Jim Richard Wilson (February 18, 1953 – July 13, 2014) was an American art curator who was the founding director of the Opalka Gallery. He served as gallery director and art history lecturer for
The Sage Colleges for over 20 years (1992–2013).[2] Previously, he was with the
State University of New York as assistant director of university-wide Programs in the Arts (1989–1992).[3] He has been consultant to and lectured for numerous arts organizations[4][5] and museums and was Director of the Peter S. Loonam Gallery[6] in
Bridgehampton, New York, for ten years (1976–1986) prior to relocating to the Capital District of New York State. Wilson has been curating shows and writing on art since 1975. He has earned and maintained a reputation for mounting museum quality shows.[7][8]
Wilson was an artist whose art work has appeared in more than a hundred exhibitions nationwide, including over a dozen solo and small group (2–4 artists) shows. His work is in numerous collections including: The
State University at Stony Brook,
PepsiCo, International Specialties Inc., Mariposa Luminosa, and ArtPool, Budapest.[9]
The most recent article discussing Wilson's exhibition history appeared on April 20, 2014, in the Sunday edition of
the Daily Gazette.[10] He died of cancer on July 13, 2014.[11]
Exhibitions
Wilson is best known for his work on post World War II American Art and Jewish history.[3][12] Among the exhibitions for which he has been responsible are:
Dona Ann McAdams: Some Women (2009) the first career overview of the work of this street photographer who has been the recipient of the Dorothea Lange/Paul Taylor Award from the Center for Documentary Studies at
Duke University,
Bessie and
Obie Awards. Her work on performance art was the subject of an Aperture monograph, Caught in the Act. The exhibition included over three dozen works, 35 of which were reproduced in the catalogue.[13] Among the texts in the catalog were essays by Eleanor Heartney, Fabienne Waring, and Wilson.
An American
Shtetl: Jewish History and Community in
Troy, New York (2001) an in-depth multifaceted exploration and narrative of a particularly significant Jewish community from the mid-19th into the 21st centuries.[16][17][18] This was the first attempt to organize and make available and document the history and centrality of the Jewish community to the prosperity of
Troy,[19] a which played a
crucial role in the industrial and educational development of the United States.
A Place by the Sea (1999), including the work of 4 African American abstract artists associated with the Eastville community in
Sag Harbor, New York. The exhibit included work by Nanette Carter, Gregory Coates,[20] Alvin Loving, and
Frank Wimberley. First mounted at
The Sage Colleges in
Albany, New York, the exhibit traveled to Christiane Nienaber Contemporary Art in NYC and Arlene Bujese Gallery in
East Hampton, New York.
Llave: A Key to the Secret (1996) on
Sephardic history and experience in the
New World. This project on the history and culture of
Spanish Jews in the
Western Hemisphere built on years of research and included presentations by Nan Rubin, project director of The Hidden Jews of
New Mexico,[21][22]Flory Jagoda, noted Sephardic songwriter and singer, Isabelle Medina Sandoval, poet, Robert Michael Esformes, cantor and musician, among others. The publication created for this project was requested by the
Library of Congress.[23] The information gathered by Llave served as a resource for University of Almeiria's Sephardic Studies Center among others.
Bridging the Gaps; The Nature and Responsibility of Visual Arts Writing[29]
A Place by the Sea: Major African-American Artists from the East End[30]
"Cuneiform Currency" (included in Toward A Second Dimension: A Sociology Reader, ed. McGuire & Purtusati, Kendal/Hunt Publishers, Dubuque, Iowa, 1998).[31]
^Kane, Tim (May 6, 2007).
"A Space of Its Own". Times Union. Archived from
the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2011. Quote from Anita Shapolsky, Dir of the Shapolsky Gallery in Manhattan: Every show they put on is of museum quality... Jim is really knowledgeable and knows how to put together a good show. People here want to work with him.
^African American Abstract Masters. Anita Shapolski Gallery, 152 East 65th St, NYCNY, NY: Anita Shapolsky Gallery. 2010. Retrieved October 20, 2011.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (
link)
^Rubin, Nan.
