Santa Fe New Mexico Turner Carroll Gallery’s 25th Anniversary
Twenty-five years ago, in June 1991, Michael Carroll and Tonya Turner Carroll opened the doors of Turner Carroll Gallery, at 725 Canyon Road—the same location it occupies today. The two had dreams, degrees in art/history, experience working with museums, auction houses and galleries, and a true passion for art to fuel their ambitions. provoke or reflect social change. They travelled to newly opened Eastern European countries in the early 1990s, bringing back art by artists whose works embodied socio- political change.
They have exhibited, spoken, and written about artists from all over the world, and have published the authoritative monograph on Romanian artist Traian Filip. Among Turner Carroll’s best-known artists are Chinese painter Hung Liu, who grew up under Mao during China’s Cultural Revolution, abstract philosopher Squeak Carnwath, and Traian Filip, head of Romania’s State Engraving Studios during the rule of nefarious dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Israeli artist Drew Tal, who explores issues of liberation/ oppression in his images of Muslim women, will exhibit in 2016.
In honor of the gallery’s 25th anniversary, Turner Carroll has added several new artists to its roster, including social activist realist Scott Greene; New Mexico’s own Holly Roberts, John Barker, Orlando Leyba, Suzanne Sbarge, Karen Yank, Jamie Brunson; and pop commentarians Walter Robinson and Robert Townsend.
Turner Carroll has launched and furthered the careers of many contemporary artists whose works are now included in major museums throughout the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Louvre, Belvedere Museum (Vienna), Harvard’s Fogg Museum of Art, San Francisco Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Brooklyn Art Museum, Bulgaria’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Dallas Museum of Art, Walker Art Center, Vatican Collection, Mexico City’s Tamayo Museum, Brazil’s Chateaubriand Art Museum, the Medici Palace in Italy, and many more.
This 25th anniversary provides a time of reflection and anticipation for Turner Carroll. Throughout the 2016 exhibition season, Turner Carroll will feature a stellar lineup of its most eagerly collected international artists, including its newest ones. On June 3rd, Turner Carroll will open its anniversary season, featuring works by acclaimed New Mexico artist Holly Roberts, and Chinese sculptor Wanxin Zhang. Holly Roberts, “Woman in her Garden” mixed media on panel Wanxin Zhang, “Red Arm Band,” fired clay and pigment In celebration of its first 25 years, Turner Carroll will also launch its new arts activism initiative, starting with the June 3rd exhibition. In addition to its continued efforts with school children internationally, Turner Carroll will present works of art by its artists, for sale, to help support various organizations.
Thistle, by invitational artist Ron Gerbrandt, 40 x 30", oil