Heft, a new contemporary art gallery founded by artist and curator Adam Heft Berninger, will officially open its doors in New York City’s Lower East Side on Wednesday April 23rd, 2025.
The gallery marks the evolution of Berninger’s acclaimed curatorial venture, Tender, into a permanent exhibition space dedicated to artists pioneering new systems of artistic expression and advancing the cultural conversation in a rapidly evolving world. The inaugural exhibition, Truth or will feature leading and emerging voices in the generative art movement, including Mario Klingemann, Katie Morris, and Michael Mandiberg. Truth or will also showcase a new work from a groundbreaking collaboration between world renowned Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky and Alkan Avc?o?lu.
“Opening Heft is a natural evolution of what we started with Tender—partnering with artists who are building new systems and pushing the generative art movement forward. This gallery space will allow us to create a regular rhythm of programming that invites a broader audience to find fresh new works in formats of all kinds. Our opening show, Truth or, will bring together a vibrant mix of artists who are engaging the critical themes of this day. This show marks the beginning of a very exciting first year for us.”
Adam Heft Berninger, Founder and Director
Presenting art for and by this era, Heft partners with artists using generative systems to respond to the complexity of the rapidly evolving world. With the launch of its inaugural physical space, Heft will serve as a critical proponent for a new era of art-making and the artists who are leading a new avant-garde. Heft’s artist-first approach ensures that each exhibition and project foregrounds the ideas and conceptual rigor driving contemporary artistic discourse. Rooted in New York’s Lower East Side, Heft is committed to contributing to the neighborhood’s cultural vitality through accessible and ambitious programming, including community initiatives that aim to engage collectors at a deeper level with events running into extended hours each Wednesday evening, and more. Nearly half of the works in this first group show will signal a coming solo presentation of that artist’s related works in the coming year.
On view through May 10th, the Truth or show considers how the contours of reality expand under the pressure of intangible forces and distorted representations that shape our world. Using the tools of our time, the artists in this group exhibition—Kevin Abosch, Gretchen Andrew, Kevin Esherick, Emi Kusano, Fingacode, Margaret Murphy, Roope Rainisto, Jason Salavon, Luke Shannon, and the artist trio Obvious, among others—navigate a new space between expressionism, realism, and abstraction to translate emotion, memory, and belief into poetic artworks that stretch the limits of recognition. What connects the artists in this exhibition is not a shared medium but a shared motive: to develop new visual systems for reinterpreting perception and revealing unseen aspects of reality. These works are not only mediated by machine vision; they are shaped through dynamic feedback loops between the creator, system,
and audience.
The opening of Heft signals a transformation from the project-based initiatives held online and at fairs like Untitled Art and Paris Photo, into a dedicated, curatorially driven gallery with a clear mission: to highlight the most compelling and innovative artists of our time—working at the nexus of traditional and emerging art forms.
Berninger, a RISD graduate with a lifelong art practice and extensive experience in digital and creative technologies, brings his experience spanning collaborations with MoMA, Public Art Fund, Paddle8, UOVO, the Gardner Museum, and Google Art Project—positioning Heft at the nexus of traditional and emerging art forms.
Truth Or, April 23rd – May 10th, HEFT gallery
300 Broome St, New York, NY. Opening Reception Wednesday, April 23rd, 6:30PM – 9PM RSVP essential: HeftGallery@fitzandco.com
About Heft
Heft is a contemporary gallery in New York City that presents artists who use systems to create meaningful new works. Partnering with a fluid roster of artists, the gallery shows a wide spectrum of work, emphasizing inventive uses of traditional materials, memorable experiences, and provocative artworks that are rapidly gaining recognition for advancing the generative art movement.
Heft collaborates closely with pioneers and groundbreaking emerging artists to elevate their practice. These artists engage urgent cultural questions using the tools of their time— algorithms, systems, artificial intelligence, and other generative processes—to show broader audiences what this medium is and what it can become.
With over 50 projects presented under Heft (formerly Tender), the gallery continues to engage a global collector base and participate in leading international fairs, such as Untitled Art Miami, Paris Photo, and Contemporary Istanbul, while presenting monthly exhibitions from its Lower East Side location in New York. The gallery is a 2500-square-foot street-level space with 18’ ceilings and furnishings by Klein.
