Three of London's most influential gallerists are making bold moves to expand their presence in the capital, defying skeptics who question the strength of the London art market. Maureen Paley recently opened a new location at 4 Herald Street, taking over part of Wolfgang Tillmans' former studio space. Sadie Coles is launching an entire townhouse gallery at 17 Savile Row starting October 14, while Stuart Shave's Modern Art will debut a double shopfront at 8 Bennet Street in St. James's beginning November 14.
When asked about their timing for these expansions, each gallerist offered distinct perspectives on their motivations. Sadie Coles explained that her decisions tend to be instinctive rather than calculated, noting she had been seeking a different type of space with a different tone for quite some time. "Both Kingly Street and my former gallery at Davies Street were quite brutal spaces," she said. "I wanted to offer something else to the artists, and I've never had a townhouse gallery in London. So, it just seemed like something I hadn't done before."
Maureen Paley's expansion came about more serendipitously. She wasn't actively looking to expand when Wolfgang Tillmans' former studio space became available, but the historical and personal significance of the location made it impossible to ignore. "This serendipity seemed almost like a magical sign and a moment that I must seize," Paley explained. "We're very happy with the gallery as it is, but we could also use some more space for certain artists to amplify what we already have." She's opening the new space with a show of Wolfgang's work across all three of her locations, titled "Build From Here."
Stuart Shave's approach was more pragmatic, focusing on consolidation rather than pure expansion. While gallery expansions are often planned years in advance, Shave signed his lease less than two months before opening. "I needed a bigger space in the West End and this space just came up," he said. "For the last five years we haven't had our whole team in one place; we were always really fragmented and I wanted to move everything under one roof." Part of his consolidation strategy includes reducing the number of shows to allow for deeper focus on each exhibition.
Both Coles and Shave emphasized their desire to present longer exhibitions, moving away from the traditional six-week show format that has become increasingly rare even in New York's fast-paced market. "Longer shows give more of a chance to have meaningful conversations around the work," Coles noted. "And in this market, which we are all aware of how challenging it is, making time to sit with your collectors and really talk to them about what you are showing is the way to make it work."
Despite acknowledged challenges facing the UK art market, all three gallerists expressed strong confidence in London's position as a global art hub. Coles emphasized London's role as an international center for much more than just art, describing the city as "very dynamic and vibrant" with "an endless flow of visitors." While she acknowledged changes related to Brexit and wealthy non-domiciled residents leaving due to tax rule changes, she views these as part of the city's natural evolution. "Some people leave, and then some people arrive," she said, noting recent increases in collectors from the United States and the Middle East.
Maureen Paley drew parallels between London's current resilience and its punk-era spirit. "London is a remarkable place and an international hub. It has such an enduring energy and connection with the things that are essential; whether in music, in fashion or in art, you find it across the board," she said. "As with resilient weeds, you cannot get rid of this spirit; it just comes up again and again." Stuart Shave echoed this optimism, maintaining that London remains a leading art scene alongside New York and dismissing concerns about market fragility as unfounded.
The gallerists also highlighted London's thriving younger gallery scene as evidence of the city's continued vitality. Coles particularly emphasized the energy she sees in emerging galleries, comparing the current moment to the 1990s. "There are so many good young galleries opening now in London," she observed. "Many of these galleries are growing their own collectors. They're selling to people they went to university or art college with and they're showing people of their own generation. I really feel that this is a very, very healthy sign for our future."
While Coles and Shave are consolidating their West End presence, Paley remains committed to London's East End, where she first opened a project space on Beck Road 40 years ago with help from the Acme artists' housing association. She's now surrounded by notable galleries including Herald Street, Mothers Tankstation, Project Native Informant, Rose Easton, Emalin, and The Approach. "I think that London's east/west divide should not be over-emphasized," she said. "It's just about where do you go to see good art?"
Reflecting on how the art world has changed since they first opened their galleries—Paley in 1984, Coles in 1997, and Shave in 1998—all three identified technology as the most significant transformation. Shave recalled when galleries still sent transparencies instead of digital images, while Paley remembered working with typewriters and carbon paper, once declaring she'd never sell anything through email. The launch of Frieze art fair also marked a crucial moment in connecting the UK internationally.
Despite technological advances that have accelerated the pace of business, Coles emphasized that the fundamental nature of the gallery business remains unchanged. "We are still with paintings or objects that are completely unique. And it is still a person-to-person business, both in the relationships with the people you are selling to, but also with the artists," she explained. "It's really a one-on-one business, and that hasn't changed at all. And, in a challenged market, that actually becomes more crucial."
