Andrew Fabricant, newly named Chief Operating Officer of Gagosian. Photo: courtesy of Gagosian.
Andrew Fabricant, newly named Chief Operating Officer of Gagosian. Photo: courtesy of Gagosian.

Veteran art dealer Andrew Fabricant will join Gagosian after 22 years at Richard Gray Gallery. It’s a familiar environment for the 63-year-old, who started his career at Gagosian in Los Angeles in 1983 and later moved to the gallery’s New York branch.

The dealer has a reputation as a well-connected market expert and commentator. A press release made no reference to Fabricant’s title, and it’s unclear in what capacity Fabricant will work with the gallery when he takes on his new role in New York in September.

With more than 16 spaces in the US, Europe, and Asia, Gagosian is far larger than Richard Gray, which operates two spaces, one in Chicago and another in New York. Fabricant said Gagosian’s worldwide presence and its A-list artist roster and client list were decisive factors in his decision to switch jobs.

“Gagosian’s global platform and broad embrace of both historical and contemporary artists was inspirational and important to me in this decision,” he explained in a statement. “The gallery’s international profile has influenced and informed the tastes and interests of both a seasoned and a new generation of collectors.”

Bloomberg reported that Fabricant left Richard Gray at the end of June, a month after the death of founder Richard Gray. Fabricant was director of the gallery’s Upper East Side space in New York, primarily responsible for postwar and contemporary secondary market deals and advising clients. “He was a big contributor,” Richard’s son Paul Gray told Bloomberg. “I’m sorry to see him go.”

Richard Gray Gallery will continue to be managed by Paul Gray and partner Valerie Carberry.