IT’S ALL IN WITH FRIENDS INDEED

Dedicated to artists with a singular vision, the San Francisco gallery forges friendships in Dallas.

INTERVIEW BY ADAM GREEN

Housed in a self-described “absurdly small experimental vitrine,” San Francisco’s Friends Indeed, founded by Micki Meng, is making friends everywhere. Dallas Art Fair and TWO x TWO are a couple of the gallery’s companions in art. Art advisor Adam Green catches up with Meng here:

Adam Green (AG): Micki, I’m so excited to chat with you. Friends Indeed is a really special gallery! You show so many exciting artists, and the energy around your program is palpable. For readers who are new to Friends Indeed, how would you describe your program? Micki Meng (MM): Before I started the gallery, I had an institutional background and also founded an experimental nonprofit serving artists, where I spent a lot of time researching how to best support their vision. I was thankful to have the mentorship of Laura Owens, Franklin Sirmans, Susanne Ghez, and others on our board. When I started Friends Indeed, I really wanted to continue that ethos. We are a gallery-cum-institution that focuses on equity in the canon. We not only present pioneering artists of our generation, but our aim is to support their longevity. I think it’s important to grow with my generation, so we work with a lot of peer artists and next-generation collectors and advise them to get involved with their local museums. We are also deeply invested in activist issues and are strong advocates for climate action. We are a carbon-negative organization. AG: You have a really great eye and a talent for identifying artists early in their careers and helping them grow. What are some of the things you look for when meeting with rising artists? MM: We work with artists who have a singular vision. The most important thing is that we vibe and work well together. When we commit to an artist, we’re all in. The artists we partner with are like family. I always tell the artists we work with that this is a long game, and we want to be doing this for the rest of our lives. We not only place works with surgical precision, but we are committed to building a healthy ecosystem of support and are dedicated to their vision and success. AG: The gallery is based in San Francisco. What is the art scene like there at the moment? Is the tech industry finally beginning to embrace the art world? MM: It’s a special community, similar to Dallas, that has a much deeper commitment to art. There is virtually no culture of flipping. The tech industry has always embraced art; it’s just a bit more hidden, non-mainstream, and experimental. Collectors here don’t pay attention to trends and are highly specific. There are many activist-collectors. Some of the biggest collectors and patrons come from tech, and it’s been that way since the ’80s. Two of the most prominent video collections in the world are based in the Bay Area (and have origins in tech): Kadist art foundation and the Kramlich Collection, for example. AG: It was incredibly generous of you and the artist Lauren Quin to donate a painting to TWO x TWO last year, and we’re thrilled that the gallery and the artist Livien Yin will be donating a painting this year. There are so many

benefit events throughout the year and artists are often asked to contribute artworks to them. Why have you and your artists chosen to participate in TWO x TWO? How is it different from other benefits? MM: Livien graduated from Stanford’s MFA program in the middle of the pandemic, and we were able to have her first solo show in San Francisco in January of 2022. We introduced her work to an international audience, and it was very well received. We sold out before we even opened, including to two museums. I connected her with Larry Ossei-Mensah, who put her in a couple shows; she got into Skowhegan; the Cantor will be showing her painting later this year; and she’s moving to New York this fall after being selected for a very notable art residency. Everything has happened this year. Livien’s figurative paintings are incredibly researched and based off of real or fictional accounts of Asian diasporic history. A large work from this Paper Sun series will be auctioned at TWO x TWO in October to benefit amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art. AG: You’re all-in on Dallas. You’re also going to be participating in the Dallas Art Fair next year. What excites you about Dallas? Why is it a priority for you to further embed yourself in the Dallas art community? MM: I was born and raised in Texas, and Dallas feels like an extension of home. There are world-class collections here, and the community is so dedicated to art and providing an ecosystem where artists can thrive. You can’t find better patrons-collectors. They raise the bar. AG: I know it’s several months away, but what artists will you be showing at the Dallas Art Fair next year? MM: We are presenting a booth with our friends from Grimm Gallery with Gabriella Boyd, Francesca Mollett, and Rosalind Nashashibi; we’re excited to showcase London-based artists who are making a big impression on the international scene.

About Adam Green: With over fifteen years of experience in the art industry, Adam Green founded Adam Green Art Advisory in 2016. Adam advises new and experienced collectors on contemporary art acquisitions and collection strategies. He also locates and brokers important contemporary artworks. You can follow him on Instagram at @adamgreenartadvisory. P

This page: Artist Lauren Quin and Micki Meng at TWO x TWO for AIDS and Art. Photograph by Bruno. Opposite, from top: Livien Yin: Ka-La-fonne-a at Friends Indeed Gallery; Livien Yin, Thirsty No. 1, 2022, oil on linen, 54 x 66 in. Courtesy of the artist and Friends Indeed. 214.649.4375 jeanne.milligan@alliebeth.com jeannemillligan.com