Marian Goodman, whose venerable gallery is one of the longest-running blue-chip contemporary art galleries in the world, has announced that she will close her London space by the end of the year, citing concerns over the global health crisis and Brexit.

The gallery announced it would instead transition to “a more flexible exhibition strategy in the city” starting early next year. Goodman plans to maintain her New York and Paris galleries.

The new London initiative, titled “Marian Goodman Projects,” will organize exhibitions and artist projects that “respond to the nature of the artist’s practice and reflect the scale and intent of artworks on view” in various venues throughout the city, according to a statement from the gallery.

The idea was spearheaded by Goodman and the gallery’s chief executive director of artists, Philipp Kaiser, who will oversee the platform with support from the gallery’s leadership team. A small London staff will remain in place, led by executive director Aebhric Coleman, to work on projects with the gallery’s artists. The first London project is slated for fall 2021, and there are plans to extend the initiative to select cities internationally.

Marian Goodman will close her London gallery space at the end of 2020. Image courtesy Marian Goodman Gallery

Goodman noted in a statement the “dramatic changes” in the art world that propelled her decision. Brexit and the worsening virus cases in London “have introduced even more uncertainty into the market, especially for galleries operating in London,” she said, adding that the decision, made together with her executive team, reflects a “more nimble approach in London.” Plus, Paris has served as “the hub for our European activity for more than 25 years,” she said.

Goodman founded the gallery in New York in 1977 and has been instrumental in building the careers of some of today’s top contemporary artists, including Gerhard Richter, William Kentridge, and Hiroshi Sugimoto, to name a few. The gallery expanded in 1995 to Paris with the opening of its second permanent space, and subsequently opened a dedicated bookstore in 2017. It opened its London branch in 2014 with an exhibition of work by Richter.