"Hidden Jews of New Mexico". nanrubin.com. Retrieved October 9, 2011. Three documentaries: Buried Past: The Hidden Jews of New Mexico (1988), The Hidden Jews of New Mexico: Rekindling a Spirit (1992) and The Hidden Jews of New Mexico: Return to Iberia (1995)
^Llave: Key to the Secret Exhibition Catalogue. Sage Colleges, Rathbone Gallery, Albany NY. 1996. pp. 64 p.
LCCN2002534509.
^Wilson, James (2009). Exhibition catalogue essay for show An Inner Life Articulated, George Hofmann painter. On file at Martinez Gallery, Broadway, Troy, New York: Martinez Gallery. pp. 7–8.
ISBN978-0-9818450-0-5.
^Wilson, Jim (July 2007). "Cool Katz". Chronogram.
^Exhibition catalogue essay for show New York School: Another View. Sage Colleges, Opalka Gallery. 2005. pp. 1–8.
^Wilson, Jim (2004). Essay for show Wimberly's Mode, Frank Wimberly painter. On file in archives for Sage Colleges, 45 Ferry Street, Troy, New York: Sage Colleges, Opalka Gallery.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (
link)
^Wilson, Jim (1999). "Bridging the Gaps: the Nature and Responsibility of Visual Arts Writing". Apollo, Albany/Schenectady League of Arts. 1 (4).
^Wilson, Jim (1999). Exhibition catalogue essay for show Place by the Sea. On file in archives for Sage Colleges, 45 Ferry Street, Troy, New York: Sage Colleges, Opalka Gallery.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (
link)
^Wilson, Jim (1998). Cuneiform Currency, in Toward a Second Dimension: a Sociology Reader ed. McGuire and Purtusati. Kendal/Hunt Publishers.
^Wilson, James (2011). Exhibition catalogue essay for show Willie Marlowe: A Survey 1977–2010, Willie Marlowe painter. Sage Colleges, Opalka Gallery.
^Joan Marter (2007). Acknowledgement in footnote 26 of Abstract Expressionism: the international context. Rutgers University Press.
Jim Richard Wilson (February 18, 1953 – July 13, 2014) was an American art curator who was the founding director of the Opalka Gallery. He served as gallery director and art history lecturer for
The Sage Colleges for over 20 years (1992–2013).[2] Previously, he was with the
State University of New York as assistant director of university-wide Programs in the Arts (1989–1992).[3] He has been consultant to and lectured for numerous arts organizations[4][5] and museums and was Director of the Peter S. Loonam Gallery[6] in
Bridgehampton, New York, for ten years (1976–1986) prior to relocating to the Capital District of New York State. Wilson has been curating shows and writing on art since 1975. He has earned and maintained a reputation for mounting museum quality shows.[7][8]
Wilson was an artist whose art work has appeared in more than a hundred exhibitions nationwide, including over a dozen solo and small group (2–4 artists) shows. His work is in numerous collections including: The
State University at Stony Brook,
PepsiCo, International Specialties Inc., Mariposa Luminosa, and ArtPool, Budapest.[9]
The most recent article discussing Wilson's exhibition history appeared on April 20, 2014, in the Sunday edition of
the Daily Gazette.[10] He died of cancer on July 13, 2014.[11]
Exhibitions
Wilson is best known for his work on post World War II American Art and Jewish history.[3][12] Among the exhibitions for which he has been responsible are:
Dona Ann McAdams: Some Women (2009) the first career overview of the work of this street photographer who has been the recipient of the Dorothea Lange/Paul Taylor Award from the Center for Documentary Studies at
Duke University,
Bessie and
Obie Awards. Her work on performance art was the subject of an Aperture monograph, Caught in the Act. The exhibition included over three dozen works, 35 of which were reproduced in the catalogue.[13] Among the texts in the catalog were essays by Eleanor Heartney, Fabienne Waring, and Wilson.
An American
Shtetl: Jewish History and Community in
Troy, New York (2001) an in-depth multifaceted exploration and narrative of a particularly significant Jewish community from the mid-19th into the 21st centuries.[16][17][18] This was the first attempt to organize and make available and document the history and centrality of the Jewish community to the prosperity of
Troy,[19] a which played a
crucial role in the industrial and educational development of the United States.
