A Letter from Arne Glimcher

As I look back on 65 wonderful years of Pace Gallery, I am amazed and grateful for the extraordinary artists who have shaped my life, the adventures we have shared, and the marvelous projects we have realized together.

Sixty-five years ago when Milly and I opened The Pace Gallery, we were college students who didn’t have dreams of global expansion or great financial ambition. All we wanted was a life in art, a life with artists. Through good fortune, and an undying commitment to art, the gallery grew. Robert Irwin taught us that art is a tool by which society extends its perception, and I believe his lesson is more important than ever. I believe in our freedom to question and debate. I believe in nurturing new ideas. I believe in resisting censorship and embracing open conversation. I believe that is the role of a gallery.

When I was a young man, Jean Dubuffet told me never to forget that the role of art is revolution. In these dark times, his words resonate often. When we find independent thought under threat—when cultural life everywhere is being targeted—it’s essential that we be courageous and keep culture alive at all costs.

For nearly seven decades, the gallery’s ethos has been to empower artists in the search for beauty and truth, perpetuating the legacy of Agnes Martin’s life and work. By making space for art to thrive, we resist those who would stifle the best of our ideas and our values. I am more certain of this now than ever. When art seems increasingly bound by narrow dictates, we must remain radically open to new forms and possibilities. We cannot lose heart just because others may be heartless. I am certain today, on our sixty-fifth birthday, that the gallery remains as committed as ever to these ideals. The power and urgency of art are ultimately irrepressible.

To all the artists, collectors, curators, registrars, preparators, colleagues, and friends of all stripes who have been part of our community over the years, and who have given all of us at Pace a sense of purpose, I offer my heartfelt thanks.

—Arne Glimcher