Edward Fort Fry

Edward F. Fry (May 06, 1935 April17, 1992) was a prominent art historian, curator, critic and educator whose specialty was Cubism and art of the late 20th century. He was a curator at the Guggenheim Museum, New York in 1967 and organized an exhibition of Hans Haacke, which was famously cancelled and resulted in his being fired in 1971.

He then acted as a curator at large and critic, and taught, co-directing documenta 8 (1986) and helping organize a show for the Museum of Modern Art in New York (1989) as well as consulting on other shows and participating in conferences.

Among the shows on which he worked is documenta 8 which he co-directed (1986) and a show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (1989).

Controversy Haacke's Shapolsky et al. Manhattan Real Estate Holdings, A Real Time Social System as of May 1, 1971 (1971), a work intended for the Guggenheim show in 1971, involved New York real estate dealings. Thomas Messer viewed the piece as too political for the museum, cancelled the exhibition and fired Fry who was firm in defending the artist's right to freedom of expression.

Awards and hoours 1961-1963: Fulbright Fellowship; two have numerous reprints. "Cubism" has been translated into other languages.