John Coplans Memorial and Dual Exhibitions in New York Spring 2004
On May 20, 2004, a memorial service honoring John Coplans (1920-2003) took place at the Great Hall of Cooper Union in New York City, arranged by his wife, Amanda Means. The event featured speakers such as his son Joseph Coplans, art dealer Irving Blum, critic Max Kozloff, Paris dealer Anne de Villepoix, and Richard Calvocoressi from The Dean Gallery. Simultaneously, two exhibitions showcasing his photographic self-portraits were held in New York from May to June 2004: 'John Coplans: Early Photographs' at Per Skarstedt Fine Art and 'Serial Figures' at Andrea Rosen Gallery. Later in his career, Coplans, who co-founded Artforum and directed a museum, concentrated on photography. In 2001, he was awarded France's Officier de L'Ordre des arts et des lettres.
Key facts
- John Coplans memorial held May 20, 2004 at Cooper Union Great Hall, New York
- Two exhibitions ran concurrently: 'Serial Figures' at Andrea Rosen Gallery (May 21-June 26, 2004) and 'Early Photographs' at Per Skarstedt Fine Art (May 8-June 26, 2004)
- Coplans created self-portraits from age 64 to 82 (1984-2002)
- He co-founded Artforum and served as museum director in Pasadena and Akron
- Received France's Officier de L'Ordre des arts et des lettres in 2001
- Served in British Army during WWII in East Africa, Burma, and Ceylon
- Memorial organized by widow Amanda Means with film clips and multiple speakers
- His 2002 'Serial Figures' series featured 23 works measuring 77 x 34 inches
Entities
Artists
- John Rivers Coplans
- Amanda Means
- Joseph Coplans
- Michael Kidner
- Larry Bell
- Irving Blum
- Max Kozloff
- Ben Lifson
- Brian O'Doherty
- Gregory Allgire Smith
- Editha Mesina
- Anne de Villepoix
- Richard Calvocoressi
- Joe Rodriguez
- Bradford Robotham
- Jennifer Sawyer
- Ernie Smith
- Deborah Garwood
- Ellsworth Kelly
- Weegee
- Andy Warhol
- Robert Smithson
- Constantin Brancusi
- Carlton Watkins
- George Ohr
- Henri Matisse
- Auguste Rodin
- Edgar Degas
Institutions
- Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
- Andrea Rosen Gallery
- Per Skarstedt Fine Art
- Artforum
- Ferus Gallery
- Art In America
- Akron Art Museum
- The Dean Gallery
- Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
- Fountainhead Films
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- Centre Pompidou
Locations
- New York City
- New York
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- South Africa
- San Francisco
- Pasadena
- Akron
- Paris
- France
- Edinburgh
- Scotland
- East Africa
- Burma
- Ceylon
- Berkeley