A Place by the Sea (1999), including the work of 4 African American abstract artists associated with the Eastville community in
Sag Harbor, New York. The exhibit included work by Nanette Carter, Gregory Coates,[20] Alvin Loving, and
Frank Wimberley. First mounted at
The Sage Colleges in
Albany, New York, the exhibit traveled to Christiane Nienaber Contemporary Art in NYC and Arlene Bujese Gallery in
East Hampton, New York.
Llave: A Key to the Secret (1996) on
Sephardic history and experience in the
New World. This project on the history and culture of
Spanish Jews in the
Western Hemisphere built on years of research and included presentations by Nan Rubin, project director of The Hidden Jews of
New Mexico,[21][22]Flory Jagoda, noted Sephardic songwriter and singer, Isabelle Medina Sandoval, poet, Robert Michael Esformes, cantor and musician, among others. The publication created for this project was requested by the
Library of Congress.[23] The information gathered by Llave served as a resource for University of Almeiria's Sephardic Studies Center among others.
Bridging the Gaps; The Nature and Responsibility of Visual Arts Writing[29]
A Place by the Sea: Major African-American Artists from the East End[30]
"Cuneiform Currency" (included in Toward A Second Dimension: A Sociology Reader, ed. McGuire & Purtusati, Kendal/Hunt Publishers, Dubuque, Iowa, 1998).[31]
^Kane, Tim (May 6, 2007).
"A Space of Its Own". Times Union. Archived from
the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2011. Quote from Anita Shapolsky, Dir of the Shapolsky Gallery in Manhattan: Every show they put on is of museum quality... Jim is really knowledgeable and knows how to put together a good show. People here want to work with him.
^African American Abstract Masters. Anita Shapolski Gallery, 152 East 65th St, NYCNY, NY: Anita Shapolsky Gallery. 2010. Retrieved October 20, 2011.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (
link)
^Rubin, Nan.
"Hidden Jews of New Mexico". nanrubin.com. Retrieved October 9, 2011. Three documentaries: Buried Past: The Hidden Jews of New Mexico (1988), The Hidden Jews of New Mexico: Rekindling a Spirit (1992) and The Hidden Jews of New Mexico: Return to Iberia (1995)
^Llave: Key to the Secret Exhibition Catalogue. Sage Colleges, Rathbone Gallery, Albany NY. 1996. pp. 64 p.
LCCN2002534509.
^Wilson, James (2009). Exhibition catalogue essay for show An Inner Life Articulated, George Hofmann painter. On file at Martinez Gallery, Broadway, Troy, New York: Martinez Gallery. pp. 7–8.
ISBN978-0-9818450-0-5.
^Wilson, Jim (July 2007). "Cool Katz". Chronogram.
^Exhibition catalogue essay for show New York School: Another View. Sage Colleges, Opalka Gallery. 2005. pp. 1–8.
^Wilson, Jim (2004). Essay for show Wimberly's Mode, Frank Wimberly painter. On file in archives for Sage Colleges, 45 Ferry Street, Troy, New York: Sage Colleges, Opalka Gallery.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (
link)
^Wilson, Jim (1999). "Bridging the Gaps: the Nature and Responsibility of Visual Arts Writing". Apollo, Albany/Schenectady League of Arts. 1 (4).
^Wilson, Jim (1999). Exhibition catalogue essay for show Place by the Sea. On file in archives for Sage Colleges, 45 Ferry Street, Troy, New York: Sage Colleges, Opalka Gallery.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (
link)
^Wilson, Jim (1998). Cuneiform Currency, in Toward a Second Dimension: a Sociology Reader ed. McGuire and Purtusati. Kendal/Hunt Publishers.
^Wilson, James (2011). Exhibition catalogue essay for show Willie Marlowe: A Survey 1977–2010, Willie Marlowe painter. Sage Colleges, Opalka Gallery.
^Joan Marter (2007). Acknowledgement in footnote 26 of Abstract Expressionism: the international context. Rutgers University Press.