Opening reception: April 3 2014, 6 - 9 pm

Gallery Hours commencing April 4: Wednesday - Saturday Noon - 6 pm, or by appointemnt.

"The artist alone sees spirits. But after he has told of their appearing to him, everybody sees them."  Goethe

Stephen Romano is pleased to announce THE INAUGURATION OF A NEWLY FORMED EXHIBITION SPACE in the heart of one of the world's most vibrant cultural communities DUMBO BROOKLYN, featuring international and emerging CONTEMPORARY artists alongside HISTORICAL, VISIONARY AND SELF TAUGHT masters.

Stephen Romano has been a private art dealer for the past 10 years, and was manager of the Ricco Maresca Gallery in New York from 1996 - 2003. Romano has most notably also worked for the former 49th Parallel Gallery in NYC and the Walter Moos Gallery in Toronto. As a private art dealer, Romano's focus has been on emerging contemporary artists as well as self taught and visionary artists with particular emphasis on CHARLES DELLSCHAU, HENRY DARGER, MARTIN RAMIREZ, ADOLPH WOLFLI and Brazilian Visionary DARCILIO LIMA. Stephen Romano also is a principal collector and dealer in the works of America's "Father of Pictorialism" WILLIAM MORTENSEN.

In 2013, Stephen Romano produced a seminal 330 page monograph on Texas Visionary artist CHARLES DELLSCHAU - designed by Marquand Books and distributed by DAP. The book generated several positive reviews by a wide variety of publications such as BOOKFORUM, RAW VISION MAGAZINE, THE ATLANTIC, SLATE, Antiques and the arts, FOLK ART MESSENGER, DESIGN OBSERVER, among many others. With an introduction by Stephen Romano, the book featured the final published essay by renowned art writer THOMAS McEVILLEY, as well as contributions from MUSEUM OF EVERYTHING founder JAMES BRETT, Smithsonian museum of aero space curator TOM CROUCH, and art writers ROGER CARDINAL and BARBARA SAFAROVA. 2013 also saw the publication by Romano of the first ever post mortem retrospective catalogue of works by Darcilio Lima and most recently a catalogue of a previously unknown photographic series from 1925 by William Mortensen "A PICTORIAL COMPENDIUM OF WITCHCRAFT" with written works by A.D. COLEMAN, LARRY LYTLE and TOM PATTERSON.

A former exhibitor at The Outsider Art Fair, in 2013 Stephen Romano favored participation in THE METRO SHOW, highlighting a work by American contemporary sculptor KRIS KUKSI, and was singled out by Ken Johnson in THE NEW YORK TIMES for his display of works by DELLSCHAU. In May of the same year, Romano's participation in the PULSE ART FAIR NYC 2013, was proclaimed by Christian Viveros-Fauné in THE ART NEWSPAPER as " By far the fair’s biggest surprise arrives courtesy of the private Brooklyn dealer Stephen Romano, whose stand not only contains a large, two-sided Henry Darger drawing—it also hosts six double-sided colored pencil works by Charles A. A. Dellschau." 2014 saw the return of Stephen Romano at The Metro Show, this time featuring never before seen works by DELLSCHAU and WILLIAM MORTENSEN as well as a group of rare SPIRIT PHOTOS and works by contemporary artists COLIN CHRISTIAN, SONYA FU. JANA BRIKE, DAN BARRY, PECA, MAHWISH CHISHTY, LIMOR GASKO, RENE PIERRE ALLAIN, MASAE SHIMOICHI, RAY ROBINSON, JENNIFER LIN among many other works of historical significance.

