Bill Powers

Bill Powers, owner of Half Gallery, was able to safely showcase his artists live at the height of the New York City lockdown through his innovative group show, “Under Glass.” The show utilized the floor-to-ceiling windows of his East Village gallery to give passersby on the street a view of the artworks inside. Artists provided a short audio clip explaining the piece, which could be accessed from the gallery website. Viewers were thus given an immersive and informative gallery experience without breaking quarantine protocols.   

On reopening in 2021, Half Gallery has had a banner year, with an Anna Park exhibition that resulted in four museum donations. The life of the gallery is now nearly back to normal. “The only thing you’re really missing is energy from the clustering of an opening,” Powers told Observer. He is hopeful for the future of the art world post-pandemic, and excited by the market’s powerful craving for new and emerging artists. “When we endure a collective trauma it’s hard to stay in the sadness forever. Often you see a euphoric moment after that, and I think we’re experiencing a little of that in the art world right now.”