Hal Bromm
90 West Broadway, 2nd floor
New York, NY, 10007
+1 212-732-6196
Join our mailing list
Hal Bromm
90 West Broadway, 2nd floor
New York, NY, 10007
+1 212-732-6196
Join our mailing list
NEW ART, OLD BUILDINGS:
STORIES FROM HAL BROMM’S TRIBECA
A book celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hal Bromm Gallery
Edited by Logan Payne and Katie Svensson
Conceived by former Gallery Directors Logan Payne and Katie Svensson, New Art, Old Buildings emerged from a shared desire to capture the essence of Hal Bromm Gallery’s legacy. What began as a conversation between Payne and Svensson blossomed into a more expansive collaborative project, a testament to the enduring bonds forged within the Gallery’s community.
The publication weaves together details on the gallery’s history, personal anecdotes from artists and collectors, and archival images, offering intimate glimpses into the significant world the gallery created, which intersects with the careers of Keith Haring, who had his first-ever solo show at the Gallery, David Wojnarowicz, Alice Adams, Jody Pinto, Derek Jarman, and many others. In the book, painter Lucio Pozzi notes, “I never consider [Bromm] a gallerist but a collaborator integral to thinking and doing the art.” Photographer Renate Aller comments, “The Hal Bromm Family of artists created a community that continues to support and carry on the conversation of art in its current awareness.”
New Art, Old Buildings also captures the vibrant social atmosphere of the gallery, with painter Grace Graupe-Pillard recalling, “Hal is the quintessential host, always gentlemanly, introducing people to one another, infusing the room with elegance and style.” Hal Bromm, known for his commitment to emerging and outsider artists and his unflinching eye for the avant-garde, has left an indelible mark on the New York art scene. From showcasing early works by David Salle and Robert Longo to its recent The Queer Show, Part I and Part II which sought to widen and celebrate varied notions of queerness, Bromm’s gallery has consistently championed groundbreaking and thought-provoking art.
Beyond his contributions to the art world, Bromm has played a pivotal role as a preservation activist in protecting Tribeca’s historic character. As journalist Joanna Molloy writes, “If not for Hal…Tribeca would be a series of needle skyscrapers.” Bromm remains committed to preservation work that supports tenants’ rights and architectural history, and serves as the vice president of the Historic Districts Council, an advisor to Tribeca Trust, and chair of The Knowlton Township Historical Commission. Carlo McCormick writes “Appreciation is due for all [Hal has] helped discover over this time, but a deeper gratitude is owed for what [he has] tried to preserve. For artists we describe this kind of determination as a persistence of vision, maybe for [Hal] it is something more like stubbornness or tenacity, but all told, it strikes us as a dear form of loyalty.”
A companion exhibition at Hal Bromm Gallery—90 West Broadway, New York, NY—will run from September 19 through November 29, 2025, further celebrating the gallery’s storied history.