Gallery Chat: Barbara Krakow, Boston’s Preeminent Dealer of Conceptual, Humanistic Art for Six Decades

The current exhibitions at Barbara Krakow Gallery typify the aesthetic that’s made its founder a legend of the Boston art scene—minimalist, conceptual and humanistic all at once. In the front room, the gallery is showcasing Jenny Holzer’s iconic text works of scathing social critiques from the past 35 years. In the backroom, Boston artist Sally B. Moore’s intricate, sinewy mixed-media constructions feature people, animals and natural objects in vulnerable situations.

Pairing a Boston artist with a significant postwar voice speaks to the gallery’s singular history. Over the years it has presented a formidable lineup of Conceptual art luminaries including Mel Bochner, Fred Sandback, Sol LeWitt, Chuck Close, Donald Judd, Kara Walker, Ursula von Rydingsvard, Kiki Smith, Tara Donovan, Allan McCollum, Lorna Simpson, Ellsworth Kelly and Christopher Wool, to name a few. In addition to showing such major artists in Boston, the gallery provides a platform for local, emerging talent. Those artists, in turn, help the gallery give back to the Boston community—many donate work to the gallery’s annual AIDS benefit for local families affected by the disease.

A Boston native, Krakow became a dealer in the ‘60s. First she worked privately, then she opened Harcus Krakow gallery in 1965 with Portia Harcus. She opened her own space in 1983 in a 2,000 square foot space on Newbury Street—where the gallery remains to this day.

“It’s all about the work you have, not the space,” Krakow says. The space, however, gives gallery visitors an intimate experience with exhibitions. It has also inspired the gallery’s special “One Wall, One Work” series. The gallery selects a work, independent of the two other shows on view, to install in its smallest room. Right now, Jenny Holzer’s digital projection of her provocative “TRUISMS (selections from 1977-79)” is on view. Other wall works included Kara Walker’s decals, George Segal’s cast plaster reliefs of partial human figures and one of Sol LeWitt’s black pencil wall drawings, created specifically for Krakow’s wall.

Krakow chatted with us about her journey from an ad hoc to a preeminent art dealer and the most important thing needed to succeed today.

How did you get your start in the art world?

In 1960, I was working at a wholesale furniture showroom on Newbury Street in Boston. My husband and I went to Europe for our honeymoon. Those were the days when Mirós were $100 on Newbury Street but $25 in Paris. So, I bought several Miró lithographs and some Alberto Giacometti posters without the lettering—signed and numbered—for $8 each.

One day, somebody said, “You’re working in this furniture showroom. They deal with architects and designers. Ask your boss whether you can hang some art on the walls." So, I did.

Then I knew somebody with a theater and I hung art during every production. We developed some clients. One day, a couple from outside of the city showed up at the doorstep of our house. My nine-month-old son was screaming and these people came to see, you know—the art. It seemed very unprofessional, so I opened Harcus Krakow on Newbury Street.

What was your first show?

Ellsworth Kelly. How about that? Those were the days. Somebody recently sent me one of our old price lists. In 1969, you could’ve bought the entire suite of Warhol’s “Marilyn Monroe” prints from me for $2,250.

We also presented the first show in America for Joseph Beuys. A curator at the Fogg Museum told us about him and suggested we do a show. It featured all of the major Beuys editions but we didn’t sell a thing.

You’ve also exhibited icons like Mel Bochner, Sol LeWitt and Fred Sandback since the ‘70s.

At first I didn’t sell any of their work either and I felt bad. But Fred told me, “I’m just really happy that you’re showing my work.”

People would ask Sol, “Don’t you think you ought to raise your prices?” and he’d ask, “Why?” Then, people would say that Sol LeWitt wasn’t an important artist because his prices were low. We always look for historical artists who will end up in museums, not those who are part of the fashion arena or the rushing crowd. When you do that, you have to decide how to present A+ work at reasonable prices.

But to help the artists, we have a rare policy—no discounts for anybody and no exchanging works. Why should the artists fund the rich? We set a solid, fair price so the artists don’t have to worry themselves. We’re diligent about that and we know the market.

Describe your gallery’s aesthetic.

We’ve carved out a very strong niche. You know either why you’re going to come to us or why you don’t want to. The work is conceptual and minimalist but it has to reference the human condition in some way. Vacuous, empty art is of no interest to us. The work also has to be beautiful visually. If it’s just an idea, write it down.

And here’s the thing—while our shows are being curated, there is absolutely no thought about selling. We have to be able to walk in the gallery and think, “no matter who comes in, I think this is a great show.” That’s the guideline.

For example, several years ago, we had an exhibition in the small room called “Lines, Shapes, Shadows & Signs” with maybe five works in it. Andrew Witkin, the gallery’s director, wrote a brilliant dissertation on the show. Later, we won the International Association of Art Critics Award for Best Gallery Exhibition Outside of New York. We didn’t give any thought about something like that but all of our exhibitions are planned out that thoughtfully.

Andrew Witkin is also now partner to the gallery and will be its eventual heir. Why have you given him the gallery?

You can’t keep great people unless you share. Kathy Halbreich told me, “you hire great curators who do great shows and you get all this credit.” Now, some clients don’t even know who I am because Andrew and Ryan Cross, our associate director, have built their own relationships. You have to consider how a gallery is structured for tomorrow.

Have you taken on any new artists lately?

Liliana Porter and Robert Barry are two internationally known artists that are new to the gallery. We have also taken on two emerging artists from the Boston region—Suara Welitoff and Amy Stacey Curtis. Regarding the regional artists, we’re all part of the same community. It’s our moral obligation and a pleasure to present their work.

Advice for aspiring dealers?

Getting access to great work is the main thing today. A lot of people may have the money but how are you going to be the first person to have the privilege to say yes or no to a work of art.

Be honest, straightforward and transparent.