After 35 years of operation in New York's art scene, the renowned Kasmin gallery has officially closed its doors, marking the end of an era while simultaneously launching a new chapter. The gallery is transitioning into Olney Gleason, a fresh venture led by Nick Olney, who served as Kasmin's president since 2020, and Eric Gleason, a senior director since 2013.
Both men have extensive histories with Kasmin and bring deep expertise to their new endeavor. Olney first joined the gallery in 2007 after spending six years at Berggruen Gallery in San Francisco. Gleason, who began his career at Marlborough, met Olney in 2010 and officially joined Kasmin three years later. Their partnership has been instrumental in shaping the gallery's direction over the past several years.
"Kasmin is a ship that's come into port after a long and meaningful voyage," Olney explained to ARTnews. "Olney Gleason is a different vessel, launching from the same harbor, but on a new course." This transition was not sudden but rather part of a carefully planned evolution that began with conversations involving the gallery's late founder, Paul Kasmin.
The transformation plans were actually discussed with Paul Kasmin before his death in 2020. The founder had envisioned what would eventually become Olney Gleason, though the exact timing remained flexible. "The plan was always there. What wasn't fixed was the timing. We had those conversations while Paul was still alive," Olney revealed. "What we're doing now aligns with those early discussions, and the estate is fully supportive."
Olivia Kasmin, one of Paul's daughters, expressed her support for the transition in a statement. "While we're sad that this chapter is coming to a close, I'm grateful to Nick, Eric, and the entire team for all they've done to build an amazing organization alongside Paul, and for their dedication to honoring his legacy over the past five years," she said. "I'm confident that Paul would be happy that the spirit of the gallery will continue. We wish Nick and Eric all the best in this exciting new chapter."
Paul Kasmin's legacy in the art world spans decades and generations. Born in London in 1960, he grew up immersed in the art world, surrounded by artists connected to his father, legendary dealer John Kasmin. Paul established his own gallery in SoHo in 1989, later relocating to Chelsea a decade later and eventually operating three exhibition spaces, including the main gallery at 509 West 27th Street. In 2018, the gallery was streamlined and renamed simply "Kasmin."
The gallery built its reputation on a diverse roster that bridged generations and artistic disciplines, embracing both Surrealist masters and contemporary sculptors. Early Kasmin artists included Walton Ford, Jamie Nares, and Elliot Puckette, who remained loyal to the gallery throughout its evolution. The roster expanded to include historical artists such as Leonor Fini, Dorothea Tanning, Robert Motherwell, Lee Krasner, and James Rosenquist.
In recent years, Kasmin actively expanded its artist representation and estate relationships. A significant milestone came in September 2024 when the gallery began representing Jackson Pollock's work through the Pollock-Krasner Foundation. Since 2020, the gallery has also added Diana Al Hadid, Ali Banisadr, and vanessa german to its roster while staging notable exhibitions featuring works by Les Lalanne and Bosco Sodi.
The year 2020 proved to be a pivotal moment for the gallery, presenting what Olney described as "a perfect storm of change." The gallery faced the simultaneous challenges of losing its namesake founder, navigating New York's pandemic lockdown, and managing leadership transitions amid market uncertainty. "That moment was galvanizing," Olney reflected. "It forced us to reassess, to adapt, to really think about what kind of gallery we wanted to be. In many ways, the recent years have been a perfect laboratory for refining and proving how we want to work. It gave us confidence."
This confidence is now being channeled into Olney Gleason's launch. The new gallery plans to open its first exhibition this fall in Chelsea, featuring a carefully curated roster of approximately 25 artists and estates. Notably, around 80 percent of the artists and estates joining Olney Gleason began their relationship with Kasmin within the last five years, reflecting the gallery's recent strategic focus.
"We've given a lot of attention to contemporary art in recent years," Olney explained. "And that's going to continue. But we're also interested in historical work that speaks directly to the art being made now. We want to create a dialogue between the 20th and 21st centuries." Gleason echoed this vision, stating, "Kasmin's program evolved dramatically in the last five years. Olney Gleason is the next step in that evolution. But we remain committed to the cross-generational dialogue that's long been our hallmark."
While representatives for Olney Gleason declined to specify which former Kasmin artists would join their new roster, they indicated that an announcement of the founding program will be made soon. The founders emphasized their commitment to building something enduring that extends beyond just operating a gallery.
"Representing artists is not a 9-to-5 job. It's a way of life," Olney emphasized. "This is a chance to take all the experiences we've had—the good, the bad, the frustrating, the formative—and build the kind of gallery we'd want to be part of. We've had the rare opportunity to start from scratch and ask: What should a gallery be today?"
This question takes on particular significance in today's evolving art market, where generational shifts are reshaping the industry landscape. Olney and Gleason position themselves as part of this transformation, aiming to help define new industry standards and values.
"There's a new generation of collectors, dealers, and artists," Gleason observed. "We want to be leaders in that generation. We want to help define its values." He emphasized that their approach remains fundamentally artist-centric, explaining, "It's our responsibility to provide artists with the resources they need to grow their practices and add meaningful lines to their CVs. The industry is starting to recognize the importance of that model—and I think we're going to see a shift back to it."
As Olney Gleason prepares for its official launch, both founders acknowledge that while the gallery name is new, its identity has been developing for years through their work at Kasmin. The transition represents both an ending and a beginning, honoring the past while embracing future possibilities. "We're incredibly grateful for the community that made Kasmin what it was," Olney concluded. "Paul, the artists, the team—it's been an honor. What comes next is a tribute to all of it."
