Jerry Saltz Reminisces About the 90s NYC Art Scene

In this reflective episode of All of It, New York Magazine's chief art critic Jerry Saltz looks back on the electric, chaotic, and transformative 1990s New York art scene. He recounts his early days as an art critic—self-taught, a former truck driver, and deeply immersed in a world where hundreds of new artists, galleries, and experimental practices emerged in the wake of the 1980s' dominant, male-centric art establishment. Saltz vividly describes pivotal moments: Anselm Kiefer’s monumental 1993 show at Marion Goodwin Gallery, which he saw as the symbolic end of an era; Matthew Barney’s raw, visceral debut that left him awestruck; and the intimate, DIY culture of shows in lofts, hotel rooms, and galleries like Exit Art. He reflects on the era’s accessibility, the thrill of discovery, and the sense that anyone—regardless of background—could make their mark. As the conversation turns to today’s art world, Saltz expresses nostalgia for the critical fire of the 90s, lamenting the shift toward promotion over critique, and celebrates the authenticity and risk-taking that defined the decade’s creative spirit.