Harry Blain
Encyclopedia
Harry Blain is an English art dealer, gallery owner and founder of (s)edition, an online resource where editioned, digital artworks by the world's leading contemporary artists can be bought and traded.
In 1992 Blain opened Blains Fine Art, which specialised in the private placement of works of art by a wide range of contemporary artists.
In 2002 he started Haunch of Venison
gallery with Graham Southern
, a Founding Director of Christie's (London) Post-War & Contemporary Art Department, which he ran until 2001, and a Director of the Anthony d'Offay
gallery.
The gallery represented Turner Prize
winners Richard Long
and Keith Tyson
, as well as Bill Viola
and Mat Collishaw
.
In 2007 Blain and Southern sold Haunch of Venison to Christie’s International plc. However, they remained within the business and continued to run the gallery until they both departed to launch a new gallery, BlainSouthern
, in 2010.
Together with Southern, Blain staged many acclaimed exhibitions at Haunch of Venison, including major surveys of Abstract Expressionism
and late twentieth century Russian art in New York and London respectively; in 2010 they put on an exhibition with Damien Hirst
and Michael Joo in Berlin
In October 2010 Blain and Emmanuel Di Donna, formerly a vice chairman at Sotheby's
Worldwide specialising in Impressionist and Modern art works, announced a further venture. Blain|DiDonna will be located on the
second floor of the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue, in the space previously occupied by Ursus Books. It specializes in artworks by Impressionist, Modern and selected
Contemporary artists. Di Donna said the gallery will “stage three very focused exhibitions a year, probably mixing modern and contemporary.”. Blain|Di Donna staged its first exhibition in October 2011, Magritte: Dangerous Liaisons, a survey of the Belgian surrealist works which was described by the London Evening Standard as being "without doubt the most prestigious gallery show of 2011"
In addition, in April 2011 Blain|Southern opened a Berlin gallery with an exhibition by the acclaimed British artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster
. The space, formerly the printing presses of Der Tagesspiegel
, Germany’s liberal daily newspaper, is located on Potsdamer Strasse with a total floor space is 1,300 square metres, of which more than half will be exhibition space.
Blain and Southern were cited in a London Evening Standard survey as being among the most influential people in London. They also featured in the 2010 Art + Auction Power 100
In 1992 Blain opened Blains Fine Art, which specialised in the private placement of works of art by a wide range of contemporary artists.
In 2002 he started Haunch of Venison
Haunch of Venison
Haunch of Venison is a commercial art gallery founded in 2002 in the West End of London. The gallery represents leading contemporary artists with branches in London, Berlin and New York.-History:...
gallery with Graham Southern
Graham Southern
Graham Southern is an English art dealer and gallery owner. In 1994, Southern was the Founding Director of Christie's Post-War & Contemporary Art Department which he ran until 2001, leaving to become a director of the Anthony d’Offay Gallery...
, a Founding Director of Christie's (London) Post-War & Contemporary Art Department, which he ran until 2001, and a Director of the Anthony d'Offay
Anthony d'Offay
Anthony d'Offay is a British art dealer, he closed his gallery - Anthony d’Offay Gallery - in 2002.-Life and career:...
gallery.
The gallery represented Turner Prize
Turner Prize
The Turner Prize, named after the painter J. M. W. Turner, is an annual prize presented to a British visual artist under the age of 50. Awarding the prize is organised by the Tate gallery and staged at Tate Britain. Since its beginnings in 1984 it has become the United Kingdom's most publicised...
winners Richard Long
Richard Long
-English political figures:*Richard Long , Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Henry VIII; knighted in 1537; MP for Southwark...
and Keith Tyson
Keith Tyson
Keith Tyson is a British artist. In 2002, he was the winner of the Turner Prize. His work is concerned with an interest in generative systems, and an embrace of the complexity and interconnectedness of existence...
, as well as Bill Viola
Bill Viola
Bill Viola is a contemporary video artist. He is considered a leading figure in the generation of artists whose artistic expression depends upon electronic, sound, and image technology in New Media...
and Mat Collishaw
Mat Collishaw
Matthew "Mat" Collishaw is an artist based in London, and one of the Young British Artists.-Career:Collishaw attended Goldsmiths, University of London , alongside Damien Hirst and other YBA artists....
.
In 2007 Blain and Southern sold Haunch of Venison to Christie’s International plc. However, they remained within the business and continued to run the gallery until they both departed to launch a new gallery, BlainSouthern
BlainSouthern
Blain|Southern is a contemporary art gallery established in September 2010. The gallery is located at 21 Dering Street, and 6 Hill Street, London, W1....
, in 2010.
Together with Southern, Blain staged many acclaimed exhibitions at Haunch of Venison, including major surveys of Abstract Expressionism
Abstract expressionism
Abstract expressionism was an American post–World War II art movement. It was the first specifically American movement to achieve worldwide influence and put New York City at the center of the western art world, a role formerly filled by Paris...
and late twentieth century Russian art in New York and London respectively; in 2010 they put on an exhibition with Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly Britain's richest living artist,...
and Michael Joo in Berlin
In October 2010 Blain and Emmanuel Di Donna, formerly a vice chairman at Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
Worldwide specialising in Impressionist and Modern art works, announced a further venture. Blain|DiDonna will be located on the
second floor of the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue, in the space previously occupied by Ursus Books. It specializes in artworks by Impressionist, Modern and selected
Contemporary artists. Di Donna said the gallery will “stage three very focused exhibitions a year, probably mixing modern and contemporary.”. Blain|Di Donna staged its first exhibition in October 2011, Magritte: Dangerous Liaisons, a survey of the Belgian surrealist works which was described by the London Evening Standard as being "without doubt the most prestigious gallery show of 2011"
In addition, in April 2011 Blain|Southern opened a Berlin gallery with an exhibition by the acclaimed British artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster
Tim Noble and Sue Webster
Timothy "Tim" Noble and Susan "Sue" Webster , are two British artists who work as a collaborative duo, and are associated with the post-YBA generation of artists.-Early lives and careers:...
. The space, formerly the printing presses of Der Tagesspiegel
Der Tagesspiegel
Der Tagesspiegel is a classical liberal German daily newspaper...
, Germany’s liberal daily newspaper, is located on Potsdamer Strasse with a total floor space is 1,300 square metres, of which more than half will be exhibition space.
Blain and Southern were cited in a London Evening Standard survey as being among the most influential people in London. They also featured in the 2010 Art + Auction Power 100