Suzanne Fiol
5/9/60 – 10/5/09
Founder & Artistic Director
ISSUE Project Room
Suzanne Fiol was an extraordinary spirit, a force of nature and a prominent figure in the visual and performing arts. As both a visionary artist and the founder of ISSUE Project Room, she created one of New York City’s premiere destinations for experimental culture and avant-garde performing arts. A legacy that will resonate for decades to come.
A native of New York City, Suzanne studied at Antioch College and completed her BFA at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, then returned home to acquire her MFA from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.
As a photographer, Suzanne has exhibited nationally and internationally.
Her work was represented for several years by Ezra Mack and has appeared in many publications in the U.S. and abroad. Her photos can be found in many private collections and belong to permanent collections at The Art Institute of Chicago, The Brooklyn Museum, The Queens Museum and The Milwaukee Art Museum.
In 1985, Suzanne became Director of Sales at Light Gallery, NYC before launching the Donald Wren Gallery, NYC where in 1987 she was named Director. She moved on to become the Sales Director at the Marcuse Pfeifer Gallery and the Brent Sikkema Gallery. During the fall of 2001, she met Jan-Willem Dikkers and Martynka Wawzyniak. Together they launched Issue Management, a photo agency that represents well-known art photographers such as Jack Pierson, Mitch Epstein, Richard Kern, Renee Cox and Marilyn Minter.
In February 2003, Suzanne founded ISSUE Project Room, an art and performance space on East 6th Street in the East Village. Shortly thereafter, ISSUE migrated to an iconic and beautiful silo in Brooklyn along the banks of the Gowanus Canal. Now located at the Old American Can Factory, ISSUE Project Room continues its mission as a performing arts center that provides artists and musicians with a dynamic environment in which to create innovative and challenging work. ArtForum has said, “Suzanne Fiol wanted to make a space for music, performance, and readings in a spirit of love and commitment and created one of the warmest and best-sounding venues in New York.” To date, ISSUE has produced 6 years of programming and has become one of the most beloved and important showcases for experimental culture in New York City.
On October 5th, 2009, Suzanne Fiol lost her courageous battle with cancer. She was loved deeply and will be missed terribly.
Below, a selection of articles about Suzanne’s incredible spirit and vision, and the life she dedicated to creating a permanent home for experimental arts in New York:
