Sue Scott and Meulensteen Galleries Will Shutter

Two New York galleries—Sue Scott Gallery on the Lower East Side and Meulensteen Gallery in Chelsea—will close later this summer.

Yesterday, Sue Scott Gallery at 1 Rivington Street announced that the current shows, "Eli Gabriel Halpern:  Do It Yourself" and "Martha Diamond:  Bright Brush Painting," will be the last and the gallery will officially shut its doors at the end of August.

Since opening in September 2008, the gallery has mounted shows by Kristopher Benedict, Franklin Evans, Paola Ferrario, Suzanne McClelland, Tom McGrath, Kirsi Mikkola, Sheila Pepe, David Shapiro and Elisabeth Subrin. Following the close, founder Sue Scott will return to work as an independent curator and writer. She is currently co-authoring The Reckoning: Women Artists of the New Millennium with Eleanor Heartney, Nancy Princenthal and Helaine Posner, set for release in 2013. 

Yesterday, sources close to Meulensteen Gallery on West 22nd Street unofficially confirmed the gallery will soon close at an undetermined date, perhaps as early as August 1. Meulensteen represents Marjetica Potrč, Erik Binder and Alice Miceli, and has recently pursued a revamped roster of younger artists. Currently, the gallery hosts the fourth manifestation of Amani Olu's "Young Curators, New Ideas."

In 2010, the financially unstable Max Protech Gallery was purchased by Dutch businessman Edwin Meulensteen, who had no former experience running a gallery. Following the change in ownership, the gallery lost 13 artists from its lineup, including Byron Kim, Ann Pibal and Betty Woodman. Just five months ago, Meulensteen hired away Marlborough Chelsea director Eric Gleason and opened a revamped 3,000-square-foot space underneath its ground floor gallery on West 22nd Street. Edwin Meulensteen has yet to officially comment.


Installation view, Franklin Evans at Sue Scott Gallery, 2009.