Bernice Steinbaum is one of the most respected members of the art community in the United States. Gallerist, dealer, curator, juror, speaker and author, Bernice has a reputation for a discerning eye, honest tongue, and a very snappy wardrobe. Watch the trailer.
Over 30 years ago, Bernice broke the mold in Manhattan, opening a gallery in Soho that focused on 50% female artists and 40% artists of color – blazing a trail that eventually earned her a Woman of the Year Award from the National Organization for Women. “I didn’t think that I would impact the world. I wanted to impact myself knowing that I had done the right thing and that perhaps in some way I was making a difference,” says Bernice.
In 2000, after closing the doors of her Soho gallery, she was instrumental in founding the Wynwood Arts District in Miami when she turned a rundown crack house into her eponymous, world-class two-story art gallery.
To this day, Bernice continues to champion emerging artist whose work speaks eloquently about the issues of gender, race, culture and identity. Many of her artists have received awards and accolades from the art world and have gone on the be acquired by museums including the Guggenheim, Smithsonian Institute, Whitney, Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Tate Modern, Museum of Fine Arts, among many others.
Bernice is a woman of great prestige and an impressive background, but what makes her truly unique is the way she sees the world. While an inspiration and an icon in her own right, Bernice shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, she’s ready to add new chapters to her life’s work by promoting and nurturing new, innovative artists in the United States and around the world.
