Three months before announcing the closure of Sperone Westwater after 50 years, co-founder Gian Enzo Sperone sued his partner Angela Westwater, alleging a "parasitic deadlock" and accusing her of wresting control of a corporation holding a 50 percent stake in the gallery. The lawsuit claims Westwater mishandled funds, withheld records, mismanaged rent payments, and increased her own salary without approval. The gallery, founded in 1975 as Sperone Westwater Fischer, has represented major artists including Bruce Nauman, Francesco Clemente, and Richard Long, and will close this December.
The lawsuit and closure highlight deep fractures in one of New York's long-standing galleries, reflecting broader challenges in the art market where declining revenues and internal disputes can force even established institutions to shut down. The case also raises questions about governance, financial transparency, and the personal tensions that can unravel decades-long partnerships, underscoring the fragility of gallery models reliant on co-founder relationships.