What began as Nancy Pantirer’s studio in 1996 has grown, over nearly three decades, into a gallery with a clear sense of purpose. Rooted in years of open studios and informal salon gatherings, 81 Leonard formalized its public presence in 2019, building a platform shaped by artists, for artists. Co-run with Hannah Rothbard, the gallery supports emerging and mid-career artists at pivotal moments in their careers, with a program that prizes beauty, technical competence, and community. Group shows grow organically from the artists themselves. We spoke with Nancy Pantirer and Hannah Rothbard about how 81 Leonard came to be, what drives its program, and what it means to run a gallery with no plans to be anywhere else.
81 Leonard began as Nancy’s studio in 1996 and became a gallery in 2019. What made that the moment to open the front of the studio as an exhibition space?
Nancy was involved in the organization TOAST (Tribeca Open Artist Studio Tour) for many years, and she used to host salon events at the studio for artists to put up work, poets, and musicians to take the stage. It was very informal and always about community and art for art’s sake. By 2019, Nancy’s kids had grown up, and she felt ready to give back in a more formal way. The goal was always to build community, but also to create a more formal platform for artists at critical points in their careers.
What does “artist-run” mean to you in practice — and how does running the gallery as artists yourselves shape the work you choose to show?
I think first and foremost, it makes us “yes” people. We are really open to ambitious ideas and site-specific proposals; we are committed to helping bring artists’ visions to life in the physical sense. When it comes to the curatorial framing of an exhibition, we work closely with our artists and always want our words to reflect their intentions rather than fit a predetermined narrative. We choose artists whom we believe in and just want to support and uplift them in any way we can. Most of our group shows come together this way as well, beginning with the artists and building from there.
The program has supported emerging and mid-career artists alongside more politically engaged exhibitions. How would you describe the through-line?
Nancy and I are both painters primarily, and we are drawn to beautiful things. Beautiful things can also be slightly grotesque, as in Ophelia Arc’s work, or they can be political, like in Marina Heintze’s work that we exhibited in our group show Artists on Antisemitism. I would say that beauty and technical competence are the through-lines, and there is room for a lot of variation within those parameters.
Looking back, is there a past exhibition that crystallized what 81 Leonard could be — one that surprised you, or that set a direction?
Ivan Le Pays’ solo exhibition, A Line Alone, was probably that exhibition. I admired Ivan’s work and met him in Paris to get a tattoo from him, and that led to the conversation of bringing his work to New York for an exhibition about the relationship between the body, the landscape, and painting. He was working with Arc’teryx at the time on a documentary on this subject, and it was really perfect timing. We included this film in the exhibition, which opened the same week that Arc’teryx screened the film and hosted a launch party in their SoHo store. It was just an incredible moment of collaboration for us, both in terms of the working relationship with the artist and our beginning to bring other parties into the conversation. The response to that show was incredible, too, and it brought in new collectors, friends, and even a new team member. Kind of magical.
How does a show come together at 81 Leonard? Do you start from an artist, an idea, or a sense of the moment?
It almost always starts with artists we want to work with and develops from there. We have also collaborated with various organizations, like Jewish Art Salon and Union Theological Seminary, and those exhibitions did emerge at very specific times. For example, we collaborated with Union Theological Seminary to present the work of Marilyn Seven toward the end of her life. You could say that the project was both about the artist and the timing.
What’s on view now, or coming up next?
On view now through May 30th is a group show co-curated by Maggie Murtha, a friend and Manager at MTA Arts & Design. The title is Come Closer, and it features four artists: Ezra Benus, Marie Franco, Woomin Kim, and Sydney Kleinrock. It is about interdependence and embodied narrative; the works beckon you to engage, or come closer, with tactility, intricate detail, or elements that hide or reveal. Next up is a group show curated by Rochelle Voyles, an artist we love working with, and we’re excited to help bring her first curatorial project to life. It’s called Multiple Fiefdoms, and features works that cross disciplines and blur lines. The artists are Adam Easterling, Ruth Jeyaveeran, KC Crow Maddux, Yi Hsuan Lai, Elise Thompson, and Yage Wang.
Where would you like 81 Leonard to be in five years — both as a space and as a voice in the New York conversation?
Well, firstly, located at 81 Leonard Street in Tribeca. Nancy’s never leaving; she says you can bury her here. We would like to keep doing what we’re doing and be successful in that, serving as a launch pad for artists to move forward in their careers. We want to continue to grow and nurture our community and provide a space for dialogue. We are not really aiming for exponential growth and expansion as a business. We just want to do the best for our artists.
About Leonard 81: 81 Leonard Gallery is an artist-run gallery showcasing emerging and mid-career artists and encouraging experimentation. 81 Leonard Gallery is also home to the studio of artist Nancy Pantirer and occasionally hosts open studios. In 1996, Nancy Pantirer established her studio at 81 Leonard Street. A veteran of the Tribeca art scene, Pantirer was a longstanding member of TOAST and the host of many open studios and “Salons” at 81 Leonard. In September 2019, Pantirer transformed the front part of her studio into an exhibition space and founded 81 Leonard Gallery. @81leonardgallery
About the writer: Etty Yaniv is a Brooklyn-based artist, writer, curator, and founder of Art Spiel. She works in installation, painting, and mixed media, and has shown her art in exhibitions across the United States and abroad. Since 2018, she has published interviews and reviews through Art Spiel, often focusing on under recognized voices and smaller venues. More about her art can be found at ettyyanivstudio.com and on Instagram @etty.yaniv
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