LUCAS PAGE
Lucas Page portrait by Ally Caple
Lucas Page is a native New Yorker and one of the art world’s most intriguing emerging tastemakers. The 29-year-old is the owner of PAGE (NYC), an intimate space located in Tribeca, Manhattan’s hottest gallery district, where he organizes critically acclaimed exhibitions by an eclectic array of talented and in-demand young international artists. Page set up shop in the downtown neighborhood five years ago and the spot has since become a must-visit destination for in-the-know collectors. This month, he heads north to curate “PAGE (NYC) at Petzel,” a collaboration with the Upper East Side location of the esteemed gallery founded by Friedrich Petzel in 1994 (the occasion marks the first time that Petzel, who also operates galleries in Chelsea and Berlin, has invited a local gallery to organize a show in one of its spaces).
Sascha Behrendt caught up with the on-the-go dealer as he was unpacking artworks and preparing to install the show.
What originally brought about PAGE (NYC)?
I opened PAGE (NYC) in Tribeca 5 years ago when there were only a handful of galleries in the neighborhood. I went to school for painting and have always been interested in what my artist friends have been up to. Even as a student I had an intense appetite for looking at work and talking to other artists. As I began to get in the groove of my post-grad routine, my work centered around collaboration. I was always trying to get other artists in the mix and began experimenting with small exhibitions in intimate spaces, growing from the group chat to friends’ apartments. My interest in the gallery side of the art world only got more intense. I saw an opportunity to provide a more solid platform for this group of emerging artists in a more traditional gallery context. I got a serious itch. What emerging artists have the potential to be tomorrow's stars? I wanted to find the next heat—so I opened the gallery.
Installation view, PAGE (NYC) at Petzel, Magnus Andersen and Dani Leder, 2021
Installation view, PAGE (NYC) at Petzel, Leigh Ruple and Dana Lok, 2021
How does your gallery model differ from others?
I like to keep a lean operation. I’ve been in the same space since the start—all 200 square feet of it. My biggest expense is the gamble I take on shipping work. A lot of my shows bring artists from all around the world to New York for the first time, and the overhead of low rent helps me do that. Having a small physical footprint opens other doors. I also listen closely to the artists I’ve worked with as well as a tight group of friends (shout out Patrick Keville) on the prospects of working with new artists. When there’s someone who really piques my interest, I kick it around to my group and go from there.
How do you view your role as a gallerist?
My job is to bring new names to the table. There are special artists scattered everywhere, paintings under every rock, and I want to show them in New York to keep the painting scene strong, to maintain that tradition. It’s a scrappy operation, but there are sophisticated works being made all over the world, which I think need more attention—my ear is always to the ground. I also try to provide a robust and polished framework for emerging painters, often in their NYC debut. One important aspect of this is books—I produce and design original publications for many of my shows.
What are you interested in when looking for new artists to work with?
I like visual intensity and friction in work—some real energy. I look for artists who have strong formal opinions and fundamentals. I’m seeking new cultural elements—even if something is a copy or a composite, you can feel it when there is an original language. There are always considerations in relation to artists I’ve worked with previously—it’s nice when there’s tension between shows, as long as the program maintains some vigor across the board. As the archive of previous shows grows thicker, so does the program’s weight in influencing what is shown next, whether in reaction to a previous vibe or adding a new page to the conversation. Artists I’m looking at add something refreshing and original to the Page universe. It is so sweet and cerebral when you can think of how art fits in a long thread of conversations. It takes away the pressure of thinking about what the market needs. The fabric of the archive holds more swing.
Installation view, Dana Lok, One Second Per Second, PAGE (NYC), 2020
Installation view, Zoé Blue M., Fault Lines, PAGE (NYC), 2021
“My job is to bring new names to the table. There are special artists scattered everywhere, paintings under every rock, and I want to show them in New York to keep the painting scene strong, to maintain that tradition.”
— Lucas Page
What are your thoughts on how the New York art world has navigated the pandemic?
Thankfully, the pandemic hasn’t brought a drastic shift from how I typically operate. As a small gallery, I can remain agile and efficient. My program presents only 5-6 shows a year. The gallery is open on weekends and by appointment, which brings more intimate viewings with individuals and small groups. I like to run my shows a bit longer, usually 6-7 weeks, to allow a larger window to see the work in person. And digital outreach has always been a critical tool for me, reaching collectors and viewers who may never see the shows IRL.
You are curating and exhibiting a group show at Petzel’s Upper East Side NY space from Sept 8th. Can you tell me about this collaboration?
Running Page and working at Petzel is the best of both worlds. Friedrich approached me about a year ago with the opportunity to curate a show at his uptown gallery, the first time Petzel has invited a New York gallery to organize an exhibition in one of its spaces. I have major respect for Friedrich and his program, and to share my artists on the gallery’s platform is an immense privilege. I’ve long aligned with the Petzel lineage in the New York painting scene. The show has given me the chance to reflect on my program 5 years in, working again with NYC artists like Leigh Ruple and Dana Lok, and to also look ahead, thinking about new conversations with artists like Frieda Toranzo Jaeger out of Mexico City and Agnes Scherer from Berlin. Obviously a major highlight for me—I’m looking forward to giving some fresh names center stage.
Leigh Ruple, The Chess Game, 2021, Oil on canvas, 66 x 60 inches
Frieda Toranzo Jaeger, The Wheel of Existentialism, 2021, Oil and embroidery on canvas with windshield wipers and mirrors, 104 x 104 inches
Agnes Scherer, Coeurs Simples, 2020, Mixed media installation, Dimensions variable
What are your thoughts on contemporary painting today?
The biggest difference in the last 20 years is less to do with the work itself, but rather the audience. The average person knows more than ever about art and has more resources to put the art world together through their phone. As a result, there’s so much more noise and dissolution about painting, especially those caught up in the hype around figurative work. But there’s also a lot of good painting, which will always stand the test of time. There’s still history to be written with painting—and it’s exciting to try to find those artists in the emerging field before it’s defined by other people. Clearly, painting isn’t going anywhere.
In which ways can the art market evolve for the better for small galleries like yourself?
The emerging market is precarious with speculation from all sides. It’s an uphill battle for a small gallery to remain a truly independent entity, and they will increasingly rely on institutional platforms to get exposure. But it’s important for an emerging gallery to be more in charge of its own narrative rather than being part of a greater marketplace. Cooperation with larger galleries could be beneficial for both spaces with serious commitment and investment. It’s about building a program and relationship that has a long-term conversation rather than what’s hot in the moment.
What is coming up for PAGE (NYC)?
After Page at Petzel, I’m working towards Leigh Ruple’s second solo show at PAGE (NYC) opening later this Fall—the follow-up to her extraordinary presentation at Independent last March. I’m very much looking forward to sharing Leigh’s work again in Tribeca, after introducing her paintings uptown with the show at Petzel. 2022 brings more exciting names from across the globe, hopefully more books, and perhaps an eye towards some fairs. Otherwise, I’m in it for the long game—I keep my head down and focus on one painting at a time.
Installation view, PAGE (NYC) at Petzel, Lauren Satlowski, 2021