-110
D.P., 'German Artist's Abound in Chelsea', in: The Art Newspaper, London, no. 87, p. 60
1997
Rimanelli, David, 'A/Drift', in: Artforum International, February 1997, p. 83
Del Re, Gianmarco, 'Imagined Communities', in: Flash Art, Jan-Feb 1997, p. 63
Sirmans, M. Franklin, 'News: Gary Simmons', in: Flash Art, May/June 1997, p. 52
Sirmans, M. Franklin, 'Remixing the Art World: Art in the Global Marketplace', in: Flash Art, May/June 1997, pp. 69-72
Princenthal, Nancy, 'Gary Simmons: Disappearing Acts', in: Art/Text, May-July 1997, pp. 52-57
___, 'Curve (Ghoster) & Oh My', in: New Observations, no. 115, 1997, pp. 14-15
Bonami, Francesco, 'No Place Like Home, in: Flash Art, Summer 1997, p. 131
Sherman, Paul, 'ICA's Gothic Film Series is a Frightfully Good Time', in: Boston Herald, Boston, 5 May 1997,
Duehr, Gary, ''Gothic' is Spooky: ICA Exhibit Touches on Terror and Taboo', in: TheTAB, 6-12 May 1997
Millis, Christopher, 'Gothic Lite: Few Chills or Thrills in the ICA’s 'Transmutations of Horror'', in: The Boston Phoenix [Arts segment], 2 May 1997, pp. 10-11
Schulman, Ken, 'A Touch of Class', in: ARTnews, May 1997, p. 87
___, 'Dark Art at the ICA', in: The Boston Phoenix, 18 April 1997
Sherman, Mary, 'ICA Show Slakes First for Horror', in: Boston Herald, Boston, 25 April 1997
Temin, Christine, 'At ICA, Art that Goes Bump in the Night', in: The Boston Globe [Arts segment], Boston, 25 April 1997
Smith, Roberta, 'The Horror: Updating the Heart of Darkness', in: The New York Times [Arts segment], New York, 1 June 1997
Leken, Verena, 'Oh, gruase dich, es ist so schon', in: Feuilleton, 26 June 1997
Ardenne, Paul, 'Art: L'Âge Contemporain', in: Regard, Paris, 1997, p. 183
1996
Masterson, Piers, 'Imagined Communities', in: Art Monthly, March 1996, pp. 33-35
Bracewell, Michael, 'Beyond These Four Walls', in: The Independent, London 13 February 1996, section 2
Harry, Allister, 'Black Community...Who/ Us?', in: Voice, UK, 27 February 1996
Kent, Sarah, 'Divided We Stand', in: Time Out, UK, 13 September 1996, p. 49
Gale, Iain, 'Full of Sound and Fury Signifying', in: Scotland on Sunday, 26 January 1996, p. 14
Palffy, Georgina, 'Imagined Communities', in: What's On, UK, 25 September 1996
Lofting, Claire, 'Society Portraits', in: Blueprint, UK, March 1996, p. 39
Vincent, Martin, 'Community of Artists', in: City Life, UK, 24 January 1996
Reynolds, Adam, 'Imagined Communities', in: Disability Now, UK, October 1996
___, 'Take Out: Art', in: Time Out New York, 13-20 March 1996, p. 3
Karmel, Pepe, 'Gary Simmons' [review], in: The New York Times, New York, 22 March 1996, p. C27
___, 'MK Expositieruimte: Getekend, Amerika!', in: Rotterdam On Line, tekenen/ drawing '96, p. 53 MacAdam, Barbara A., 'Varsari Diary: 'Urban Dreamers'', in: Artnews, April 1996, pp. 39-40
Miller, Paul D., 'Tonic Boom', in: The Village Voice, 2 April 1996, p. 72
___, 'Gary Simmons', in: The New Yorker, New York, 1 April 1996, p. 21
Genies, Bernard, 'L’art au bout du fusil', in: Le Nouvel Observateur, 4-10 April 1996, pp. 128-30
Schoenfeld, Alissa, 'Gary Simmons' [review], in: Critical Review [art review magazine on Internet], 1 April 1996
Colman, David, 'Pretty on the Outside', in: George, June 1996, pp. 117-118
___, 'Art as Idea', in: Scholastic Art, April/May 1996, pp. 4-5
Eskin, Leah, 'Gone With the Wind', in: Chicago READER, Chicago, 5 July 1996, pp. 1-37
Carron, Natacha, 'Gary Simmons - Philippe Rizzo' [review], in: Flash Art, October 1996, p. 118
Volk, Gregory, 'Gary Simmons at Metro Pictures' [review], in: Art in America, New York, October 1996, p. 114
