The art-world exes on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of her 303 Gallery.
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If he didnt work out as a romantic partner, Prince was asolid bet as an artist.
And Spellman, as a gallerist, made a lot of good bets.
Collier Schorr was her gallery assistant before Spellman showed her work.
She and Prince remain friends.
1986?Lisa Spellman:Yes, it was 1985.
RP:You answered the door.
We had met before?The Milk Bar?Maybe not.LS:Perhaps, thats totally possible.
When theres too much of nothing, no one has control.
That was my impression of your space … And you lived in your space.
Your bedroom was right in the middle.
The waters of oblivion.LS:Yes.
It was a three-bedroom loft with an exhibition space that I had built, and a darkroom.
RP:You had some strange photography hanging up.
Stephen Frailey?LS:Yes!
RP:It was pushing.
It wasnt Kodachrome, thats for sure.
How long before I moved in?LS:Just a few months.
RP:You had a roommate that thought she was Madonna.
I think you gave me her room after she got mad at me.
RP:You were already totally committed to running 303.
Thats what you did.
RP:You had Colin de Land over.
You guys were tight.
How did you know him?LS:I met Colin late one night atDanceteria.
He had the Rolodex.
RP:He gave me a business card withAmerican Fine Artson it.
RP:Your space was lean.
You had no assistants.
She wanted to work for you.LS:Yes!
She was Victor Schragers student at SVA.
She became the intern/director.
RP:I remember a Vito Acconci show.
And then Jeff Koonss basketball tanks.
What else before you moved?LS:Larry Johnson, Matt Mullican, Allen Ruppersberg.
RP:How did you meet Charles Ray?
I remember a long dinner table.
Charlie was there and I think Liz Larner was there.LS:Yes!
I calledHudson at Feature Gallery, or Liz Larner gave me his number.
She was like the Martin Kippenberger of her generation.
She was impressive to behold, a true force.
RP:Art advisers, that was something new to me.
Smooth for you though, right?
You seemed to be able to work with their chips and shoulders.LS:Thea Westreich was a legend.
RP:You moved to the East Village.
When?LS:I opened East Sixth Street in 1987, with John Dogg.
RP:Both of you on the same block.
Open on Sunday that was sweet.
You had that collab show with Wool and Gober.
Then Charlie Rays gravity-defying ink line.
Whats it like when you look back?
We moved to Soho.
Scary and simple times, the stock market crashed and the East Village started to collapse.
I never thought about asking for a payment plan.
When the tanks went for 500K a few years later, he said I could send the tapes back.
Jeff would come over and clean out the tanks and I would roast a chicken.
RP:Sixth Street was like a club.
Not a members-only vibe but certainly not Vanity Fair megawattage.
303 has always seemed like family.
RP:What happens in 303 stays in 303?
Whats your best soap-opera story?LS:No comment!
RP:Before I forget.
He had just done a show with Kasper Koenig called The Museum Is in Your Head.
RP:Should I stay or should I go?
Its complicated business, pleasure, friendships.
How do you navigate all the therapy?LS:This is therapy.
RP:Auctions?LS:Hate them.Soylent Greenwith Charlton Heston.
RP:Biennials?LS:Love them.The Sound of Musicwith Julie Andrews.
RP:I loved the scale and feel of 303 on Greene Street in Soho.
It reminded me of Rene Blocks space.
When was that move?LS:That was 1989.
We opened with Larry Johnson.
RP:Who do you trust?LS:No one is really left.
RP:Is art better when its a secret?LS:Yes like.
You were not letting that gang into his car.
RP:I guess its safe to say you should never marry one of your artists.
(you might have your dog answer this question).LS:Woof, its okay.
I have no regrets.
RP:You were early to Chelsea.
RP:Have you ever been inPeoplemagazine?LS:No, but in Page Six a few times.
RP:Art versus religion?
RP:I know you have a connection to religion that a lot of people arent aware about.
(Its all right Ma, Im only bleeding).
RP:You surf.
Do you bring your phone to the beach?
Do you ever shut down?
RP:What percentage of art dont you get?LS:Oh, wow, so much.
RP:Does anyone ever ask you to show you their slides?
I guess what Im asking, do you rabbit hole on Instagram?LS:Yes, they do.
I learn a lot on Instagram.
Its a pretty great way to learn about awful art and amazing art.
RP:Do you collect art?LS:Yes, a little.
Im lucky to have what I have.
RP:Art is one of the last unregulated businesses.
Do you think it should stay that way?LS:I think those days are numbered.
RP:Do you go to the auctions?
Do you care if one of your artists get hammered?LS:Yes, its devastating.
RP:I leave it there.LS:Leave it as it lays.
RP:Im a big believer in play it as it lays.
Theres a fine line between sharing and self-promotion.
Not sure its history.
No thanks needed from you.
RP:We spent a couple of cold winter days in Rome in 1990 hanging out with Christopher Wool.
I stayed and was saved by a video rental store.
I loved the biography I read about Rome while I was there, which saved me.
Books and movies all save us.
Surfing saves, water saves, trees and canyons save.
Without nature, its a pretty bad deal.
You didnt even have a landline.
How important is it to plant your own flag?LS:I love flags.
It was important in order for the gallery to grow to land in all the spots I planted flags.
The artists need a base.
RP:Meyer Vaisman was an artist then a dealer then an artist.
Gavin Brown was an artist then a dealer.
Betty Parsons was both artist and dealer.
And then the granddaddy of American Place, Alfred Stieglitz, super-artist, super-dealer.
I studied photography at SVA, I built a darkroom.
Ultimately, I felt I was alone too much, which wasnt a good thing.
So then I started the gallery.
RP:How many roads must an artist walk down?
RP:Hot buttons.
Sometimes the art world seems a little stiff.
When do the dogs lose their bark?LS:I know, right?
At this point in time, it should be utter chaos every day.
Too many adults in the room, too many serious money-shakers.
RP:Gursky used to sleep on your couch.
He brought me to everyones studio in Dusseldorf.
RP:Profile question: favorite book, movie, music.
I need to know who Im dealing with.LS:La Place de la Concorde Suisseby John McPhee.
I loveThe Big Short, I cant stop watching it.
I love the Allah-Las andReverberation Radio.
RP:Digging mercury with a pitchfork, Richard Brautigan.
Art is closely associated with poetry.
It has its own kind of drift.
RP:Do you get up in the morning and realize its too early to wake?
I have a go at not think about what I do, otherwise Im frozen in place.
I venture to ponder the future.
RP:Love and hate about the art world?LS:Hate auctions.
Love almost all the rest.
RP:Theres always art-world fever, puppets and masters.
How big is your broom?LS:My broom is vast, Im always sweeping.
Its a constant stream of debris.
RP:Peggy Guggenheim.
Art of this century.
For seven years, one of the great art dealers of all time.
She had input from Frederick Kiesler and Marcel Duchamp.
You dont have people whispering in your ear, right?
If you go down in the flood its going to be your fault.
Lo or behold?LS:I have gone down in a flood and came back up.
I would love to find someone who would whisper to me.
Is there a time when we run out of ideas?
RP:Artists have no responsibility.
They go out and buy a truck or something.
But art dealers save their money and rip it up.
Galleries are all risk, all the time.
Artists are heavily invested too now though.
RP:Basement noise and easy chairs.
