NEW YORK, NY.- This September, Silverlens will plant its flag with a gallery space in New York for the first time, shedding light on an underrepresented population of artists from southeast Asia’s 11 countries with rich diversity, culture, and history.

The new gallery—a 2,500 square-foot space with 20-foot ceilings located on the ground floor at 505 W 24th Street in Chelsea—will open this September 8th with inaugural exhibitions by artists Martha Atienza and Yee I-Lann. The trans-continental move from Manila to New York signifies the gallery’s growth (which started in Isa’s apartment in 2004) and the need for more visibility around southeast Asian artists. Isa and Rachel see the New York space as the bridge that connects the gap between “outsider” artists and the mainstream contemporary art dialogue.

Silverlens, who represents artists such as James Clar, Maria Taniguchi, Mit Jai Inn, and Pacita Abad, is known for its institutional collaborations, art consultancy, and exhibition programming including art fairs and gallery partnerships. Silverlens's continuing efforts to transcend borders across art communities in Asia have earned it recognition from both artists and collectors as one of the leading contemporary art galleries in Southeast Asia. Silverlens artists are already making major moves: Yee I-Lann’s installation at Art Basel Switzerland was acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne), Pacita Abad is getting her due with a major US retrospective at the Walker Art Center in 2023, and Martha Atienza will receive her first US solo exhibition with the gallery this fall.

The gallery will participate in The Armory Show this September with works by Mit Jai Inn, Pow Martinez, and Maria Taniguchi. Plus, Isa and Rachel plan to activate the NY space with both gallery-curated and curator-led exhibitions, along with artist talks, panel discussions, film screenings, and events.