In s3e51, Platemark host Ann Shafer talks with Chris Santa Maria, artist and gallery director at Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl. As director of the New York gallery, Chris is responsible for showcasing and selling the print output of the storied LA workshop to enable it to keep working with amazing artists and producing incredible editions.

Chris and Ann touch on Gemini’s history, the structure of the workshop, how artists get to work there, and Julie Mehretu, Julie Mehretu, and Julie Mehretu. They also talk about Chris’ side hustle as an artist and his intricate paper collages.

Josef Albers. White Line Square IV, 1966. 53.3 x 53.3 cm (21 x 21 in.). 2011. The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; ©Gemini G.E.L. and the Artist.

Chris Santa Maria wrangling prints at Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl, New York.

Sidney Felsen, co-founder of Gemini G.E.L. Photo by Alex Berliner.

Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl, 535 West 24th Street, third floor, New York. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Chris Santa Maria hanging Julie Mehretu’s print at Art Basel Miami, 2019.

Julie Mehretu’s etching installed at the New York gallery, June 8–August 24, 2023. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Julie Mehretu at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Julie Mehretu at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Analia Saban working at Gemini workshop. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Robert Rauschenberg working on the limestone for Waves from the Stoned Moon series with Stanley Grinstein in the background. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen, 1969. From the collection of Getty Research Institute.

Jasper Johns deleting imagery from a lithography plate for Cicada, November 1981. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California, 2001.

Richard Serra at work on his etchings and Paintstik compositions, November 1990. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California, 2001.

Ellsworth Kelly (left) and NGA curator Mark Rosenthal at Gemini; Ellsworth canceling a print from the Portrait Series, February 1990. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California, 2001.

Works by Richard Serra and Julie Mehretu at the IFPDA Print Fair, October 2023. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Joni Weyl and Sidney Felsen at the 2019 IFPDA Print Fair, New York.

Tacita Dean at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Roy Lichtenstein at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Julie Mehretu at Gemini G.E.L.’s booth at the IFPDA Print Fair, October 2023.        

Tacita Dean. LA Magic Hour 1, 2021. Hand-drawn, multi-color blend lithograph. 29 7/8 x 29 7/8 in. (75.88 x 75.88 cm). ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Chris Santa Maria. Field 31, 2023. Paper college on 4-ply ragboard. 10 x 10 in.

Chris Santa Maria’s studio.

Chris Santa Maria’s studio.

Chris Santa Maria. President Trump, 2020. Paper collage. 72 x 72 in.

Chris Santa Maria. No. 5, 2014. Paper collage on MDF. 58 x 60 in. in the window of Jim Kempner Fine Art, New York.

Ellsworth Kelly. The River (state), 2003 and River II, 2005. Lithographs. Installed during the exhibition Ellsworth Kelly: The Rivers, October 25–December 8, 2007 at Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl, New York.

Julie Mehretu’s etchings installed at the New York gallery, June 8–August 24, 2023. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Bruce Nauman in the curating room canceling a copperplate by drawing a sharp tool across it to destroy the image with assistance from William Padien, 1983. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California, 2001.

Julie Mehretu at work at Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Works by Ann Hamilton and Tacita Dean in the exhibition at the New York gallery, Selected Works by Gemini Artists. January 2–February 24, 2024. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California.

Daniel Buren at Gemini workshop, August 1988. Photograph by Sidney B. Felsen. ©Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, California, 2001.

 

USEFUL LINKS

Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl. | (joniweyl.com)

Gemini G.E.L. Graphic Editions Limited (geminigel.com)

Chris Santa Maria

Instagram accounts

@chrisantamaria

@geminigel

@joniweyl