Alison Pierz, last photo on west 25th street

Alison Pierz, last photo on west 25th street

Alison Pierz is the founder and director of StandPipe Gallery and Projects. StandPipe opened it’s West 25th Street, Chelsea location in December, 2010 with a program dedicated to contemporary abstract painting.

Pierz’s association with Frère Independent began as a public relations assistant to Director. Her diverse background in the arts includes a degree in design from Pratt Institute as well as several years in the decorative arts field where she worked alongside numerous talented fine art painters developing relationships with artists that would translate into future StandPipe collaborations.

Throughout 2011 StandPipe Gallery has showcased a series of solo painting exhibitions with a forays into other areas including conceptual work and Thierry Alet’s Amistad installation in April. Alison also invited guest curators to collaborate on two group shows, notably this past summer’s  Fresh Paint From Bushwick, curated by painter and Bushwick neighborhood champion, Deborah Brown which resulted in tremendous attention from both the public and press.

StandPipe has exhibited other Frère Independent alumni including, Olivié Ponce (Open Portfolio, New York, 2010) and Xanda McCagg (PooL Art Fair Miami, 2010 and New York ,2011). Alison also curated a group show of artists for the 2011 PooL Art Fair in New York .

StandPipe closed it’s 25th Street doors at the end of October as Alison takes StandPipe Projects in a new direction. She will be stepping up the gallery’s online presence and available flat file inventory and is most excited about a series of planned exhibitions where she will be acting as guest curator under the StandPipe banner. Several group exhibitions are in the works, as well as an installation collaboration with StandPipe artist Taney Roniger. Working outside the limitations of a specific site will allow experimentation and diversity and a chance to expand the program into different media, a process begun in the group show, Taking Shape, which featured sculpture and photography as well as painting.

The “Projects” are a step in the growing process as Alison and her partner and husband Michael Bowen, seek and future brick and mortar home for StandPipe and it’s roster of talented artists.