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40,000 Photos Reveal '90s NYC Art Scene's Wild Spirit
20 Apr
Summary
- Art critic Jerry Saltz amassed 40,000 slides of the '90s New York art world.
- These recently unearthed images capture a vibrant, pre-commercial art scene.
- Saltz describes the '90s as a magical period of great energy and imagination.
Art critic Jerry Saltz documented the New York art world extensively throughout the 1990s, capturing thousands of images on his Olympus Stylus camera. He amassed a remarkable collection of 40,000 slides from openings, parties, and studio visits. These photographs, recently unearthed from his basement, have been compiled for an annual issue, serving as a nostalgic scrapbook.
Saltz's images portray the art scene of the 1990s as a vibrant, less commercialized space, which he characterizes as a "village of pirates and dirty shamans." He reflects on this period as one of "tremendous magic" and "great energy and imagination," emphasizing its foundational impact on contemporary art practices.
