The Jenni Crain Foundation

Jenni Crain (1991–2021) was an esteemed artist and curator who passed away suddenly due to complications related to Covid-19. She was widely recognized for her original minimalist sculpture and curatorial projects that championed under-recognized women artists as well as for her rigorous scholarship and writing. Crain was a passionate and tireless advocate of artists and art. Throughout her life, she built a vast community of friends, collaborators, and colleagues whose work she drove forward with generosity, sensitivity, and the deep probing intelligence with which she considered the world.

The Foundation preserves her legacy by supporting transformative projects by artists, curators, and writers of any age at early or pivotal stages of their career.

In honor of her memory, The Jenni Crain Foundation provides grants in two areas:
1. Finishing funds toward the completion of a significant project ranging from an exhibition, arts publication, or work of art across disciplines and forms.
2. Support for original research which may include travel, accommodation, and any funds required for accessing or studying materials.

Donations may be mailed to the address below or made online by clicking here.

A fundraising bandana featuring Crain’s work may be purchased by clicking here. An image of the bandana can be viewed by clicking here.

The Jenni Crain Foundation
130 Third Avenue Brentwood, NY 11717
info@JenniCrainFoundation.org

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Jenni Crain

DOWNTOWN 2021 La Mama Galleria, New York, NY Curated by Sam Gordon Peggy Ahwesh, Polly Apfelbaum, Charles Atlas, Leilah Babirye, J. Stoner Blackwell, Maria Calandra, Sam Chun, Jenni Crain, Joel Dean, Leah Dixon, Hadi Fallahpisheh, Michelle Grabner, K8 Hardy, Phoebe d’Heurle, Madeleine Hollander, Sky Hopinka, Bill Jenkins, Zak Kitnick, Elizabeth Kley, Kalup Linzy, Rosemary Mayer, Tracy Miller, Matt Paweski, Helen Evans Ramsaran, LJ Roberts, Jacob Robichaux, Adrianne Rubenstein, Sara Maria Salamone, Lizzie Scott, Peter Shear, Ming Smith, Jessie Stead, Frederick Weston, D’Angelo Lovell Williams January 4 – January 30, 2021

DOWNTOWN 2021 takes its name from the film Downtown 81, which portrayed a day in the New York City of 1981 in all its glory. Forty years later, the exhibition acts as a sequel to the film, taking inspiration from downtown as an idea, a state of mind, and a generative space—rather than just a geographic location—and extending its scope beyond Manhattan to galleries in Brooklyn and Queens. The exhibition is composed of works by artists who have been included in current or previous exhibitions from a selection of over 25 galleries. An essay in two parts will accompany the exhibition; one on the artists and spaces in the exhibition, and the other on spaces from the recent past that have closed or are on hiatus, for a total of 50 spaces. Taken together, the spaces reveal the currents of new visual culture and the idea of a new downtown, taking shape through painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, video, installation, and touching on themes of collaboration, liberation, dance, and bartending.

01A_Jenni Crain_Cradle for Harry Bertoia's Instruments_Without Instruments_Downtown 2021_Curated by Sam Gordon_La Mama

Jenni Crain Cradle for Harry Bertoia’s Instruments (without instruments), 2019 / 2021. Baltic birch plywood. Dimensions vary.

02_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Left, Jenni Crain, Right Matt Paweski,Photo Gregory Carideo
03_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
04_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
05_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
06_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
08_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Polly Apfelbaum _Beads for Amy Lipton_ 2020, Photo Gregory Carideo
09_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Left, Madeline Hollander, Right, Ming Smith, Photo Gregory Carideo
10_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
11_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
12_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
13_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
14_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
15. Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
16_Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo
17. Installation Image _DOWNTOWN 2021_ curated by Sam Gordon at La MaMa Galleria, Photo Gregory Carideo