David Howe is an artist, entrepreneur, and businessman, in New York City. He has had multiple careers, from his early work in cinema, to leading an investment firm for over 30 years, to more than 15 years as an artist. He is also founder of not-for-profit gallery 601 Artspace in New York City, and served as Board Chair of Art21 for 16 years until 2021. 

 

Howe has investigated hierarchies and relationships of power, drawing on his experience as an investor, and has been concerned with the meaning of freedom, and in particular the conflicting human needs for both freedom and stability. His work deals with this elemental contradiction--humankind’s never-ending oscillation between open and closed systems--touching on, among other things, totalitarianism and democracy, religion, and colonialism.

 

His work is conceptually based, usually requires extensive research, and is realized across multiple media. He started with photography, but more recently he has concentrated in sculpture and installation, utilizing some video as well. His projects often begin with a literary or anecdotal reference. For instance, an image from Camus led to the Red Tents, and the Concrete Cathedral evolved from a childhood story told by the Prime Minister of Albania.

 

In 2021 he started a large painting project, based on North Korean propaganda paintings and focusing on Silicon Valley mogul Mark Zuckerberg as the central all-powerful figure. He uses a "factory" system modeled on North Korea's giant painting studios in Pyongyang, and expects to focus more on painting going forward.