Reena Spaulings Fine Art

Reena Spaulings is not an artist or a gallerist. She’s not even a real person. She’s the lead character in a novel co-authored by 150 people, an artist’s alter ego, and the fictional frontwoman for this Lower East Side gallery founded by Emily Sundblad and John Kelsey, along with a collective of artist friends, in 2003.

When you step into Reena Spaulings, the gallery, you’ll find yourself in a wild, cerebral, and seriously fun world. The artists who show here are denizens of the downtown art scene. They’re known for their rule-breaking, sensual, DIY approach to art-making. Think art on ceilings, performed on video loops, or sculpted from materials found on the street.

You won’t find Reena at the gallery, but you might just bump into Emily, John, their kids, their dog, or the artists who make up the growing constellation of the gallery’s network — one that often feels like family.

Emily Sundblad and John Kelsey launched Reena Spaulings in 2003. John was part of an art, fashion, and film collaborative called the Bernadette Corporation, which was working on a novel collectively authored by 150 people. The main character’s name? Reena Spaulings. Some members of the group began showing work under her name, mostly for fun. Working under a name that belonged to no one felt free. The next step seemed obvious. Name the gallery Reena Spaulings. Today, the artists who exhibit at the gallery show at art museums worldwide, and the gallery has become a beacon for others just emerging onto the scene.