At Frieze New York 2025, New York gallery Gordon Robichaux has dedicated its Focus section booth to the late artist, curator, and dealer Jenni Crain, who died in 2021 at age 30 from COVID-19 complications. The booth features her wood and glass sculptures, a painting, and photographs, coinciding with a two-part exhibition at the gallery's Union Square space that includes a group show of artists Crain championed, such as March Avery. The presentation also realizes Crain's final artwork, a site-responsive basswood lattice, based on her fabrication drawings. Prices for her works range from $6,500 to $36,000.
The tribute matters because it not only honors Crain's own artistic practice—characterized by minimal wood sculptures and wax-rubbed canvases—but also continues her legacy of supporting other artists. Her family has established the Jenni Crain Foundation, which provides small finishing grants to artists, reflecting Crain's own generosity. The gallery owners, Sam Gordon and Jacob Robichaux, have channeled their grief into action, inspired by ACT UP's model of turning loss into advocacy, ensuring that Crain's impact on the art community endures beyond her untimely death.