Camera Work: A Photographic Quarterly (1916 (Heft 48))

“291” and the modern gallery

In the Publication “291,” Number Nine, which was published early in
October, 1915, the following announcement appeared:
“ ‘291’
announces the opening of the Modern Gallery, 500 Fifth
Avenue, New York, on October 7th, 1915, for the sale of paint-
ings of the most advanced character of the Modern Art Move-
ment—Negro Sculptures—pre-conquest Mexican Art—Photog-
raphy.”
“It is further announced that The work of ‘291’ will be
continued at 291 Fifth Avenue in the same spirit and manner as
heretofore. The Modern Gallery is but an additional ex-
pression of ‘291 9 99.
Underlying the above announcement the circular reprinted below had
been prepared for public dissemination. This was withheld because “291”
felt it owed no explanations to anyone, and the above was substituted
in its stead. But the course of events necessitates a recording in Camera
Work the genesis of the Modern Gallery. The withheld circular announce-
ment read as follows:
‘291’ announces the opening in the first week of October of a
branch gallery at 500 Fifth Avenue, called the Modern Gallery.
Here modern and primitive products of those impulses
which for want of a more descriptive word, we call artistic, will
be placed on exhibition and offered for sale.
We are doing this for several reasons.
We feel that the phase of our work which has resulted in
arousing an interest in contemporary art in America has reached
a point where, if it is to fulfill itself, it must undertake the
affirmative solution of a problem which it has already negatively
solved.
We have already demonstrated that it is possible to avoid
commercialism by eliminating it.
But this demonstration will be infertile unless it be followed
by another: namely, that the legitimate function of com-
mercial intervention—that of paying its own way while bring-
ing the producers and consumers of art into a relation of mutual
service—can be freed from the chicanery of self-seeking.
The traditions of ‘291/ which are now well known to the
public, will be upheld in every respect by the new gallery.
It is the purpose of the Modern Gallery to serve the public
by affording it the opportunity of purchasing, at unmanipu-
lated prices, whatever ‘291’ considers worthy of exhibition.
It is the purpose of the Modern Gallery to serve the pro-
ducers of these works by bringing them into business touch with
the purchasing public on terms of mutual justice and mutual
self-respect.

63