9th Street Art Exhibition
Coordinates: 40°43′52″N 73°59′34″W / 40.7312°N 73.9927°WThe 9th Street Art Exhibition, otherwise known as the 9th St. Show or Ninth Street Show was held on May 21-June 10, 1951. This was a historical, ground-breaking exhibition, gathering of a number of notable artists, and it was the stepping-out of the post war New York avant-garde, collectively known as the New York School. The show was hung by Leo Castelli, as he was liked by most of the artists and thought of as someone who would hang the exhibition without favoritism. The opening of the show was a great success. According to the critic, historian, and curator Bruce Altshuler, "It appeared as though a line had been crossed, a step into a larger art world whose future was bright with possibility."
Several artists who served in World War II did not have the attention of the Art critics of the post-World War II era. Their studios were located in lower Manhattan in the area bounded by 8th and 12th street between First and Sixth Avenues during the late 1940s and early 1950s. The artists who occupied these studios were called the Downtown Group. In 1949 the Downtown Group founded an artists' club, named "The Club" located at 39 East 8th Street. The members, with few exceptions, were mostly war veterans, 40 years old, men, and professional artists.
Their weekly discussions in The Club led to the idea of organizing an exhibition. A linoleum cut poster was created by Franz Kline to promote the show. The show was located at 60 East 9th Street in the first floor and the basement of a building that was about to be demolished.
Leo Castelli described the show in an interview with Barbara Rose, in July 1969:
Barbara Rose: "Could you tell me about why the Ninth Street show was organized and how it came into being and what its consequences were? How you were involved?"
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