For our latest entry into the canon of affordable art, we’re looking to New York’s venerable Housing Works, a chain of thrift shops with notably high-end secondhand merchandise. The charitable organization recently received a thirteen painting stash from the estate of local painter Geri Taper, who died in 2004. She may or may not be collected by MoMA (the estate says yes, but MoMA’s online database has no record of Taper), but it matters not, as the auction — which started yesterday and runs through April 28 — is chock full of reasonably priced, boldly graphic modern paintings. Check out our picks after the jump and learn a bit more about Taper and Housing Works.
She’s been exhibited worldwide at the Palais des Congres in Paris, the Carnegie Museum of Art, Madden Galleries in London and the Masavi Gallery in Japan. Private collections that have bought Taper’s work form an impressive roster as well: Citibank (whose art program was founded by the one and only Jeffrey Deitch), Chase Bank, Alcoa Corporation, Alice Tully Hall, and Mt. Sinai Hospital.
The Taper paintings are currently on display in the windows of the 23rd Street/Gramercy Housing Works thrift shop. All proceeds benefit the organization’s services for homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS, such as housing, meals and medical care. Founded in 1990, Housing Works is New York City’s largest community-based nonprofit AIDS organization.
To score a piece of Geri Taper’s, visit the Housing Works online auction running through April 28.