Brian D. Butler

Butler was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from UC Berkeley where he studied art history.

In 1991, Butler began Brain Multiples to produce and exhibit artists’ editions. He financed, edited, published and distributed artists’ multiples, books and video editions. Rather than representing artists, Butler chose to collaborate with them on projects about which he was particularly enthusiastic. Among the artists whose editions have been produced by Brain Multiples are John Baldessari, AA Bronson, Meg Cranston, Gretchen Faust, Rachel Khedoori, Paul McCarthy, Jorge Pardo, Jason Rhoades, Thaddeus Strode, Diana Thater, and Rirkrit Tiravanija.

On April 29, 1992, Butler opened the 1301 Gallery in Santa Monica, California. The purpose of 1301 was to present the work of artists, particularly those based in Los Angeles, in world-class one-person and group exhibitions. The opening exhibition of 1301 was Raw Material by Kate Ericson and Mel Ziegler. Subsequent exhibitions at 1301 included a presentation of Jason Rhoades’ work, a group show featuring the work of Meg Cranston, Jorge Pardo, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Lincoln Tobier, and Sarah Seager, and Into the Lapse, a presentation over one month which showed video works of over thirty artists.

In 1996, 1301 became 1301PE, standing for Projects and Editions. In 1998, 1301PE moved from Santa Monica to its current location{{cite web|url=http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/news/krygier/krygier8-10-00.asp |title=Magazine News - Hot in L.A |publisher=Artnet.com |date=2000-01-01 |accessdate=2013-06-14}} on the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles. The new location of the gallery welcomed the experimentation and smaller side projects of many internationally renowned artists.{{cite web |author=1301PE Posted on: October 27, 2011 |url=http://foryourart.com/2011/10/1301pe/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615093928/http://foryourart.com/2011/10/1301pe/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-06-15 |title=1301PE |publisher=ForYourArt |date=2013-06-09 |accessdate=2013-06-14 }} 1301PE presented the critically acclaimed exhibition Together again like never before: the complete poster work of Michael Asher and Martin Kippenberger, and the first presentation of the sole surviving member of General Idea AA Bronson’s work Felix, June 5, 1994, which shows Felix Partz, one of Bronson’s partners in the collective, on his deathbed having just succumbed to AIDS related illness.

Between 2005 and 2008 Butler took over as director of ARTSPACE{{cite web|url=http://www.artspace.org.nz/ |title=Artspace |publisher=Artspace |accessdate=2013-06-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508234151/http://www.artspace.org.nz/ |archivedate=2013-05-08 }} in Auckland, New Zealand. While at ARTSPACE, Butler established an endowment and helped found a publishing arm of the gallery called Clouds. With the project Speculation,{{cite web |url=http://www.aaa.org.hk/Collection/Details/23643 |title=Speculation Brian BUTLER | Asia Art Archive |publisher=Aaa.org.hk |date=2012-06-05 |accessdate=2013-06-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235436/http://www.aaa.org.hk/Collection/Details/23643 |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }} Butler curated an exhibition for the 52nd Venice Biennale in the format of a book. He selected seven artists who in turn selected thirty artists to present a collection of their works.

In 2008, Butler returned to Los Angeles, where he continues to oversee 1301PE’s exhibition program. Butler and 1301PE{{cite web|url=http://www.contemporaryartdaily.com/tag/1301pe/ |title=1301PE |publisher=Contemporary Art Daily |date=|accessdate=2013-06-14}} have represented such internationally acclaimed artists as Fiona Banner,{{cite web|url=http://fionabanner.com/ |title=Fiona Banner |publisher=Fiona Banner |date=|accessdate=2013-06-14}} of the Young British Artists, MacArthur Fellows{{cite web|url=http://www.macfound.org/ |title=MacArthur Foundation |publisher=Macfound.org |date=|accessdate=2013-06-14}} Uta Barth{{cite web|url=http://www.macfound.org/videos/370/ |title=Conceptual Photographer Uta Barth, 2012 MacArthur Fellow – MacArthur Foundation |publisher=Macfound.org |date=2012-10-02 |accessdate=2013-06-14}} and Jorge Pardo,{{cite web|url=http://www.macfound.org/videos/45/ |title=Jorge Pardo, 2010 MacArthur Fellow – MacArthur Foundation |publisher=Macfound.org |date=2010-09-24 |accessdate=2013-06-14}} Jack Goldstein,{{cite web|url=http://www.jackgoldstein-artist.com/ |title=Jack Goldstein |publisher=Jackgoldstein-artist.com |date=2003-03-14 |accessdate=2013-06-14}} Philippe Parreno,{{cite web |url=http://www.airdeparis.com/parreno.htm |title=Philippe PARRENO |publisher=Airdeparis.com |accessdate=2013-06-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530200156/http://www.airdeparis.com/parreno.htm |archivedate=2013-05-30 }} Jessica Stockholder,{{cite web|url=http://www.jessicastockholder.info/ |title=Jessica Stockholder - Site Related Installations, Sculpture, Writing + Video |publisher=Jessicastockholder.info |date=|accessdate=2013-06-14}} Diana Thater,{{cite web|url=http://www.thaterstudio.com/ |title=Diana Thater Studio |publisher=Thaterstudio.com |date=2013-05-30 |accessdate=2013-06-14}} Rirkrit Tiravanija, Pae White and Paul Winstanley.{{cite web |url=http://www.paulwinstanley.com/ |title=Home |website=paulwinstanley.com}} Emerging artists whom the gallery represents include Jan Albers, Fiona Connor, Kirsten Everberg, Jorge Mendez Blake, Blake Rayne, SUPERFLEX{{cite web|url=http://www.superflex.net/ |title=Superflex |publisher=Superflex |date=|accessdate=2013-06-14}} and Kerry Tribe.

Butler has been a committee member of Angel Art Auction benefiting Project Angel Food{{cite web |url=http://www.angelartauction.com/index.php?mode=gallery§ion_id=1 |title=Angel Art - Auction Lots & Event Info |publisher=Angelartauction.com |date=2013-04-23 |accessdate=2013-06-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515225336/http://www.angelartauction.com/index.php?mode=gallery§ion_id=1 |archive-date=2013-05-15 |url-status=dead }} and the Pasadena Art Alliance.{{cite web|url=http://pasadenaartalliance.org/ |title=Welcome to the Pasadena Art Alliance |publisher=Pasadenaartalliance.org |date=2013-05-11 |accessdate=2013-06-14}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.1301pe.com/ 1301PE]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120825045459/http://notesonlooking.com/2012/06/brian-butler-of-1301pe-on-the-conversation-on-art-fairs-exiting-and-re-entering-the-art-world-and-where-the-name-comes-from/ Brian Butler interview on the Conversation]
• [http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/1759433/playing-favourites-with-brian-butler Brian Butler interview on Radio New Zealand's Kim Hill Show]

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Category:1961 births

Category:Living people