Martje More

Martje More is a well-known gallerist from Buffalo, New York. Daughter of famous New York artist, Martha Visser’t Hooft, More has always been surrounded by the art community. Although her mother put her paints away during More’s childhood, she knew of her mother’s talent and grew to appreciate it as she aged. Her family was well-off and familiar with the art scene in Buffalo. Her father was on the board of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and her mother taught children’s classes there as well for a brief period of time. More’s family and the Knox family were good friends. Although her mother did eventually begin to paint again after her father built her a studio off of their bedroom of their house on Cleveland Avenue, More never found much interest in her mother’s work, and never watched her paint.

It was not until the early 1950’s that More became more interested in contemporary art. At this time, she was enrolled as a freshman at Sarah Lawrence College. Surprisingly, More never took an art history course, but took interest in contemporary art after taking a course called “Art Today”, which focused on contemporary art of the time period. Since Sarah Lawrence was located so close to New York City, More took this wonderful opportunity to visit all of the top art galleries of the time in New York City. She only stayed at Sara Lawrence College for one year.

After her first year of college, Martje More was invited to go to Europe with her grandfather, Chauncey Hamlin, who was at that time the president of the Buffalo Museum of Science and president of the International Council of Museums. Throughout her time in Europe, she was to act as hostess for her grandfather, as her grandmother was unable to host due to health problems. All summer, she traveled around Europe, meeting influential people of the time, and even spending time on the beach in Italy with Pablo Picasso. Because of her worldly experiences, and interest in great artists, she was primed for being a gallerist, or arts dealer, as it was more commonly known at that time, from around the age of 19.

That winter, she attended the University of Geneva, but left to travel with her friends, which to her seemed like a much more educational experience than attending university could ever be. Her grandfather returned the next summer, and they continued to travel around Europe.

After her second summer in Europe, More returned to Buffalo, never completing her education at Sarah Lawrence. She married and had children. In the 1960’s, she became involved with the junior Group of the Members Advisory Council for the Women at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. This was a group for young, married women, in which they organized events to gain new young members at the gallery. One event that More specifically remembers was called the “Beer Bust”, which turned into a wild party, but was a success. [1]

Because of her social circle, More knew many art collectors, and would sell her mother’s art to them. Because of her success with this endeavor, her mother suggested that she open up her own gallery. So, More opened up the “Gallery Without Walls” in her own home, which was full of consigned pieces from different artists. She eventually filled up her entire living room with art, and had to expand to other areas of the house, including the bedrooms. The “Gallery Without Walls” was removed from the house after two patrons walked into the master bedroom as her husband was getting out of the shower.

In 1972, More met Lee Ruben, another local art dealer. They had their first show together at the fire house on Cleveland Avenue in Buffalo, New York. That same year, More and Reuben opened up a gallery together in the Carrie Mansion on Franklin Street in Buffalo, New York, named the More Reuben Gallery. More always enjoyed showing her mother’s artwork at her galleries, and took many opportunities to do so throughout the years.

More’s relationship with Reuben was spectacular. They worked together like a well-oiled machine, More taking on more of the monetary side of things and working with the books, while Reuben focused on the organizing and maintaining of the gallery from an aesthetic aspect. They always hung shows together and were quite collaborative in their operations.

After realizing that life was changing for her, Reuben, who was then living above the More Reuben Gallery, decided to give up the gallery. More moved to a smaller gallery down the street, which only stayed open for a short amount of time. It was 1988 when More's galley closed.

In 1990, Martje More began working with the David Anderson Gallery, where she was a full curator. She planned an exhibition that she was the curator of every year called “Excitings”, where she gathered new, exciting artists from around New York, and specifically, Buffalo. This show continued for three to four years. She worked for the David Anderson Gallery for five years.

More then went on to work with Sandy Olsen in the early 2000’s to curate an archive and oral history for Martha Jackson, a highly influential art dealer of the twentieth century. She left the job a few years into its production.

Martje More is still active in the art community and visits the Burchfield Penney Art Center regularly.

[1] Martje More, Living Legacy Project Interview, January 12, 2016