Schwendener, Martha, 'Catch My Drift', in: Time Out, 12-19 December 1996, p. 40
Smith, Roberta, 'Finding Art in the Artifacts of the Masses', in: The New York Times [Arts & Leisure], New York, 1 December 1996, pp. 43-44, 46
Hofleitner, Johanna, 'Inclusion: Exclusion', in: Argus Media, Zurich, no. 1317, 16 October 1996
Sirmans, Franklin, 'Steirischer Herbst '96: Barfly Theory at the Show', in: Flash Art News, December 1996, pp. 38-39
Enwezor, Okwui, 'Inclusion/Exclusion: Art in the Age of Global Migration and Postcolonialism', in: Frieze, March/April 1996, pp. 89-90
Prinzhorn, Martin, 'Inclusion/Exclusion', in: Texte zur Kunst, March 1996, pp. 183-184
Spiegl, Andreas, 'Inclusion/exclusion', in: Springer, April 1996, pp. 57-59
Hoffmann, Justin, 'Inclusion/Exclusion', in: Kunstforum, Feb-May 1996, pp. 350-353
Hutter, Frido, 'Welt-Nachrichten', in: Kleine Zeitung, Graz, 21 September 1996
Puhringer, Alexander, 'Inclusion/Exclusion', in: Noema, no. 43, Dec 1996/Jan 1997, p. 104
Krumpl, Doris, 'Rand-Zonen und die Kunst der Landsvermessung', in: Der Standard, 29 September 1996
Niegelhell, Franz, 'Kritik an der Ausgrenzung als Kritik an der Kultur', in: Samstag, 21 September 1996, p. 29
Behr, Martin, 'Erlebnisreiche Reise zu postkolonialer Kunst', in: Salzburger Nachrichten, 29 September 1996
Vogel, Sabine, 'Fernverbindungen', in: Erscheinungsdatum, 25 September 1996
Herbst, Steirischer, 'Geschuttelt, Nicht Geruhrt', in: Falter Verlag, 3 October 1996, p. 26
Hofleitner, Johanna, 'Postkolonialismus, Ausgrenzung, arme Materialien', in: Die Presse, 30 September 1996
Lienert, Konrad Rudolf, 'Wandern in Europa und Anderswo', in: Tages-Anzeiger, 8 October 1997
___, 'Eine neue Geografie de Macht', in: Steirerkrone, 24 September 1996
1995
Tate, Greg, 'Start Black-Owned Conceptual Bomber', in: Vibe, February 1995
Nochlin, Linda, 'Learning from 'Black Male'', in: Art in America, New York, March 1995, pp. 86-91
Howell, George, 'Gary Simmons: Erasures', in: Art Papers, March/April 1995, pp. 39-40
___, 'If They Built a Memorial to the War In the Streets', in: The New York Times Magazine, New York, 9 April 1995, p. 112
Newhall, Edith, 'Installation: Now Growing in SoHo', in: New York Magazine, New York, 1 May 1995
Hoving, Thomas, 'Art for the Ages', in: Cigar Aficionado, Summer 1995, pp. 214-226
Eccles, Tom, 'Gary Simmons at The Contemporary and Metro Pictures', in: Art in America, New York, July 1995, pp. 83-84
Pagel, David, 'The Writing's on the Wall', in: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 24 September 1995, pp. 63, 66
Knight, Christopher, 'Social Studies on the Blackboard', in: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 5 October 1995, pp. F1, F8, F10
Pagel, David, 'Gary Simmons', in: Frieze, no. 24, September/October 1995, pp. 79-80
___, 'More Reduction & Erasure at Lannan (But it's not what you think...)', in: Flash Art, November-December 1995, p. 41
Albertini, Rosanna, 'Gary Simmons - Lannan Foundation', in: Art Press, no. 208, December 1995, p. 76
Rugoff, Ralph, 'Best & Worst 1995', in: Artforum, New York, December 1995, p. 67
Perchuk, Andrew, 'Gary Simmons - Lannan Foundation', in: Artforum, New York, December 1995, pp. 94-95
Knight, Christopher, 'Art: Canvassing the Year of Brilliance', in: Los Angeles Times [Calendar Section], Los Angeles, 31 December 1995, p. 27
Greene, David A., 'Imperfect World: Gary Simmons Fights the Power with Subtle Beauty' [review for show at Lannan Foundation], in: Los Angeles Reader, Los Angeles, 7 October 1995
