Linda Durham Contemporary Art Gallery Collection

Collection

Identifier: 0052-NMMOA-US

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Consists of records generated by or collected by Linda Durham Contemporary Art Gallery and/or Linda Durham, owner during the years of operation. Records pertain to the gallery, its operations, clients, artists, and Linda Durham, owner. Contains gallery and exhibition records; gallery sales and financial records; correspondence; records related to individual artists; images of artists’ works in many formats including prints, slides, photo-transparencies, digital files on CD; videos; newspaper and magazine ads and articles; posters; gallery guestbooks and calendars; artist catalogs; CDs, VHS tapes; black and white and color photographs.

Dates

1976-2011

Creator

Durham, Linda, 1942- (Person)

Conditions Governing Use

Limited duplication of print materials allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Biographical / Historical

History: Linda Durham owned and operated the Linda Durham Contemporary Art Gallery based in Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1979-2011. For over thirty years LDCA Gallery represented, promoted, and advocated for contemporary artists from New Mexico. Artists represented by the gallery over the years include: David Kimball Anderson, Victoria Bell, Greg Erf, Lawrence (Larry) Fodor, James Havard, Richard Hogan, Martin Cary Horowitz, Robert Kelly, Lucy Maki, Stacey Neff, Dana Newmann, Eugene Newmann, Terri Rolland, Peter Sarkisian, Laura Scandrett, Catherine Eaton Skinner, Yozo Suzuki, Erika Wanenmacher, and others. Originally from New Jersey, Linda Graves Durham, (born 1942) moved to Santa Fe in 1966 with her husband Bart Durham who ran De La Pena Books. In Santa Fe, Linda Durham began her work in the art world as a researcher for Forrest Fenn in the late 1970s before starting her own gallery in 1979. Her first show “New Mexico in Toronto,” in 1978, of artwork by New Mexico artists was envisioned as a traveling show first held in Toronto, Canada. From then on, she has been a force in the Santa Fe contemporary art scene running her gallery in multiple locations in Santa Fe, NM and for a time in New York City, NY. In 1980, her gallery opened at 400 Canyon Road, sharing space with De La Pena Books. In 1994 Durham moved the gallery to a custom studio/gallery space designed by local architect Beverly Spears at Linda Durham’s personal property in Galisteo, NM. From 2002-2004, the Lemmons-Durham Gallery operated in New York with partner Bobbie Lemmons. In 2004, the Gallery returned to Santa Fe, remodeling a gallery space at 1101 Paseo de Peralta and then finally moving to 1807 Second Street in approximately 2009. LDCA Gallery closed permanently in March 2011. As well as presenting regular gallery exhibitions in Santa Fe, LDCA maintained a presence in numerous art fairs in Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, Miami, and Santa Fe. Additionally, LDCA and artists participated in international art fairs such as Art Cologne in Germany, special exhibitions, and benefit shows both abroad and in the United States. Ever energetic, dedicated to her artists and her New Mexico community, Linda Durham is an active participant and supporter in many areas of the Santa Fe arts and cultural scene. Alwasys invloved in the Santa Fe arts community, she was on the SITE Santa Fe Local Advisory Committee, participated in benefit auctions and exhibits, and even ran for Mayor of Santa Fe in 1994. Linda Durham taught workshops on art as investment in Santa Fe, spoke at workshops in Salt Lake City, Utah, and from 2005-2008 taught the class “Contemporary Art Gallery Issues” at the Santa Fe Community College. Her activism was not just local; Linda Durham traveled in 2004 with the CODE PINK (Women for Peace) Delegation on a trip to Bagdad and presented at the Santa Fe Art Institute. She was also part of an UNRWA (United Nations Relief Works Agency) delegation that traveled to Gaza for the occasion of International Women’s Day (2009). She is a self-described human rights advocate, adventurer, and author. Throughout all the travels, moves and collaborations, Linda Durham continues to be a continual advocate for her artists and LDCA remained dedicated to representing New Mexico -based artists. As she says on Visual Art Source, (Linda Durham Contemporary Art - Closed - Visual Art Source) “[w]e have worked and played to create a special spirit here, one that speaks to the importance of Art and Community. We are interested in meaningful dialogue, and original ideas. Our mission, (my mission), is the never-ending search for and rescue of Truth and Beauty”. (https://www.visualartsource.com/index2.php/venue/view/1512-linda-durham-contemporary-art----closed).

Extent

36 Linear Feet (18 Record cartons; 1 archives document box; 6 photo boxes; 4 flat photo boxes; 4 slide boxes; 4 oversized folders)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Linda Durham owned and operated the Linda Durham Contemporary Art (LDCA) Gallery based in Santa Fe, New Mexico from 1979-2011. For over thirty years LDCA represented, promoted, and advocated for contemporary artists from New Mexico in gallery locations in Santa Fe, and for a time in New York City, NY as well as at art fairs and special exhibitions across the United States and in Europe. During these years as gallery owner, Linda Durham taught classes and workshops, promoted her artists, and actively participated in local community art and cultural events, as well as humanitarian activism.

Arrangement

Arranged in 10 Series: 1. Artist Files 2. Gallery Exhibition Materials 3. Gallery operations 4. Community Engagement and Teaching 5. Correspondence 6. Financial Records 7. Guest Books and Calendars 8. Artist Catalogs 9. Linda Durham,Personal 10. Photographs

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Linda Durham, 2012

Bibliography

Durham, Linda. “About Linda Durham”. Linda Durham. https://www.lindadurham.us/about.html
Durham, Linda. Still Moving: A memoir. Santa Fe: Mobius Pathways Press, 2020.
Fischer, Zane and Rani Molla. “A Creative Life” Santa Fe Reporter (sfreporter.com). February 28, 2011. https://www.sfreporter.com/news/coverstories/2011/02/28/a-creative-life/
Abatemarco, Michael. “Reinventing Oneself: Linda Durham Asks What's Next.” Santa Fe New Mexican, February 21, 2021, updated March 19, 2022. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/pasatiempo/books/reinventing-oneself-linda-durham-asks-what-s-next/article_4750b93e-5b3c-11eb-ab99-af50808391e3.html?msclkid=1e4d3c23d09311eca7812b8fbd5ce9b9
Durham, Linda. Art Gallery-Linda Durham Contemporary Art-closed: Visual Art Source. n.d. https://www.visualartsource.com/index2.php/venue/view/1512-linda-durham-contemporary-art----closed