Gagosian, the largest chain of commercial galleries in the world, has shuttered until further notice. The following message was released this morning.
“To prioritize the safety of our staff, artists, and the public, Gagosian has temporarily closed its galleries worldwide due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Our staff will remain available by phone and email. Art has always been a great unifier in challenging times. While we are closed, we hope you will visit our website and social media channels for information about our artists and initiatives, as well as for updated information on Gagosian locations. We wish you good health, and I look forward to seeing you when the galleries reopen.”
This is not the only player on the global art scene to take these measures. Victoria Miro, Marlborough, Skarstedt, Marian Goodman and Simon Lee are also closed or by appointment only. Gorvy Levy has announced that it will open only open by appointment for the near future.
Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac’s has released the following statement: “Efforts to prioritise the health and wellbeing of our artists, collectors, visitors, and gallery team as we all navigate the circumstances of Coronavirus (COVID-19). In each location, we are following the guidance of the government and health authorities and accordingly, our galleries in London and Paris currently remain open, while our Salzburg gallery will be closed from 16 – 22 March. Events across all our gallery locations are suspended until further notice.”
As the circumstances of the virus continue to unfold, we are monitoring the situation very closely and will carefully assess how best to proceed. We will, of course, update you on any changes via social media and our website. Across all our galleries we continue to serve our clients as usual, and we look forward to being in touch by phone and email over this time, especially as we launch our first online viewing room on our website to coincide with our Art Basel Online Viewing Room.
All Paris Museums including the Musee Louvre and d’Orsay are closed until further notice. All museums in Spain and Italy are closed until further notice. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was the last to close announcing today, “Following the recommendations issued by health authorities and the directions of the Basque Government and the Provincial Council of Biscay, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao will close temporarily to visitors effective March 14 until further notice as a way to contribute to containing the spread of COVID-19. For the Museum, the safety of our visitors, our staff, and our collaborators is a top priority. In this context and as a precaution, all programs and activities have already been canceled. The Museum’s website offers timely information on any changes that may occur.” In this context, the activities and workshops designed for schoolchildren and families have been canceled until the end of March. Also, the Art After Dark session on Friday, March 13 has been canceled due to a large number of attendants to this event. Automatic refunds will be made if you bought your tickets to these programs online; if you purchased them at our Admissions desk, you should come to the Museum to get your refund. Other programs will go on as scheduled, some at limited capacity, as per the recommendations of health authorities.
Most US museums including the Met, National Gallery Washington, and Smithsonian are closed. The Louvre in Abu Dhabi has also shut. How long until the UK follow this global advice?
Since this is a rapidly evolving situation, we will keep you informed of any new measures taken in the event of changes.
We are working to protect you and keep you safe.
Other Gallery Closures
Gavin Brown’s enterprise, New York and Rome – Both locations are closed for the next two weeks.
David Zwirner, New York – New York locations on 19th Street and 69th Street will close temporarily beginning Monday, March 16. The 20th Street space will remain open. All talks and events have been postponed or cancelled.
Hauser & Wirth, New York and Los Angeles – The New York and Los Angeles locations are closed except by appointment, with all public programming suspended. All global travel for staff has been suspended.
Pace Gallery, New York – The New York galleries are closed except by appointment on a case-by-case basis.
Cancelled International Events
Art Brussels April edition will now take place from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 June 2020.
TEFAF Maastricht – Closes early on Wednesday, March 11, instead of March 15 as originally scheduled.
Artmonte-Carlo – Originally scheduled for May 1–3.
Jingart, Beijing – Originally scheduled for May 21–24.
Art Central Hong Kong – Originally scheduled for March 18–22 February 6: Art Basel Hong Kong – Originally scheduled for March 19–21 (Art Basel will offer online viewing rooms for exhibitors from March 18–20 [VIP access] and March 20–25 [public access].)
Shanghai’s Festival of Design Architecture Conference – Originally scheduled for March 2020.
Art Cologne – Postponed from April 23–26 to November 19–26.
Affordable Art Fair Brussels – Postponed from March 20–22 to dates yet to be announced.
ArteBA, Buenos Aires – Postponed from April 16–19 to dates yet to be announced at the instruction of the city government of Buenos Aires.
March 11: Drawing Now Art Fair, Paris – Moved from March 26–29 to May 29–June 1.
Berlin Gallery Weekend – Exhibitions and small-scale events will proceed on May 1–3, but large-scale events will be moved to September 1–3.
March 10: Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania “Dark Mofo” music festival –Originally scheduled for June 10–22; now cancelled.
March 9: The Photography Show and Video Show, Birmingham, UK – Moved from March 14–17 to September 2020 (exact dates to be announced).March 8: Sharjah Art Foundation’s March Meeting – Moved from March 21–23 to new dates yet to be announced.
Miart, Milan – Moved from April 17–19 to September 10–13.
Art Paris – Moved from April 2–5 to May 28–31.
Venice Architecture Biennale – Moved from May 23–November 29 to August 29–November 29.
Art Dubai – Downsized to a yet-to-be-announced program of talks, exhibitions, and events taking place from March 25–28.
Lille Art Up! – Moved from March 5–8 to June 25–28.
Milan’s Salon del Mobile – Moved from April 21–26 to June 16–21.
Sotheby’s Hong Kong Sales – Modern and contemporary art evening sales initially scheduled for the week of April 3 have been moved to April 16 in New York; sales of jewellery, watches, wine, and Asian art planned for the week of April 3 will remain in Hong Kong but take place in July on dates yet to be announced. Hong Kong Art Gallery Association’s Art Gallery Day – Moved from March 19 to April 3; South Island Art Day moved from March 16 to April 4; an Outdoor Sculpture Installation and Exhibition has been added to the calendar for March 26–April 26, and an Art Talk and Art Picnic has been for March 28.
Bonhams Hong Kong Sales – Sales scheduled for March have been postponed to new dates yet to be announced.
Christie’s Hong Kong Sales – 20th-century and contemporary art sales moved from March 19–20 to May 30–31; sales of fine wine and rare spirits moved from the week of March 16 to May 29–30.
Gallery Weekend Beijing – Tentatively moved from March 13–20 to mid-April; a final decision about whether the event will be postponed or cancelled outright will be announced by March 15.
Design Shanghai Fair – Moved from March 12–15 to May 26–29.
CAFA Art Museum’s inaugural Techne Triennial, Beijing – Postponed from its February 20 opening to new dates yet to be announced.