"Maiden Voyage" C L E A R I N G / New York |

Meriem Bennani, Guided tour of a Spill, 2021. Still. 4K single channel digital video. 15′ 49”. Courtesy of the artist and CLEARING, New York / Brussels / Los Angeles.

Harold Ancart, Untitled, 2020 Oil stick and pencil on canvas, and artist’s frame. 139,7 x 162,6 cm. Photography by Stan Narten. Courtesy of the artist and CLEARING, New York / Brussels / Los Angeles.

Jean-Marie Appriou, The Third Eye, 2023. Aluminum. 238,8 x 251,5 x 99,1 cm. Unique. Photography by JSP Art Photography. Courtesy of the artist and CLEARING, New York / Brussels / Los Angeles.

Ryan Foerster, Air duct shape, 2023. Metal. 83,8 x 109,2 x 7,6 cm. Unique. Photography by JSP Art Photography. Courtesy of the artist and CLEARING, New York / Brussels / Los Angeles.

Marguerite Humeau, Orisons (ancient communities of growing fungi in a fatigued terrain), 2022. Pigment and charcoal on paper. Frame: wax, resin and wood. 147,5 x 207 x 6 cm. Photography by Stan Narten. Courtesy of the artist and CLEARING, New York / Brussels / Los Angeles.

Daniel Dewar & Grégory Gicquel, Oak bench with crimson speckled moths, field poppy flowers and snails, 2021. Oak wood and embroidery on cushion. 55,9 x 88,9 x 68,6 cm. Unique. Photography by JSP Art Photography. Courtesy of the artists and CLEARING, New York / Brussels / Los Angeles.

“Maiden Voyage” is CLEARING’s inaugural exhibition at 260 Bowery in New York City.

Since ancient times, seafarers have practiced the tradition of the “maiden voyage,” a celebration marking the initiation of a new ship at sea. In the same spirit, the inaugural show at CLEARING signifies the commencement of a new journey.

CLEARING was founded in Bushwick in 2011. What has defined the gallery’s identity from the very beginning is not only the careful cultivation of its artists’ careers, but also a vision to nurture and expand an international community. Its first exhibition hosted works by Harold Ancart, who continues to be a guiding pillar of the gallery today. Artists such as Loïc Raguénès and Koenraad Dedobbeleer also joined early on; their input resulted in the gallery’s first overseas outpost in Brussels in 2012, which has since expanded to its current location today. Outgrowing its initial space, in 2014, CLEARING New York moved down the street to 396 Johnson, the gallery’s beloved homebase of 9 years.

Over the years, CLEARING has hosted numerous off-site exhibitions from Venice to Miami, including a short but memorable stint on the Upper East Side from 2017 to 2018. Each location marked a process of evolution for the gallery, ushered and guided by its community of artists. In 2020, CLEARING ventured to Los Angeles, first to Beverly Hills and today, to its location on Western Avenue. Stepping into a new chapter at 260 Bowery, CLEARING moves forward with the same excitement and vision in supporting its artists and their remarkable sensibilities, celebrating the adventures that are yet to come.

For the past 12 years, CLEARING has fostered a web of connections and relationships that expands far beyond its three locations. “Maiden Voyage” includes works by 24 artists, highlighting the different practices, aesthetics, and histories that has formed the gallery’s identity throughout the years, culminating in a visual experience that celebrates the gallery’s past and future.

At the core of CLEARING are the artists and community who embody the precious set of values and guide its spirit forward. The gallery honors the contributions of many who have joined the CLEARING family over the years: Adam Alessi, Harold Ancart, Jean-Marie Appriou, Korakrit Arunanondchai, Javier Barrios, Meriem Bennani, Huma Bhabha, Sebastian Black, Matt Copson, Koenraad Dedobbeleer, Daniel Dewar & Grégory Gicquel, Sara Flores, Ryan Foerster, Aaron Garber-Maikovska, Hugh Hayden, Marguerite Humeau, Zak Kitnick, Calvin Marcus, Marina Pinsky, Loïc Raguénès, Lili Reynaud-Dewar, and Daisy Sheff. “Maiden Voyage” features works by these artists, and also includes paintings by Gabrielė Adomaitytė and Shota Nakamura.