Marlborough has just announced its international unification of exhibition programming. The new Marlborough will replace the former model where Marlborough Contemporary, Marlborough Gallery, and Marlborough Fine Art operated independently and will streamline the multiple galleries’ operations into a unified program under the leadership of gallery president Max Levai.
As part of this process, Marlborough is pleased to announce its acquisition of 547 West 25th Street in New York City. The 6,500-square-foot space is located directly adjacent to Marlborough Contemporary. The gallery will merge the two buildings, which will then open as a flagship Marlborough gallery in the fall of 2020. The London gallery will be headquartered at the newly redesigned current location on Albemarle Street in Mayfair. Marlborough Gallery on 57th Street in New York will close in December 2019.
A new unified Marlborough website will go live in June 2019. The name change will be effective in July 2019 in both London and New York. The consolidated program will debut in London on July 3, 2019.
“Consolidating Marlborough as a single, unified operation will only enhance the gallery’s position as a leader in the primary market, and it is particularly resonant to begin that process in its London birthplace,”
said Max Levai.
“In today’s globalized market, the geographically- specific programming of the individual galleries no longer seems viable. Aligning our programs will allow us to proceed with a unified identity, put forth the most diverse and interesting program, and build upon the Marlborough legacy of successful partnership with the world’s leading artists in a more efficient manner.”
LEADERSHIP CHANGES
Max Levai will assume the position of President. Pierre Levai will assume the position of Chairman. Pascal Spengemann has been promoted to Vice President. Longtime gallery director Frankie Rossi has been promoted to Managing Director for London. John Erle-Drax will remain Chairman.
GLOBAL PROGRAM
Marlborough’s exhibition schedule will both celebrate the gallery’s history and build on cross- generational programming with museum-quality exhibitions. For the Frieze and Art Basel fairs internationally, the presentations will reflect the programming within the galleries and will put forward a mix of timely thematic exhibitions, drawing on historic inventory, and highlighting represented artists and estates.
LONDON PROGRAM
The 2019 program in London under the new direction will begin on July 3 with a group exhibition titled The Smiths, inspired by Maurizio Cattelan and comprised of more than 30 artists with the surname Smith. This will be accompanied, in Gallery 2, by a series of collaborative portrait paintings by Paul McCarthy and Mike Bouchet.
The autumn season will commence on September 11 with an ambitious new immersive installation by Jonah Freeman & Justin Lowe. Viewers will pass through multiple floors of dramatic custom-built interiors continuing the artists’ ongoing narrative of the fictitious San San International, and its subcultural inhabitants.
This will be followed with a museum-quality presentation of key works by the celebrated Polish sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz (1930 – 2017) in advance of her solo exhibition at Tate Modern.
NEW YORK PROGRAM
Upcoming shows in New York will focus on exhibitions by some longtime gallery artists and some exciting new additions. These shows include the first U.S. solo in over a decade by the Cuban master Tomas Sanchez; the 50th-anniversary presentation of Joe Zucker’s 100-Foot-Long Painting (1969); a career-spanning exhibition by legendary filmmaker Kenneth Anger; and a wide-ranging group show focusing on post-war assemblage.
