Lehmann Maupin Gallery - 540 West 26 Street 540 West 26 Street New York City, NY 10001 USA (city map) Send E-mail tel +1 212 - 255 29 23 www.lehmannmaupin.com

In an effort to advance the careers of emerging painters, noted artists Ross Bleckner, Peter Halley and Sue Williams have come together to organize Unframed First Look, an opportunity for the New York City art world to get to know undiscovered talent. Leveraging their substantial connections and those of Art Forum, Index Magazine and the Lehmann Maupin Gallery, the artists will gather noted New York gallery owners, collectors and critics to have a "first look" at the artists whose work will be galvanizing the art world in the months and years to come.

Participation will be open to painters in the United States and around the world with the jury (Bleckner, Halley and Williams) selecting the top 30-40 artists to be included in a salon exhibition at Lehmann Maupin. At the opening night cocktail reception, a prize of $5,000 will be awarded to the jury's choice for the best work submitted. Submission guidelines can be viewed online at www.acria.org/supporting/supporting_benefit_firstlook.html .

All works included in the exhibition will be sold to benefit the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA), a prominent AIDS research and treatment education center. For more than a decade, ACRIA has been contributing to the FDA approval of new AIDS therapies and providing people living with AIDS with vital treatment information. More than 100 top contemporary artists (Jennifer Bartlett, Eric Fischl, Richard Serra, Kiki Smith and others) have supported ACRIA's efforts over the years by contributing to the agency's annual art sales.