Larry Gagosian and Takashi Murakami. Photo: Clint Spaulding/Patrick McMullan.

 

Gagosian Gallery Opening Reception for “Takashi Murakami: In The Land of the Dead, Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow.”
Photo: courtesy Patrick McMullan.

 

Power dealer Larry Gagosian—who already has 14 galleries around the world with an estimated $925 million in revenue—has reportedly been scouting around Los Angeles for additional space in West Hollywood to add to his already mammoth space on Camden Drive in Beverly Hills (see Gallerists Bet Big On Los Angeles’ East Side and Gavlak Gallery to Open Los Angeles Outpost).

Details are sparse beyond a report in the Hollywood Reporter, which says that Gagosian “has been on the hunt for another space in the West Hollywood area and has taken meetings at various buildings,” as per a “well-placed source” who was involved in the search.

Gagosian Gallery’s stable of artists reads like a who’s who of art world stars, including Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Jeff Koons, and Ed Ruscha to name just a few.

Notwithstanding that Gagosian already has a well-established spot in Beverly Hills, it makes sense that he would want to put down more roots in Hollywood, where the gallery scene, especially that of younger galleries showing cutting edge artists, is a fast growing one. In addition to major names like Regen Projects on Santa Monica Boulevard, with  Hannah Hoffman, and Gavlak right around the corner on North Highland Avenue, Gusford Gallery is a quick drive away down Melrose (see Driving the LA Gallery Scene and Sprüth Magers Will Open on Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile).

As artnet News reported last year, galleries have also been on the move to the unorthodox eastern zones of East Hollywood and Downtown, a possible sign that the LA art scene is maturing (see Maccarone Gallery to Open Los Angeles Outpost and Is Tanya Bonakdar expanding to LA?).