Gifted artists find creative outlet at Midtown Venue

In the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, lies an art gallery that stands out from most of the ones typically found in Chelsea or Soho. Known as the Fountain Gallery, this venue is unique in that it represents artists living with a mental illness, which is a rare find even in a well-rounded cultural city like New York. Founded in 2000, the Fountain Gallery sells original artworks including paintings, drawings, photography, and sculpture.

“Our mission is basically to promote artists who happen to have a mental illness, so we do that through a membership through the gallery so we represent in any given year about 40 active artists who are living with bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, major depression,” explains director Jason Bowman.

The Fountain Gallery is owned by Fountain House, a non-profit organization that provides resources to help people cope with their psychiatric impairments by offering employment, education, and housing programs.

Many of Fountain House’s members are drawn to beauty, originality, and creativity, and the gallery provides a platform for each artist to showcase his or her talent(s).

 “All of our artists are members of Fountain House, so we work with almost a thousand members in Fountain House so when someone from Fountain House wants to work here at the gallery as an artist, they come and volunteer here for a while and can essentially submit work,” says Bowden.

The Fountain Gallery also has a visiting artists program where the work with artists who have a mental illness but aren’t members. “We put a call out for work for visiting artists once or twice a year and people strive to be part of shows,” notes Bowman.

In exposing these brilliant minds, the gallery has seen success. About a hundred thousand dollars worth of artwork are sold a year and artists and curators also participate in shows outside the gallery, including in an annual art fair, and get commission from it.

Look at Me, the gallery’s latest exhibition, is curated by Asuka Morii more than 40 pieces by 18 artists ranging from acrylic and gouache, pen and ink, collage and mixed media, woodcut, sculpture, and digital photography mediums. The works in the show include portraits of people and animals, as well as to images of ordinary objects and people in their homes and neighborhoods. 

Artist Anthony Newton has a painting in this show titled Don’t Use Me. When asked how long he’s been an artist he said “Since I had the ability to retain information.” “My art can be best described as surrealism, expressionistic.” He cites Jean Michel Basquiat, Francis Bacon as some of his influences. “He says he “Rather enjoys (creating art) and my mental illness gives him a rather artistic sense” He added his mental illness helps his creativity by giving him extra insight.”