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January 10, 2007
George Billis, Founder and Owner, George Billis Gallery, New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA, 1-12-07
When George Billis first opened his gallery in March of 1997, he was one of a small sprinkling of galleries on what was then a culturally desolate stretch of West 26th Street. Displaying both determination and financial insight, he seized the opportunity to rent an inexpensive space in Chelsea, a neighborhood whose impending popularity he rightfully predicted. After studying at New York University and working at several Soho galleries, Billis felt confident in his ability to curate and direct his own gallery.
Billis knew exactly whose work he wanted to show in his space. He befriended many artists whose work he admired, but who lacked representation. Billis saw the gallery as a way to expose the public to the artists whose work he respected and help jump-start their careers, all while making a name for himself as a reputable dealer. As only the twelfth gallery to open in Chelsea, a neighborhood that currently is host to over 300 galleries, Billis was successful in establishing himself while the Chelsea art scene continued to grow as he predicted. His gallery grew along with the neighborhood, and in 2002, Billis moved to the current location, a larger ground floor space on West 25th St.
Billis’s success as a dealer allowed him to experiment with showing different styles of art. He prefers not to limit himself to one genre, sometimes mixing hyper-realism and abstract works in adjacent shows. When reviewing new work, he prefers to choose artists based on quality, not subject. On any given day, his permanent collection may contain a large abstract work by Michael Rich, with Pollock-like drips of berry hued paint, next to an oil painting of light reflecting off of a glass door, rendered in photographic precision, by Detroit-based artist Stephen Magsig.
George Billis Gallery is an exhibition space located in the heart of the art district of Chelsea. After curating various exhibitions featuring artist Ross Bleckner, Alexis Rockman, Katherine Bowling and Oliver Herring; and publishing feature articles on artists Cindy Sherman, Richard Phillips and Taro Chiezo, George Billis opened his own commercial gallery on April 1, 1997. The gallery features works by emerging artists. On September 10, 2004, a Los Angeles branch was opened in the Culver City arts district.
Posted by David Lemberg at January 10, 2007 02:11 PM Return to ARTSCAPE home page