1994
Avgikos, Jan, 'Gary Simmons at Metro Pictures', in: Artforum, New York, January 1994, p. 87
Stein, Deidre, 'The Multiple Multiplies', in: Artnews, May 1994, pp. 85-86
Plagens, Peter, Cose, Ellis, 'Black Like Whom?', in: Newsweek, 14 November 1994, pp. 64-67
Gardner, Paul, 'Light, Canvas, Action: When Artists Go to the Movies', in: Artnews, December 1994,
pp. 124-129
Clearwater, Bonnie, 'Arrested Childhood', in: Art Press, no. 197, December 1994, pp. 33-40
1993
Ray, Gene, 'Gary Simmons', in: Flash Art, January/February 1993, p. 94
Matussek, Matthias, 'Kunst als Schauprozess', in: Der Spiegel, 12 April 1993, pp. 228-232
Cotter, Holland, 'Gary Simmons: Metro Pictures', in: The New York Times, 8 October 1993, p. C30
Brumfield, John, 'Marginalia: Life in a Day of Black L.A. or, The Theater of Refusal', in: Art Issues, no. 29, September/October 1993, pp. 24-27
Agboton-Jumeau, Jean Charles, 'Gary Simmons and M. Franklin Sirmans at Galerie Rizzo', in: Forum International, October/November 1993, p. 133
Wallach, Amei, 'Art with an Attitude', in: New York Newsday, New York, 5 March 1993, pp. 52-53
Solomon, Deborah, 'A Showcase for Political Correctness', in: The Wall Street Journal, New York, 5 March 1993, p. A7
Smith, Roberta, 'A Whitney Biennial with a Social Conscience', in: The New York Times, New York, 5 March 1993, pp. C1, C27
Knight, Christopher, 'Crushed By Its Good Intentions', in: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 10 March 1993, pp. F1, F8-F9
1992
Ramiriz, Yasmin, 'Gary Simmons', in: Art in America, New York, December 1992, p. 116
1991
Smith, Roberta, 'The Subversive Stitch', in: The New York Times, New York, 12 July 1991
Levin, Kim, 'Choices', in: The Village Voice, New York, 16 July 1991
Smith, Roberta, 'Interrogating Identity', in: The New York Times, New York, 17 March 1991
Carter, Cathy, 'Galleries', in: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 28 June 1991
Faust, Gretchen, 'NY in Review', in: Arts Magazine, February 1991, p. 103
Gipe, Lawrence, 'Gary Simmons', in: Flash Art, October 1991, p. 142
Kendal, Susan, 'LA in Review', in: Arts Magazine, October 1991, p. 103
Mahony, Robert, 'New York in Review', in: Arts Magazine, March 1991, p. 94
Nesbitt, Lois, 'Interrogating Identity', in: Artforum, New York, Summer 1991, p. 115
1990
Anderson, Michael, 'Gary Simmons', in: Art Issues, March/April 1990, p. 23
Gardner, Colin, 'Gary Simmons', in: Artforum, New York, March 1990, p. 169
Ischar, Doug, 'Articulating Subjectivity', in: Artweek, 18 January 1990, p. 11
1989
Frank, Peter, 'Pick of the Week', in: LA Weekly, Los Angeles, 29 December 1989
Curtis, Cathy, 'Galleries', in: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, 15 December 1989
Levin, Kim, 'Critics Pick', in: The Village Voice, New York, Summer 1989
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Audiovisuals

2022
The Baer Faxt, 'No Reserve Presents: "Remembering Tomorrow" at Hauser & Wirth' [Gary Simmons is interviewed by Josh Baer], March 2022
NBC 4, 'An Art Oasis within a Concrete Jungle' [Interview with Gary Simmons discussing 'Gary Simmons. Remembering Tomorrow' at Hauser & Wirth], March 2022
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Selected images

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Museum Exhibitions

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What's Going On
29 Oct - 28 Feb 2023, Rubell Museum, Washington DC
Gary Simmons
10 Nov - 19 Jan 2022, TANK Shanghai China

Book Lab

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