Maureen Paley and Matthew Higgs, Courtesy of Independent
Independent is pleased to partner with Puck on a public program of talks at the 16th edition of Independent, which returns to Spring Studios in Tribeca on May 8th-11th. The live events will feature guest speakers Matthew Higgs, Marion Maneker, Lucy Mitchell-Innes, Charles Moffett, Maureen Paley, Kendra Jayne Patrick, and Chris Sharp, while musician Joe McPhee will celebrate the publication of his memoir Straight Up, Without Wings, The Musical Flight of Joe McPhee.
Inpendent talks are complimentary with your booking to the fair; purchase fair tickets here.
Celebrating 40 Years: Maureen Paley in Conversation with Matthew Higgs
Saturday, May 10th, 4PM
Spring Place Restaurant
6th Floor
Maureen Paley, one of the pioneers of London’s contemporary art scene, marks the 40th anniversary of her gallery in this candid conversation with Matthew Higgs Independent’s founding curatorial advisor and director of White Columns. A groundbreaking presence in London’s East End, Paley has been instrumental in promoting and exhibiting a diverse range of international artists in all media, including numerous Turner Prize winners and nominees. The talk looks back on the roots and evolution of Paley’s gallery, from the earliest days of Interim Art to the present-day program at Maureen Paley and Studio M in London and Morena di Luna in Hove, on the south coast of England.
Downtown Dealers: Featuring Lucy Mitchell-Innes, Charles Moffett, Kendra Jayne Patrick, and Chris Sharp
Moderated by Marion Maneker
Friday, May 9th, 4PM
Sunken Living Room
Spring Place Restaurant
6th Floor
Four leading gallerists share their unique generational perspectives on navigating the evolving landscape, in conversation with journalist Marion Maneker, Puck’s Art Correspondent. Lucy Mitchell-Innes, co-founder of Mitchell-Innes & Nash and former president of the Art Dealers Association of America, reflects on nearly three decades of art dealing in New York, including the shift from a traditional gallery space to a more liberated exhibition format. Charles Moffett recently relocated and opened his new space in Tribeca, following his transition from contemporary art specialist at a major auction house to gallerist. Kendra Jayne Patrick offers insight into her fluid approach to gallery practice, based between Bern, Switzerland, and New York. Chris Sharp runs an influential Los Angeles gallery and formerly founded Lulu in Mexico City. Sharp is also the creator of two alternative fair formats—Place des Vosges in Paris and Post-Fair in Los Angeles.
From Medium to Material: Reframing Film with Rosa Barba and David Joselit
Sunday, May 11th, 2PM
Sunken Living Room
Spring Place Restaurant
6th Floor
Art historian David Joselit joins artist Rosa Barba for an illuminating conversation on Barba’s artistic practice and her upcoming exhibition at MoMA, The Ocean of One’s Pause. Known for her use of film as both a medium and material, Barba deconstructs cinematic elements to examine the intersections of physical materials like projectors and celluloid with abstract concepts like time, space, and sound. Her presentation with Vistamare at Independent features her sculptural work, while the concurrent exhibition at MoMA, spanning 15 years of her career, highlights her film installations. Contributing an academic lens on film and art, David Joselit is an accomplished author and historian, currently working as Professor of Art, Film, and Visual Studies at Harvard University.
Book Signing with Joe McPhee: "Straight Up, Without Wings, The Musical Flight of Joe McPhee"
Saturday, May 10th, 3PM
Corbett vs. Dempsey, 5th Floor
Corbett vs. Dempsey hosts a book signing at the gallery’s booth with the legendary jazz musician Joe McPhee, celebrating the release of his memoir Straight Up, Without Wings, The Musical Flight of Joe McPhee. Written in collaboration with Mike Faloon, this oral history surveys 60 years in creative music, from the formative influences of McPhee’s trumpeter father and his years in the U.S. Army to his immersion in the free jazz scenes of the 1960s and 70s, and encounters with icons like Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, and Albert Ayler. Capturing the essence of McPhee’s unique voice, the book recounts never-before-told stories and includes reflections by eight musicians from across his rich history.
Independent talks are complimentary with your booking to the fair; purchase fair tickets here.
Fair Location:
50 Varick Street
New York, NY 10013
Fair Dates
May 8–11, 2025
Fair Hours
Friday, May 9: 11AM – 7PM
Saturday, May 10: 11AM – 7PM
Sunday, May 11: 11AM – 6PM
About Puck
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Independent’s audience can enjoy a two week free trial plus 30% off Puck’s yearly subscriptions by using the discount code “INDEPENDENT” at puck.news/join for a limited time only.