While having curated noteworthy exhibitions since 1991, including "Geometric Strategies" at The Marlyn Pearl Gallery, "Risking Selves" and "The Dream Screen" at 148 Duane Gallery, "Visionary Dreamers" at the University of Syracuse, as well as several booths at art fairs including the OUTSIDER ART FAIR, ARTNOW, THE METRO SHOW and PULSE NYC, this will be Stephen Romano first effort at a completely autonomous exhibition program. Forthcoming exhibitions will include a survey of works by WILLIAM MORTENSEN, the first ever organized on the east coast, a survey of works by CHARLES DELLSCHAU, which will be the third ever exhibition of this artist who is now being regarded as equal in significance to HENRY DARGER and MARTIN RAMIREZ, the first ever North American exhibition of renowned Hong Kong digital artist SONYA FU, the first ever New York solo exhibition of highly acclaimed Latvian artist JANA BRIKE, the first ever North American solo exhibition of seminal Brazilian surrealist and Visionary DARCILIO LIMA, the premiere exhibition of works by enigmatic American artist A. FIORELLO, and an exhibition of VERNACULAR PHOTOGRAPHY featuring a selection of important SPIRIT PHOTOS.

Stephen Romano says . "I am fortunate to be enriched by artists who's dedication to their art is uncompromising. I'm delighted to be bringing this program of mixing cutting edge contemporary and historical Visionary and Self Taught masters to 111 Front Street. This community in the heart of DUMBO hosts a remarkable variety of engaging galleries and pop up projects, and is well worth the trip one subway stop into Brooklyn, which has been my only New York home since 1991."

The inaugural exhibition is entitled "Welcome To The Dreamtime". In the animist framework of aboriginal mythology, "Dreamtime" is a sacred era in which ancestral totemic spirit beings created the world. The exhibition is a macro cosmos of works by artists Romano has collected and championed over the past 25 years, and articulates the aesthetic and philosophies that will guide the gallery. The group of artists participating, local and international, includes:

Shonagh Adelman (Brooklyn), Rene Pierre Allain (Brooklyn), Phil Allocco (Brooklyn), Steven Baines (Brooklyn), Dan Barry (Austin, TX), Morton Bartlett (Boston), Jana Brike (Rego, Latvia), Ray Caesar (Toronto, Canada), Paul Campbell (Brooklyn), James Castle (Boise, Idaho), Judy Chappus (Windsor, Canada), Mahwish Chishty (Pakistan/Chicago), Colin Christian (Tampa, Florida), Henry Darger (Chicago), Charles Dellschau (Prussia / Houston), Matthew Dutton (Chattanooga), Lori Field (New York), Found&Lost (Toronto / UK), Sonya Fu (Hong Kong), Eldon Garnet (Toronto), Limor Gasko (Brooklyn), Dan Hillier (London), Tine Kindermann (New York), Darcilio Lima (Rio de Janeiro) Jennifer Mien Mien Lin (New York), Joel Lorand (Paris), Mia Mäkilä (Stockholm, Sweden), Tom McKinnon (Iquitos, Peru/Canada) William Mortensen (Laguna Beach, California), Matt Nolen (New York), Peca (Barcelona), Martin Ramirez (Tepatitlán, Mexico), Ray Robinson (London, LaHavre Canada), Masae Shimoichi (Tokyo), Jeff Soto (Los Angeles), Martin Wittfooth (Brooklyn), K.B. Yung (Portland).


For further information and visuals please contact Stephen Romano at 646 709 4725 or romanostephen@gmail.com

 

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ONE STOP INTO BROOKLYN

A train - HIGH STREET F train - YORK STREET 5 minute walk from either station.

 

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William Mortensen (1897–1965, Laguna Beach, California) "Woman with Skull" 1925


 

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Jana Brike (Rego, Latvia)"Fawn" 2013 - 2014 oil on canvas 40 x 40 cm

 

 

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Masea Shimoichi ( 1982, Tokyo Japan) Untitled 2014 pen and ink and electrical wires.

 

 

 

 

 

Rene Pierre Allain "Tablet with Ribbon Bars & Arrayed Device", 2002-03
Mixed media, canvas, panel, steel, 49" X 80" X 3"

 

 

Peca (Barcelona) "Hopi Dream: Epiphany" acrylic on canvas

 

 

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Dan Barry (Austin, TX) "Krampus" 2013 mixed media

 

 

Charles A.A. Dellschau (1830 - 1923, Houston TX) except from "Recolections", 1898

