The most American of Parisian galleries, located in the heart of the Bastille district, dorothy’s gallery takes you on a journey through America, the world and the subjects that bring us together.
Not just a gallery but also the American Center for the Arts and not just American but global artists and global subjects.
dorothy’s gallery is…
Engagement
Human, social, environmental and political questions are at the center of the gallery's events and give rise to discussions on subjects that impact us.
EXPLORATION
Music, cinema, dance, theater, dedications, debates and video-conferences led by artists, activists, personalities ... live from the United States, France and the world.
OPENENSS
Our job is to bring people together. An invitation to discussion and acceptance of all. Walking in the gallery, attending an event is an unspoken invitation to meet others, express yourself and embrace new ideas.
ACCEPTANCE
Open to all levels of artistic ability, the passion of beginners has always been invited as well the respect for the established artists. The artist’s chosen over the years were selected not by their standing in the art world but rather for their engagement, originality & passion
it is an unconventional hybrid art venue. Its 130m² host various rotating art exhibitions as well as providing a forum for cultural and political exchanges. Despite France’s often voiced hostility towards American cultural, these have undeniably leaned upon and infused one another, to such an extent that it is surprising that so few places exists which recognize and celebrate this cultural entanglement.
Dorothy’s Gallery brings together emerging artists of contemporary art – writers, painters, sculptures, photographers, and many others – who are interested in this ‘French American hybridity’.
The gallery’s young staff are always welcoming, and offer a fresh perspective and example of the philosophy of hybridity that they gallery exudes. Meanwhile Dorothy herself is never far away, her voice and influence felt throughout the place. And it is perhaps her words that really encapsulate the essence of the place:
“I want a gallery with a strong personality, informal, friendly, democratic. Art should be accessible to all with appropriate cultural mediation”. Dorothy Polley
Event Venue Rental
dorothy’s gallery also offers tailored rentals in an exceptional location for professional and private events (cocktail dinners, press evenings, product presentations, birthdays, weddings, baptisms …).
Meet Dorothy
I wanted my gallery to include interaction and education, more like the school I had founded on arriving in Paris.
A gallery where visitors could sit and relax, get to know each other, deepen their appreciation of art in all its forms, participate in the social cultural and political events, and discover the traditions and history of many different countries.
Each exposition- event was unique:
- Afghan women through film, and photography
- Chile and life under Pinochet, through sculpture street art and cinéma.
- Woodstock through paintings, videos, and the music of Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix and the American icons of the 60″s
- Korean and Japanese art and traditions– tea ceremonies, martial arts,
- Native American (amerindian) art and traditions through ritual dancing and poems
- Hatian artists fashion shows, with sculpture and naïf paintings from the Hatian countrysides & villages
The gallery’s mission was to present the world of art, culture and politics which could only be discovered by going beyond traditional vernisages and art exhibits.
The social- political events also focused on
- Prison life and art created by inmates from all over the world,
- Civil rights history in the USA, the elections and political débates from 2008 to 2016, projections, speakers and conferences in collaboration with Democrats Abroad from France and. England.
- The Barack Obama expos and their program of social political events cemented the image of an engaged Parisian-American gallery featuring artwork from 74 international artists as well as the team of artists from Charlie Hebdo.
C’est qui Kennedy?
Un peu d'histoire ...
American Center for Students and Artists
Fondé à Paris dans les années trente, l’American Center for Students and Artists était une institution privée de promotion de la culture américaine en France. Installé au 261, boulevard Raspail de 1934 jusqu’en 1987, puis dans un bâtiment construit par Franck O. Gehry en 1994 dans le quartier de Bercy, il a accueilli les plus grands artistes américains, écrivains, peintres, danseurs, musiciens et représentait un haut lieu de culture associé à l’idée de promotion des avant-gardes, de Merce Cunningham à John Cage.
Après son déménagement à Bercy, il a été dirigé par Marie-Claude Beaud, première directrice non américaine de cette institution. Malgré une programmation qui invitait le vidéaste Bill Viola, le Prix Nobel de littérature Toni Morisson, le musicien Max Roach, l’American Center souffrait d’une installation prématurée dans un quartier qui était en chantier et il a dû fermer en février 1996 face aux difficultés financières qu’il rencontrait.
Today ...
Today the space is managed in partnership with Olivier Sultan Gallerie Art-Z. Art-Z is a place for artistic exchanges and exhibitions on contemporary Africa.
Works from past exhibits are still available for purchase at the gallery in Paris by appointment. Select works will also be made available for purchase via this website in 2021. If you are interested in a piece on the site please contact us.