Olney Gleason

About the Presentation
Olney Gleason will present work by Elaine De Kooning (1918-1989) in a solo presentation at Independent 20th Century. A founding member of The Club in New York’s Greenwich Village, Elaine de Kooning is recognized as a key figure of the New York School, although she was never defined by it. Tracing the artist’s evolving engagement with representation and gesture within and beyond Abstract Expressionism, the presentation will highlight De Kooning’s distinctive balance of close observation and painterly spontaneity, positioning her as a central yet singular figure of postwar American painting.

Elaine de Kooning is currently featured in the blockbuster traveling exhibition Abstract Expressionists: The Women, organized by the American Federation of Arts from the Christian Levett Collection and FAMM (Female Artists of the Mougins Museum). Curated by Ellen G. Landau, the exhibition venues include: Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, KS (August 23–November 30, 2025); Muscarelle Museum of Art, Williamsburg, VA (January 23, 2026–April 26, 2026); Speed Art Museum, Louisville, KY (May 16–August 30, 2026); Grinnell College Museum of Art, Grinnell, IA (September 17, 2026–January 3, 2027); Mobile Museum of Art, Mobile, AL (January 30–April 25, 2027); and The Frick Pittsburgh Museums and Gardens, Pittsburgh, PA (June 12–September 25, 2027).

About the Gallery
Olney Gleason was founded by Nicholas Olney and Eric Gleason in 2025. Across two locations in Chelsea, New York, the gallery presents exhibitions that bring international contemporary artists into dialogue with practices that have shaped the last century of art history. Spanning generations and media, the program is grounded in the gallery’s commitment to long-term artist representation and highly-researched exhibitions.

Anchored by a 3,000-square-foot main gallery illuminated by 28 skylights, the building also features a rooftop sculpture garden. In addition to its headquarters at 509 West 27th Street, Olney Gleason maintains a second space at 297 Tenth Avenue, enabling the presentation of concurrent exhibitions that support a broad range of artistic practices. The gallery also produces presentations at select international art fairs and in public contexts worldwide.