 

selections from

Recolections: The First Memoir of Charles A.A. Dellschau

The first half of Recollections consists of many pages of unembellished writings interspersed with pages with drawings of airships. The earliest pages that contain these drawings have lengthy passages of narrative text wrapping around the image. In later pages, as the project became more formalized, the texts are shorter and take on the form of annotations or explanatory lists of various parts. Dellschau usually named the club member who proposed the design. He also gave the vessels witty names like the the Multyplus and the Maybugg (by Michael Gorée), the Illusion (by George Newell), the Ride Me(by Professor Carolus), the Dove (by Heinrich Baumann), the Doobeline Balance Sphere (by Edward Hermsdorph), the Idea (by Otto Krause), the Saturnus (by Joe Cheney), the Hawk (by Christian Axel Von Roemeling and Karl Distell), the Trebla and the Augar Bohrer (by August Schoetler), and the Moveable (by Jonas Rockstroh). The Aeros are carefully rendered in sepia ink, with some details accented with delicate pale color washes. 

 

 

 

Mahwish Chishty (Pakistan / Chicago) "By The Moonlight"Gouache , tea stain and photo-transfers on birch plywood 12.5" x 25" x 8"2013

 

 

 

Sonya Fu (Hong Kong) "Tender Stillness" / Digital Painting / 2013
Giclee print / 56cm x 25cm / Edition of 1

 

 

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Limor Gasko (Brooklyn) "Dogs and Saints" 2013

 

 

Jennifer Mien Mien Lin (New York) "Hannah Nekole Kayleigh 84" 2014 photograph

 

 

 

 

 

Ray Robinson (b. 1931, UK)- Standing FIgure - 2013

 

 

Paul Campbell (Brooklyn) Projection Series 20, 2005 Oil on canvas 48 X 74 inches

 

 

 

 


Colin Christian (Tampa) "Hot Mess" mixed media wall sculpture 2014.

 

 

 

Shonagh Adelman (Brooklyn) “Occupy Versailles #II“ / 2012 / 72“x58“

 


 

Eldon Garnet (Toronto) "Undercover Agents Posed As Protesters" 2008 stainless steel 1.75" x 55" x .125" edition of 5

 

 

 

Phil Allocco (Brooklyn) "Police Line Do Not Cross" 2011  22 x 32 oil and sculpture on board (detail)

 

 

Matthew Dutton (Chattanooga) "Expecting" (detail) 2013 mixed media sculpture

 

 

Ray Caesar (Toronto) "Sisters" 2005 20 x 20 inches

 

 

Jeff Soto (Los Angeles) "It's So Sad Daddy" 2007 24 x 24 inches oil on board

 

 

Found&Lost (Toronto/The Cosmos) detail of "Stargazers" 2014

 

 

Steven Baines (New York) "Goat with Daisies" 2012 oil on canvas 38" x 38"

 

 

Judy Chappus (Windsor, Ontario) "Post Apocalypse Toys" 2013 mixed media

 

 

Lori Field (New York) 'Love and Fear, Love or Fear' - 2010 colored pencil, rice paper, lace, encaustic on panel 36"h x 36"w x 2"d

 

 

 

Dan Hiller (London UK) "Golden Stag" (detail) Artist's proof

 

 

 

Henry Darger (1892–1973, Chicago) "Vivian Girls With Their Mother and Aunt and Hundres of Children are caught in Ambush" (detail) c. 1940's - 1950's pencil, wtaercolor and collage on paper.

 

 

Mia Mäkilä (Stockholm, Sweden) "The Crash" (inspired by Rita in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive), 2012. Imagery painting

 

 

Matt Nolen (New York) "There Is No Gift Like The Present" red stoneware, 2006, 18" x 13" x 23"

 

 

 

Martin Wittfooth (Brooklyn) "Entheogen", 52" x 40", Oil on linen, 2012.

 

 

Kim Bo Yung (Portland, OR) "Sentinel Owls on their Rock of Hades" 2014 pen & ink, watercolors, metallic pencil. 8 x 5 inches.

 

 

Morton Bartlet (1909–1992, Boston) Untitled Photograph c. 1950.

 

 

Joel Lorand (Paris) "Mutations" 2010 pencil and crayons, 16 x 16 inches

 

 

Tine Kindermann (New York) "Schoolgirls" Hummel Midrash Project (2004 - ongoing)

 

 

 

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