Two New Publications Examine Richard Bellamy's Legacy as Visionary 1960s Art Dealer
Richard "Dick" Bellamy's influence is examined in two recent publications, focusing on his establishment of New York's Green Gallery in 1960. Judith Stein's biography, 'Eye Of The Sixties' (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2016), emphasizes Bellamy's pivotal support for Pop and Minimalist artists, despite his limited business skills and lack of formal education. It also chronicles his tumultuous relationships with figures like Mark di Suvero and Yayoi Kusama, as well as his struggles with alcoholism. Concurrently, his son Miles has compiled 'Serious Bidness: The Letters of Richard Bellamy' (Near Fine Press, 2016), which unveils his father's self-destructive behavior. Bellamy, who had minimal family support, attended the University of Cincinnati and Columbia briefly and received funds from taxi tycoon Robert Scull before the gallery's downfall.
Key facts
- Judith Stein's biography 'Eye Of The Sixties' was published in 2016 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
- Miles Bellamy edited 'Serious Bidness: The Letters of Richard Bellamy,' published in 2016 by Near Fine Press in Brooklyn.
- Richard Bellamy founded New York's Green Gallery in 1960 and helped launch Pop and Minimalist artists.
- Bellamy had little formal art education, business acumen, or family financial backing.
- His gallery was financially supported by taxi magnate Robert Scull.
- Bellamy struggled with alcoholism and erratic business practices throughout his career.
- The biography documents relationships with artists including Donald Judd, Claes Oldenburg, and Yayoi Kusama.
- Bellamy's letters reveal personal struggles and unconventional communications with his son and art historian Barbara Rose.
Entities
Artists
- Richard Bellamy
- Mark di Suvero
- Donald Judd
- Claes Oldenburg
- Robert Morris
- James Rosenquist
- Yayoi Kusama
- Lee Lozano
- James Lee Byars
- Jo Baer
- Allan Kaprow
- Robert Whitman
- Ronald Bladen
- Sidney Janis
- Miles Bellamy
- Barbara Rose
- Peter Young
- Dan
- Mike
- Rolf
- Mickey Ruskin
- Jack Kerouac
- Lydia
- Ezra Pound
- David Ogilvy
- Sergey Brin
- Matthew Higgs
- Lia Gangitano
- Robert Miller
Institutions
- Green Gallery
- Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Near Fine Press
- Small Editions
- University of Cincinnati
- Columbia
- Marlborough
- Max's Kansas City
- artcritical
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Mexico
- Provincetown
- Midwest
- Manhattan
- Cincinnati
- Brooklyn
- Red Hook
- Midtown