Gagosian Gallery is a universal gallery specializing in contemporary and modern art. It has nineteen exhibition spaces throughout the United States, Asia, and Europe. Established by Larry Gagosian in LA in 1980, Gagosian Gallery is renowned for showcasing works of a diverse array of renowned living artists, including John Currin, Urs Fischer, Nancy Rubis, Rick Lowe, Hao Liang, Takashi Murakami, and more.
Gagosian is also well-known for preparing and presenting museum-level exhibitions of works of historical artists, such as Diane Arbus, Claude Monet, Francis Bacon, Andy Warhol, Louise Bourgeois, Lucio Fontana, Howard Hodgkin, Helen Frankenthaler, Jackson Pollock, Piero Manzoni, and so many others. The gallery’s trailblazing Picasso exhibitions in New York and London, curated by scholar John Richardson, were attended by hundreds of thousands of art aficionados. In 2019, Gagosian curated an exhibition featuring Picasso’s masterpieces as a tribute to the late Richardson.
What’s more is that Gagosian is at the forefront of digital marketplace innovation with online viewing rooms that coincide with significant art fairs that include the work of highly desirable artists, transparent pricing, insightful market analysis, and historical scholarships.
Here’s everything you need to know about Gagosian Gallery!
An Overview & History of Gagosian Gallery
Gagosian Gallery is the creation of Larry Gagosian, who established the first gallery in 1980 in Los Angeles. Five years later, Larry inaugurated his first gallery in New York. This Chelsea gallery features the works from the Pop art collection of Emily and Burton Tremaine. From 1989 to 1996, Larry owned a gallery in SoHo with the renowned art dealer Leo Castelli. They displayed works of Bruce Nauman, Ellsworth Kelly, Roy Lichtenstein, and other prominent names from the post-war generation.
Gagosian has evolved into a global network of galleries with 19 exhibition spaces spread across New York, LA, San Francisco, Rome, Basel, Paris, London, Athens, and Hong Kong in a little more than forty years. These gallery spaces are designed by renowned architects, such as Richard Meier, Caruso St John, and Jean Nouvel.
The vibrant contemporary program of the Gagosian Gallery features the art of leading international names, such as Ellen Gallagher, Georg Baselitz, Takashi Murakami, Richard Serra, and more. The gallery also presents unparalleled historical exhibitions featuring the works of legendary artists, such as
John Chamberlain, Lucio Fontana, Claude Monet, and Andy Warhol.
The gallery also publishes scholarly exhibition catalogs, catalogs raisonnés, and artist monographs. It began publishing in 1986, getting the honor of being the first gallery to establish a publishing house that produced a vast array of catalogs, artists’ books, limited editions, and more.
Gagosian Gallery Locations in New York
Gagosian Gallery has six locations in New York. Here’s an overview of these galleries and their most recent or current exhibitions:
980 Madison Avenue, New York
This gallery is on 980 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10075. You can visit the gallery from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 am to 6 pm.
The current exhibition at the gallery is Baby; It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over by Anna Weyant.
976 Madison Avenue, New York
This gallery is on 976 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10075. You can visit the gallery from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 am to 6 pm.
The latest exhibition at the gallery was Takashi Murakami’s An Arrow through History.
Park & 75, New York
This gallery is on 821 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021. You can visit the gallery from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 am to 6 pm.
The latest showing at this location is furniture by Casa Malaparte.
555 West 24th Street, New York
This gallery is on 555 West 24th Street, New York, NY, 10011. You can visit the gallery from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 am to 6 pm.
The current exhibition at the gallery is Denominator by Urs Fischer.
541 West 24th Street, New York
This gallery is on 541 West 24th Street, New York, NY, 10011. You can visit the gallery from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 am to 6 pm.
The latest exhibition at this location is Meditations on Social Sculpture by Rick Lowe.
West 21st Street, New York
This gallery is on 522 West 21st Street, New York, NY, 10011. You can visit the gallery from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 am to 6 pm.
The latest exhibition at this gallery is Lover, Lover, Lover by Dan Colen.
What to Expect from a Gagosian Gallery Tour
Gagosian Gallery is essentially a handful of blue-chip galleries that showcase the work of artists whose work is already highly regarded and continues to increase in value. The best part about Gagosian Gallery is that all the exhibitions are free and open to the public and are most often as thoughtfully curated as the exhibitions in the world’s best museums.
It wouldn’t be wrong to call Gagosian an art empire because it has six galleries in New York alone; two are in Chelsea. The 24th street gallery is cavernous and spacious enough to include large-scale sculptures. It features white walls, poured concrete floors, tall skylights, and glass doors. On the flip side, the 21st Street space has more of a bunker-like aesthetic. The gallery on Madison Avenue is a collection of small rooms hidden on the upper floors of an obscure office building. Every gallery has its distinct aesthetic, but it always focuses on showcasing the art.
The exhibitions at all these locations toggle between the loved, relatively younger artists, such as Sterling Ruby and Jonas Wood, to the more well-established and celebrated names, such as Takashi Murakami, and museum-level, reflective pieces by the likes of Pablo Picasso. That said, the art displayed at the varied gallery locations is always remarkable, and you can rest assured that your Gagosian Gallery tour will leave you impressed.
If you are expecting to come across any staff or guides in the gallery, you might need to check your expectations because the only staff you will likely interact with are the front desk assistants. They are there to let the team know when a significant collector is interested in purchasing an art piece. Naturally, the art displayed at the Gagosian Gallery is high-end and costly. However, it is free to enjoy, making Gagosian Gallery a true haven for all art enthusiasts who want to observe contemporary artwork that one can find in museums.
The Bottom Line
Gagosian Gallery is where you must head if you wish to witness art created by famous and loved contemporary names. The multiple Gagosian Gallery locations in New York have distinct designs, architecture, art displays, and exhibitions. All the galleries are open to the public and are popular among art lovers.