Getting to Know: Gary Simmons

On the occasion of his first solo presentation with the gallery in New York City, artist Gary Simmons met with students from Artistic Noise to discuss his newest body of work. On view at our Wooster Street location, ‘Thin Ice’ debuts sculpture, paintings and drawings—including a sequence of canvases that isolate and re-purpose archetypical racialized imagery from cartoons of the 1920s and early 1930s, and a site-specific wall drawing referencing one of the most iconic films of the 1960s—to capture the instability and disorientation of the current American moment.

‘Getting to Know: Gary Simmons’ is produced in partnership with Artistic Noise, an organization committed to enriching the lives of system-impacted youth through art making. Via courthouse-based alternatives to incarceration programs, drop-in therapy programs and large-scale mural projects, Artistic Noise supports young artists in their community to express themselves creatively, work collaboratively, build community, manifest visions of their futures and develop a variety of leadership skills in the process.

‘Getting to Know’ is a video series exploring the work and careers of the foremost artists of our time through the lens of creative students and community members. Watch the other films in the series ‘Getting to Know: Angel Otero,’ inside his West Hollywood exhibition with students from Inner-City Arts and ‘Getting to Know Anj Smith,’ inside her New York exhibition with young adults living in foster care from non-profit organization Culture for One.

With thanks to:  
Artistic Noise participants.

‘Thin Ice’ is on view at Hauser & Wirth, New York Wooster Street, through 11 January 2025.

Images: onwhitewall.com