Sperone Westwater, the prestigious Bowery-based art gallery that has represented legendary artists including Richard Long and Bruce Nauman, will permanently close its doors at the end of this year. The closure, which was first reported by Artnet News, comes just two months after the gallery celebrated its 50th anniversary and three months after co-founder Gian Enzo Sperone filed a lawsuit against his business partner Angela Westwater, seeking to dissolve the gallery and accusing her of "unlawful handling" of funds.
In an official statement to The Art Newspaper, a gallery spokesperson said: "After 50 successful years, Sperone Westwater gallery will be closing on December 31, as co-founders Angela Westwater and Gian Enzo Sperone have decided to pursue separate endeavors." The announcement marks the end of one of New York's most influential contemporary art galleries.
The gallery was originally founded in 1975 in Soho under the name Sperone Westwater Fischer, with the third partner, dealer Konrad Fischer, departing in 1982. During the 1980s, the three-way collaboration became a powerhouse in the Neo-Expressionist painting movement, launching the careers of prominent artists such as Sandro Chia, Enzo Cucchi, and Mimmo Paladino. Sperone Westwater made history as one of the first major blue-chip galleries to relocate to the Lower East Side in 2010, commissioning renowned architect Norman Foster to design an impressive eight-story building reportedly worth $20 million.
The legal dispute at the heart of the closure centers around what the lawsuit describes as a "parasitic deadlock." Filed on August 18 in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, the suit was brought by Sperone and Sandstown Trade Ltd. against Westwater, who holds a 50% stake in the gallery. Sandstown Trade Ltd. owns the remaining 50% of shares in the business.
Rent payments for the Foster-designed building appear to be the primary source of disagreement between the partners. According to the lawsuit, both stockholders contributed $10 million toward the Foster building with the mutual understanding that the gallery would pay $1.8 million in annual rent. However, Westwater later requested a change in the payment structure, stating that "the Gallery's program and revenues were in decline such that it cannot afford to pay the agreed rent and, from the limited information shared with Petitioners, is unprofitable and, unfortunately, no longer a leading gallery of contemporary art." She also emphasized that she had the authority to close the gallery at any time.
The lawsuit reveals that the relationship between the two octogenarians has deteriorated to such an extent that they no longer communicate directly with each other. Sperone served as a director of Sandstown until 2024, when he was replaced by Filippo Pistone, a trusted family friend who founded Port Chester's Bacchanal Wine Imports. In an email submitted as evidence in the suit, Westwater accused Pistone of "bullying her and the staff with burdensome demands and false claims of unlawful conduct."
The legal filing also alleges that Westwater is holding the gallery and other stakeholders in a "parasitic deadlock" by using "one very high value asset, the Foster Building, to subsidize the other unprofitable asset, the Gallery, including a salary to her and compensation of some kind to her daughter." Sperone and Sandstown further accuse Westwater of increasing her own salary without obtaining approval from other stockholders and claim she was "reckless with consignments and proceeds."
The closure of Sperone Westwater will significantly impact 28 artists and their estates who were represented by the gallery. Artist Alexis Rockman, who began showing with the gallery in 1992 and officially joined their roster in 2010, commented to Artnet News that the ending represents "a real loss," noting that "they were a bridge to an earlier New York art world, and I'm grateful for their long time support."
Sperone Westwater's shutdown is the latest in a series of high-profile gallery closures that have hit New York City this year, including the shuttering of Blum, Venus over Manhattan, and Clearing. This trend reflects broader challenges facing the contemporary art market and the gallery system.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, the gallery will continue its planned operations through the end of the year. According to Artnet News, the current Richard Long exhibition will run as scheduled until December 13, and the gallery will participate in Art Basel Miami Beach from December 3-7, marking what will likely be among its final public appearances as an active dealership.
