NEW YORK, NY.- Palo Gallery, a dynamic art program dedicated to curating, managing and cultivating an intersection of emerging and established artistic talents founded by Paul Henkel, announces the debut of a new 3,400 square-foot flagship in New York City, opening on September 9, 2022. Designed by Selldorf Architects, the new space will partner with Vica by Annabelle Selldorf, a furnishing collection designed by Selldorf that blends her personal legacy with the fundamental logic of her architecture practice. The collection will be available to the public for the first time and will be integrated into the curation of each art exhibition. The inaugural exhibition, Ontological Spherescapes features new sculptural painting by celebrated British multimedia artist Henry Hudson alongside ceramic sculptures which are a collaboration between the artist and his brother Richard Hudson. The partnership between Henkel and Selldorf realizes a synergy of carefully curated art and furniture between the longtime friends.

“I’m thrilled to open Palo’s first flagship in New York City,” states Palo Founder, Paul Henkel. “It’s my mission for Palo to be a convener of a wide range of artistic talents and for the gallery to be a true thought partner in every respect to help artists realize their visions. Annabelle brings to bear an intuitive understanding for how to view and experience art, and her touch on the space is subtle but invaluable. In close collaboration with Annabelle, I look forward to seamlessly bringing art and design together and breaking down traditional barriers drawn between those fields, which we see as harmonious.”

“We are truly excited to join Palo Gallery,” said Annabelle Selldorf. “We are thrilled to share a generous space that we conceived of together for their rotating exhibition program and our furniture, so they could be shown alongside one another in the context of use and purpose.”

30 BOND STREET

Palo resides at 30 Bond Street, a 3,400 square-foot storefront space in New York City’s NoHo neighborhood that was originally built in 1900. Selldorf Architects have undertaken a sensitive renovation, creating two unique spaces that will celebrate art and design; one a more traditional gallery space, punctuated by Vica pieces, and the other a salon highlighting Vica’s design principles and complemented by smaller, focused art presentations and intimate viewing experiences.

ONTOLOGICAL SPHERESCAPES BY HENRY HUDSON

The inaugural exhibition of Palo’s new flagship is a solo presentation of new sculptural paintings—a series of mixed media works forming the Horizon Line series by British multimedia artist Henry Hudson (b.1982). Hudson expresses his critical practice through the exploration of various techniques and materials, including ceramics, plasticine, scagliola, oil painting, 3D printing, wax, sand and textiles. His work also extends into the digital realm using the iPad, scanners and UV printers for his contemporary portraiture.

The Horizon Line series represents a marked departure from the earlier detailed work for which Hudson is best known. This abstract series represents the greater sense of intensely personal perspective that 2019 air travel imbued in the artist—as he flew to capture notables including Ai Wei Wei, Ed Ruscha, Rashid Johnson and Sean Scully as subjects for his celebrated iPad hybrid portraits. Identity and individuality appeared to slip away as he flew higher above clouds, the artist experienced a sense of nearing a higher power, and hence new horizons.

Henry Hudson’s work is inspired by a multitude of sources new and old in which British art plays a formative role. His work often delivers art historical references (The Rise and Fall of Young Sen revisits the pictorial satire of William Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress) with which to frame his practice, clearly reflecting the artist’s decisive study of David Hockney, Leon Kossoff, Sigmund Freud, Frank Auerbach and other members of the School of London.

Ontological Spherescapes also showcases a series of ceramic works produced by Henry and his brother and ceramicist Richard Hudson. Intrigued by the idea of creating work together as brothers, Richard and Henry decided on a collaborative process of sculpting and painting respectively.

Richard WM Hudson (b.1980) has been sculpting since 1994 and primarily works with stone, wood and ceramic, crafted from black clay and regularly paired with carefully chosen foraged artifacts. For his collaboration with his brother, Richard created various ceramics inspired by his brother’s Jungle series which were then decorated by Henry.

Henry Hudson has exhibited most recently at Unit Gallery, London; Hannah Barry Gallery and Sotheby’s S2 Gallery, among others.