Sperone Westwater, the venerable New York gallery that celebrated its 50th anniversary two months ago, will close as an entity on December 31, 2025. Co-founders Angela Westwater and Gian Enzo Sperone have decided to pursue separate endeavors, affecting 28 artists and estates. The gallery, known for representing legends like Bruce Nauman and David Lynch, will continue its current Richard Long show through December 13 and attend Art Basel Miami Beach as planned. The closure follows months of rumors and comes as both partners are in their 80s.
The winding down of Sperone Westwater marks a significant loss for New York and the broader art world. Founded in 1975, the gallery was a pioneering force, bringing European avant-garde to America and championing American artists in Europe. It was the first to show Gerhard Richter in New York and early promoters of Arte Povera. Its move to the Lower East Side in 2010, in a Norman Foster-designed tower, was a landmark moment for the neighborhood. The closure reflects the challenges facing even blue-chip galleries in a rapidly consolidating market, and the end of an era for a program that maintained decades-long loyalty from core artists like Nauman, Richard Long, and Wolfgang Laib.