A Brief History
The Gallery was founded in 1975 as part of Jane Blaffer Owen’s revitalization project of the town.
Born out of the same optimism that allowed houses to move down streets to return to their original locations and reassemble where they had been built but were later deconstructed and scattered, New Harmony in 1975 was experiencing a renewal of the utopian dream that had inspired its founding. This parade of houses slowly rolling down Main Street that occurred in the fall of 1975 on the same day as the New Harmony Gallery opened and the first beams were raised for a “theatre” barn, (only New Harmony was likely to conceive of such a curious occurrence as building a barn for a theatre) is a phenomenon I see as related to New Harmony continual quest to find the “perfect place” to build a better world. The fact that opening contemporary art galleries, having fine dining restaurants, a boutique inn with original art decorating the rooms, gourmet food shops and independent bookstores in a small rural Hoosier outpost in between local banks, drugstores and oil rigs seemed natural, expected by its history, certainly not impossible if not likely.
—John P. Begley
In 1985, the University of Southern Indiana assumed management of New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art as part of Historic New Harmony, encouraging cultural and educational programs.
Happily today the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art continues this search [for continuity and change], still offering artists a place to exhibit their vision for a new world. In the period that has transpired since that October day in 1975 change has been a constant in the evolution of the town, of Historic New Harmony and its residents, old and new. New players, both organizations and people have continued to explore and experiment in this search to be different, new and improved. New Harmony, while an historic site, has remained a living town, using its legacy but probing possibilities to re-invent itself.
—John P. Begley
New Harmony Print Workshop
Conditional to John Begley’s acceptance to be NHGCA’s founding director, was the understanding that he would have the opportunity to establish an artist’s press. The NHPW was a utopian dream that lasted about 8 years. In that time, JP Begley worked with numerous artists including Richard Meier, the architect of the Atheneum (New Harmony’s visitor center).
…forty years later the NHPW dream has become even more dreamlike, scattered and disassembled like old Rappite houses, residing mostly in the closed print drawers, forgotten portfolios and memories of the now scattered artists who came to a lithographic workshop at Tavern and Brewery Streets to escape from the world, to Utopia.
—John P. Begley
New Harmony Gallery Shop
New Harmony Gallery Shop is part of New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art's commitment to supporting artists. The Gallery Shop is adjacent to the gallery and features 80+ artists with works for sale.
We are not accepting unsolicited submissions at this time.
