Fred Holland's Final Exhibition at Tilton Gallery Explores Circularity and Heritage
Fred Holland passed away at the age of 65 on March 5, 2016, in New York, following a six-year struggle with cancer, just after his exhibition debuted at Tilton Gallery. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1951 and completed his studies at Columbus College of Art & Design in 1973 before relocating to New York in 1982. Initially recognized as a performer and choreographer, he received a Bessie Award and secured four grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. After an injury in 1992, he shifted to visual arts, earning a Creative Capital Award and two grants from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. His last exhibition showcased sculptures that intertwined personal memories with African American culture. A memorial service took place on April 10, 2016, at Middle Collegiate Church.
Key facts
- Fred Holland died on March 5, 2016 in New York at age 65
- His final exhibition opened at Tilton Gallery just over a week before his death
- Born in Columbus, Ohio in 1951, he graduated from Columbus College of Art & Design in 1973
- He moved to New York in 1982 and began as a performer/choreographer before transitioning to visual arts in 1992
- He won a Bessie Award and four NEA choreography grants as a performer
- As a visual artist, he received a Creative Capital Award and two Pollock-Krasner Foundation grants
- His final exhibition featured sculptures blending personal memories with African American heritage
- The exhibition title "SSAMMOC" (compass reversed) emphasized themes of circularity
Entities
Artists
- Fred Holland
- Ishmael Houston-Jones
- Meredith Monk
Institutions
- Tilton Gallery
- Columbus College of Art & Design
- Zero Moving Dance Company
- National Endowment for the Arts
- Creative Capital Award
- Lower Manhattan Cultural Council
- Pollock-Krasner Foundation
- MoMA PS.1
- Vermont Studio Center
- Art Omi
- Cité International des Arts
- American Center in Paris
- Gallery X
- PPOW
- Momenta
- Drawing Center
- Middle Collegiate Church
- artcritical
Locations
- New York
- Columbus
- Ohio
- United States
- East Village
- Praetoria
- Montréal
- Canada
- Paris
- France
- Lodz
- Poland
- Istanbul
- Turkey