Art of the possible: a reappraisal of the Eugenia Butler Gallery

Between 1969−1971, the Eugenia Butler Gallery in Los Angeles was one of the only venues in the city to show newly emerging forms of non-retinal and conceptual art. Butler gave a number of then-unknown artists, including Allen Ruppersberg and John Baldessari, their first or second solo shows, and offered important artists like Dieter Roth his first exhibition on the West Coast. Despite her seminal role as a cutting-edge gallerist, she has been all but omitted from the art historical record of the period. This article aims to re-examine the history and significance of her gallery in order to illuminate her legacy and contributions to the L.A. art world and beyond.

1969年至1971年间，洛杉矶的尤金尼娅·巴特勒画廊（Eugenia Butler Gallery）是该市为数不多展出新兴非视网膜艺术与概念艺术形式的场馆之一。巴特勒为包括艾伦·鲁珀斯伯格（Allen Ruppersberg）、约翰·巴尔代萨里（John Baldessari）在内的一众当时尚无名的艺术家提供了他们的首次或第二次个人展览，还为迪特尔·罗斯（Dieter Roth）等重要艺术家举办了其在西海岸的首场展览。尽管她作为先锋画廊主发挥了开创性作用，但几乎已被该时期的艺术史记录完全忽略。本文旨在重新审视该画廊的历史与意义，以阐明其对洛杉矶乃至全球艺术界的遗产与贡献。