ISSUE Project Room is pleased to announce the Suzanne Fiol Curatorial Fellowship, a new initiative supporting emerging curators, launched during ISSUE’s Fall 2016 Season. Named for ISSUE’s visionary founder Suzanne Fiol, the program aims to mentor curatorial fellows by providing them with financial, technical and marketing support as they work to cultivate, incubate and present innovative, time-based music and performance projects.
In its first year, the Suzanne Fiol Curatorial Fellowship supports one emerging curator in realizing ambitious new projects that will significantly transform their own artistic practice, move their work in new directions, and enable them to gain exposure to a broader audience. The fellowship is supported partially by programming grants and donors. To apply for the fellowship, prospective recipients are first nominated by either a member of ISSUE’s Artistic Advisory Board or a curatorial peer. The curatorial fellow is chosen by a selection committee comprised of Artistic Advisory Board members, curators and artists.
Suzanne Fiol was an extraordinary spirit, a force of nature and a prominent figure in the visual and performing arts worlds. As both a visionary artist and the founder of ISSUE, she created one of New York City’s premiere destinations for experimental culture and avant-garde performing arts— a legacy that will resonate for decades to come.
A native of New York City, Suzanne studied at Antioch College and completed her BFA at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago before acquiring her MFA from the Pratt Institute. As a photographer Suzanne exhibited nationally and internationally. Her work was represented for several years by Ezra Mack and has appeared in numerous publications in the U.S. and abroad. Her photos can be found in many private and permanent collections including The Art Institute of Chicago, The Brooklyn Museum, The Queens Museum and The Milwaukee Art Museum. In 1985, Suzanne became Director of Sales at Light Gallery, NYC before launching the Donald Wren Gallery, NYC where in 1987 she was named Director. She moved on to become the Sales Director at the Marcuse Pfeifer Gallery and the Brent Sikkema Gallery. During the fall of 2001, she met Jan-Willem Dikkers and Martynka Wawzyniak. Together they launched Issue Management, a photo agency that represents art photographers such as Jack Pierson, Mitch Epstein, Richard Kern, Renee Cox and Marilyn Minter. In February 2003 utilizing an empty raw space beneath Issue Management’s offices, Suzanne founded ISSUE Project Room. Evolving through various homes and phases, it quickly became a sought after performance center providing artists and musicians such as Marc Ribot, Kim Gordon, Elliott Sharp, Eric Bogosian, Alan Licht, Rhys Chatham, Henry Grimes, M.M. Serra, William Basinski, Grace Paley and numerous others with a dynamic environment in which to create innovative and challenging work. “Suzanne Fiol wanted to make a space for music, performance, and readings in a spirit of love and commitment and created one of the warmest and best-sounding venues in New York.” (Artforum, 2008)
On October 5th, 2009, Suzanne Fiol lost her courageous battle with cancer.