Pace Gallery and Judin Gallery have opened a shared exhibition space in a converted 1950s gas station in Berlin's Schöneberg neighborhood, just ahead of Gallery Weekend Berlin. The venue, known as Die Tankstelle, was previously a museum dedicated to German artist George Grosz. Pace rents half the space from Judin founder Juerg Judin, with both galleries sharing operational costs. For the inaugural shows, Judin is exhibiting works on paper by Tom of Finland downstairs, while Pace shows works by Jean Dubuffet, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Robert Nava upstairs. The galleries will alternate exhibitions, each mounting about three per year.
This collaboration matters because it signals a shift in gallery strategy amid a challenging art market, with rising costs, geopolitical uncertainty, and significant cuts to Berlin's arts funding (€130 million). Pace CEO Marc Glimcher and Judin emphasize that cooperation, not isolation, is key to surviving downturns. The partnership also reflects Berlin's evolving art landscape, where soaring living costs and reduced government support are pressuring the city's historically alternative arts scene. By opening in a quirky, non-monumental space, Pace adapts to local conditions while deepening its ties to Berlin-based artists like Alicja Kwade and Adrian Ghenie.