A group of eight galleries participating in the Independent art fair have been described as “re-enacting the Breuer,” reflecting a connection to the iconic Whitney Museum building designed by Marcel Breuer. This framing acknowledges the lasting influence of the space, though also the impossibility of fully returning to its original context.

Among the exhibitors, James Fuentes Gallery is presenting two of Al Held’s large-scale Alphabet paintings, “T” (1965) and “Upside Down Triangle” (1966). Both works were previously displayed at Held’s 1974 Whitney retrospective in the Breuer building. These paintings reimagine fragments of letters as substantial geometric forms and serve as a direct historical link to that period.

Diane Rosenstein Gallery is showing a survey of Eleanor Antin’s conceptual and performance-based work. Antin, who preceded artists like Cindy Sherman, explored themes of identity and gender through self-photography and personas. Notable performances include “The Ballerina” (1978) at the Whitney and her participation in the 1989 Whitney Biennial. Her works at Independent suggest a spiritual homage to the Breuer’s legacy.

Other presentations focus on artists who had major retrospectives at the Whitney or the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the Breuer building. Among these are Lucio Fontana and Andy Warhol. Warhol, who attended the Breuer’s opening in 1966, famously covered its concrete walls with his signature purple and yellow cow-print wallpaper in 1971. At Independent, his foundation is exhibiting earlier line drawings that contrast with the more vibrant later work.

The enduring association with Warhol is underscored by recent market activity: Sotheby’s auctioned his portrait of Brigitte Bardot at the Breuer in 2023, achieving a sale price of $24.8 million. This transaction highlights both the continuing vitality of Warhol’s work and the ongoing significance of the Breuer building as a locus for modern and contemporary art.