Photography by Nadia Lee Cohen

Jeffrey Deitch

FOUNDER, JEFFREY DEITCH GALLERY

WHAT IS YOUR CALLING CARD?

My buffalo horn eyeglasses that I designed myself 35 years ago. That is how people recognize me.

WHEN YOU WERE LITTLE, WHAT WERE YOU KNOWN FOR?

My mother praised me for not “frittering away” my  lawn-mowing and snow-shoveling earnings on books and records. Now, one of my biggest expenditures is art books.

“Some people assume that art dealers like me are only in it for the money. I often have to spend more than I earn to present our exhibitions.”

WHAT’S SOMETHING PEOPLE GET WRONG ABOUT YOU?

Some people assume that art dealers like me are only in it for the money. I often have to spend more than I earn to present our exhibitions.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SURPRISED YOURSELF IN YOUR WORK?

I was surprised how challenging it was to be a museum director when I was at MOCA. Being a museum director is a much harder job than I would have imagined.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF IN YOUR INDUSTRY? LESS OF?

More fun, less pretension.

WHAT’S ONE BOOK, WORK OF ART, ALBUM, OR FILM THAT GOT YOU THROUGH AN IMPORTANT MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE?

Man Ray’s Self Portrait inspired me with his account of an artistic approach to life.

NAME AN INFLUENCE OF YOURS THAT MIGHT SURPRISE PEOPLE.

Not sure that these names will surprise people: My most important mentors were artists Sol LeWitt and Scott Burton, and art historians and curators Bill Rubin and Robert Rosenblum.

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