Candida Höfer; photo Kotur

When Sonnabend Gallery founder Ileana Sonnabend died in 2007, her private collection was worth an estimated $875 million, and many top-tier artists still remained in her gallery’s roster. Under the leadership of director and Sonnabend’s adopted son Antonio Homem, the Chelsea gallery continued successfully for a time, showing artists including Candida Höfer, Robert Morris, Gilbert & George, Rona Prondick, Robert Feintuch, Anh Doung, Barry Le Va, and others.

This past fall, the gallery announced that it would be closing (see “Sonnabend Gallery to Shutter and Lease Space to Lehmann Maupin”). Since then, there has been much art-world speculation as to what the future might hold for the gallery’s illustrious stable.

The first artist to find a new U.S. home for her work is Candida Höfer, the German photographer known for her opulent images of interiors of museums, libraries and theaters. She has now joined Sean Kelly’s Chelsea gallery. “As great admirers of Candida’s work for many years, we are delighted to now have the opportunity to represent her in America,” Sean Kelly told the press in making the announcement.

“We also look forward to our new strategic working relationship with Sonnabend and our colleague Antonio Homem,” Kelly stated. “I have known Antonio for many years and have always appreciated his professionalism and expertise. We expect that our new relationship with Antonio and some of Sonnabend’s artists will be a mutually exciting and rewarding one.”

“I am extremely pleased with this collaboration with the Sean Kelly gallery,” said Homem. “I feel that Candida’s work fits perfectly with their activities. I anticipate that both this and our larger relationship will flourish in the coming years.”  So far, names of other artists moving from Sonnabend to Sean Kelly have not yet been disclosed.

Candida Höfer, Hotel Borghese, Rome, 2012.