Marian Goodman - In Memorian

Magazzino Italian Art extends its sincere condolences to the Goodman family and the Marian Goodman Gallery team on the passing of Marian Goodman. Marian Goodman’s vision and dedication shaped the art world, and her legacy will endure.

An ardent advocate for her artists, Marian Goodman was distinguished by her exceptional eye for talent and unwavering commitment to championing significant and challenging work. She revolutionized the art world by introducing major European artists—representing the avant-garde of their time—to American audiences, paving the way for later generations of artists to advance practices that were both conceptually driven and socially engaged. Most of all, Marian had a deep understanding of a gallerist’s responsibility; driven by a curiosity and a pluralistic view of art, designating its vast potential over market trends, she forged long-standing relationships with her artists and supported their practices within nonprofit and institutional realms.

In speaking about her artistic affinities, Marian once noted, “It is among the artists whose work I like that I have found the qualities I value from my own experience: a humanistic concern, a culture-critical sense of our way of life, a dialectical approach to reality, and an artistic vision about civic life.”

Marian launched her eponymous gallery in New York City in late 1977, at a time when few women worked in the art world. Building on her work at Multiples, Inc., an art publishing company she co-founded in the 1960s, the Gallery’s establishment was driven, in part, by a desire to introduce an innovative transatlantic program that brought American and European artists into dialogue. Synchronous with this mission, Marian was inevitably drawn to Europe, establishing a Paris location in the Marais district in 1995. Since opening the Gallery, Marian has advanced the work of artists who have become leading voices of their generation. Ever progressive in her vision, Marian established and appointed a partnership team with Rose Lord, Junette Teng, Emily-Jane Kirwan, and Leslie Nolen.