Red Grooms: Drawing "The Bookstore"
On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of The Bookstore, this exhibition explores the artist’s unique and exciting artistic process with never-before-seen preparatory drawings.
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). East Room of the Pierpont Morgan Library, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.6).
Renowned as a cultural icon since the Pop art movement of the 1960s, Red Grooms has forged an illustrious career marked by his mastery of painting and sculpture and characterized by bright colors, expressionist verve, and theatricality. In 1979, the Hudson River Museum unveiled The Bookstore, a commission and tribute to the allure of books, epitomized through an unexpected yet thrilling mash-up of the stately Pierpont Morgan Library and the eclectic Mendoza Book Company.
In celebration of the 45th anniversary of The Bookstore, the HRM is proud to present a selection of never-before-seen drawings, a generous recent gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong. While conceiving The Bookstore, Grooms soaked up the ambiance of each location by sketching for hours and reenvisioning the scenes around him. Many of his recorded vignettes found their way into the final artwork, from the monumental fireplace and ornate ceiling decorations of the Morgan to the overflowing bookshelves and pressed-tin ceiling of Mendoza. The artist’s sketchbooks for the project, as well as the maquette used to guide the installation, will also be on view.
The resulting masterpiece, which Grooms calls a “sculpto-pictorama,” incorporates many of the themes that are present throughout his body of work: the marriage of art and commerce, the clash of high and low, and humor—all arranged in a compelling three-dimensional space. The immersive installation holds a special place at the Museum, whose millions of visitors have experienced this beloved and witty work of art.
Exhibitions are made possible by assistance provided by the County of Westchester.
Press
Selected objects
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Exterior of the Pierpont Morgan Library, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.1).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). East Room of the Pierpont Morgan Library, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.2).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Pierpont Morgan Library, Interior Details and Visitors, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.3).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Pierpont Morgan Library, Interior Details and Guard, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.4a,b).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). East Room of the Pierpont Morgan Library, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.5).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). East Room of the Pierpont Morgan Library, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.6).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Pierpont Morgan Library, Interior Details and Sculpture, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.7).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Exterior of Mendoza Book Company, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.8).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Mendoza Book Company, Interior with Customers, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.9).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Mendoza Book Company, Interior with Customers, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.10).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Mendoza Book Company, Interior, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.11).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Mendoza Book Company, Interior with Customer, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.12).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). Mendoza Book Company, Interior with Customers, 1978. Ink marker on paper. Collection of the Hudson River Museum. Gift of the artist and Lysiane Luong, 2024 (2024.5.13).
Red Grooms (American, b. 1937). The Bookstore, 1979. Mixed media. Museum Commission, 1980 (80.4.1). Photo: Steven Paneccasio.
