Bill Lowe Gallery has officially approved the appointment of Donovan Johnson as Executive Director to continue the legacy of its legendary founder, who passed in December 2021, and to champion the gallery’s mission. For the past decade, Mr. Johnson worked alongside William “Bill” Edward Lowe as his chief assistant, directing exhibit operations and sales.
Bill Lowe founded the gallery in Atlanta, Georgia in 1989, and he quickly elevated it to become a driving force for contemporary art in the Southern United States and beyond. His infectious sense of humor and humanity made even the most lofty and innovative works accessible to all.
Over 30 years, Bill Lowe Gallery hosted historic exhibitions of artists that demonstrated how the gallery engaged the art world on a national and international scale. The works of luminaries such as Ida Applebrog, Dale Chihuly, Michael David, Thornton Dial, Markus Lűpertz, Todd Murphy, and Jimmy O’Neal have graced the walls of his gallery, signifying Mr. Lowe’s ability to present museum-quality exhibitions in Atlanta.
Bill Lowe also established a unique “concierge approach” to gallery management by providing a curatorial service to clients that can only be accomplished because of the gallery’s extensive collection, ability to manage complicated logistics, and due to the trust and reputation it achieved with artists and collectors alike.
“As Bill’s right hand for a decade, Johnson reaffirms the gallery’s commitment to the profoundly spiritual nature of visual language and the role it plays in our daily lives and society as a whole,” said Artist Michael David. “Witnessing Donovan’s leadership during this unimaginable period of transition, his ability to understand and, perhaps more importantly, inhabit Bill’s vision, honors the gallery’s past and acts as a bridge to its future.”
Bill Lowe Gallery is renowned for curating art for major collectors across the nation, from Manhattan and The Hamptons to Malibu and across the south. The gallery possesses an enviable client list, boasting titans of business, technology, as well as entertainment industry stars like Elton John, Halle Berry, LA Reid, Mariska Hargitay, Jeezy and sports greats like Marcus Allen and Sugar Ray Leonard.
With this new appointment, Mr. Johnson has become one of the youngest – and one of very few African Americans – to helm an internationally renowned gallery in the United States. As Mr. Lowe’s right hand, Mr. Johnson worked on behalf of private clients in New York and Atlanta; advocating for blue-chip works on the secondary market. Mr. Johnson brings with him over a decade of commercial art gallery experience in artist management, exhibition development, and art sales at world-class contemporary art galleries in New York (with Lisa Cooley) and in Atlanta (Hathaway Contemporary).
“It was always Bill’s intention to build a program that would survive him. He was a visionary, but he saw the gallery’s purpose as bigger than any one person,” said Anne Archer Dennington, executive director of Flux Projects. “Working alongside Bill for the last decade was the perfect training for Donovan to follow in his footsteps. Bill was always teaching, and I know he had complete faith in Donovan as his successor.”
Implementation of the gallery’s succession plan includes the appointment of Kate Chesnutt as Assistant Director. Ms. Chesnutt brings a decade of experience in international marketing and respected work as an interior designer.
The highly regarded Ms. Judith Barber has been appointed as Director of Development for Bill Lowe Gallery. Ms. Barber is currently a board member of The Hambidge Center, and she brings over 30 years of experience in the management of noteworthy arts institutions.
Mr. John Lowe, one of the founder’s siblings, will continue his role directing business operations, which he has done for the past 12 years. “We have great confidence in Donovan’s ability to carry on the legacy and mission of the gallery. For many years, he has proved more than capable of managing the many aspects of running this business and maintaining the delicate balance required to lead in the art world.”
