In Memoriam : Meredith Allen (1964 - 2011)

My heart is terribly broken today, as I've learned that New York artist Meredith Allen lost her battle with cancer yesterday morning. Meredith had been nothing short of heroic in how she fought the disease over the past three years; brave, human, honest, and always, through it all, kinder than anyone dealing with such pain and fear could be expected to be. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her deepest love, Carol Saft, and their families.

Bambino and I saw Meredith just a few weeks ago. She had come into the gallery with Iggy (her dog), and we both commented on how radiant she was looking. It was indeed a shock to hear the news. We were so encouraged by how good she looked.

I first met Meredith back in the late 1990s when the Williamsburg scene was just beginning to come into its own. Meredith would show up at openings and photograph people for the now defunct "Waterfront Weekly"' column "Art Seen":






It was W-burg's version of the society page, and one of the only consistent pictorial archives of the scene at that time.

At the same time, Meredith was gaining attention for her haunting photographs of children's storefront "Kiddie Rides":

Meredith Allen, "Kiddie Ride #26," 1996, archival iris giclee print, 12 x 12. Image Copyrighted.

The series that really took off and helped Meredith gain wider attention, though, was her dripping cartoon pops ("Melting Ice Pops"):


Meredith Allen, "Moriches Island Road (supersonic)," 2000, c-print, 20 x 24 inches. Image copyrighted.

Reprinted everywhere, in dozens of group shows (including one at our space in Williamsburg in 2002) and articles and eventually solo exhibitions, including one of the last exhibitions at Gracie Mansion's gallery, these addictively sensuous images became Meredith's break-out series and are included in many collections around the world.

By the time she had her solo exhibition at Edward Thorp Gallery in 2008, she had taken the painting-meets-photography exploration to a whole new level with her smart and gorgeous "Trash" series:



Meredith Allen, "untitled_0365," 2008, digital C-Print, 18.25 x 18.25 inches

Meredith had also by that time started chemotherapy. I recall how impressed I was at her spirit at the Thorp opening, where the cancer and treatment were obviously (from how thin she had gotten) a hellish lot to deal with, but where she spent so much time talking with me about the "Trash" series. Her energy level was taxed, but her interest in what photography could do was boundless.

Even as I respected and admired her commitment to art, I also was in awe of Meredith's commitment to Carol, their family and friends, and the arts community. Whether it was Film Club at Four Walls (which Meredith documented in a book), her donations to any (all?) of the benefits for non-profit spaces that count on artists to support them, or simply the social scene at which she, Carol, and the adorable Iggy (who inspired the photographic series "People I Meet When I Walk My Dog") were just "part of the family," Meredith was always out there, always so generous, and always so much fun to catch up with. It's impossible to accept she won't be at our next opening.

May you rest in peace, dear Meredith...we miss you terribly already.


Update:

• Sarah Schmerler adds a lovely tribute over at Williamsburg Greenpoint News + Art.
  
• And Stephanie Cash offers more details about Meredith's life and role in the New York scene over at Art in America.