The Simon Lee Gallery, one of London’s most prestigious commercial gallery spaces has gone into joint administration with the firm BDO LLP. A notice was posted on the door of the shuttered gallery yesterday, 11 July.
The gallery’s trouble first came to light over a month ago when Sonia Boyce, the winner of the Venice Biennale’s top Golden Lion prize for her exhibition in the British Pavilion, departed in a very public way. Last month The Art Newspaper reported, “The London-based gallery was also subject to a Companies House notice to be dissolved, though the owner stated the tax dispute had been resolved.”
The Simon Lee Gallery was a top international contemporary art gallery with branches in London and Hong Kong. It was founded by Simon Lee in 2002 and had since become known for its diverse exhibitions featuring established and emerging artists.
The gallery represented a big-name roster of internationally recognised artists, including prominent figures such as Angela Bulloch, Sherrie Levine, George Condo, and Mel Bochner. Other artists included: April Bey, Mel Bochner, Angela Bulloch, Werner Büttner, Merlin Carpenter, Larry Clark, Serge Attukwei Clottey, George Condo, Dexter Dalwood, Olivier Debré, Jeff Elrod, Luciano Fabro, Matias Faldbakken, Hans-Peter Feldmann, Anna Freeman Bentley, Paul Georges, Hans Hartung, Ran Huang, Alex Hubbard, Donna Huddleston, Vasily Klyuki, Valentina Liernur, William Mackinnon, France-Lise McGurn, Josephine Meckseper, Daido Moriyama, Claudio Parmiggiani, João Penalva, Mai-Thu Perret, Georg KarlPfahler, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Josephine Pryde, Jim Shaw, Erin Shirreff, Valerie Snobeck, Keiji Uematsu, Chibuike Uzoma, Marnie Weber, Garth Weiser, Clare Woods, Christopher Wool, Yun Hyong-keun, Toby Ziegler, Heimo Zobernig
In context, the UK’s joint administration typically refers to a situation where multiple companies or entities enter into a shared administration process. Administration is a legal procedure designed to help financially distressed companies restructure and potentially continue their operations or, if necessary, achieve a more favorable outcome for creditors.
When multiple companies are placed under joint administration, it means that they are collectively administered by the same insolvency practitioner or team. Joint administration can occur when several related companies within a group are facing financial difficulties or when multiple companies have interconnected operations or assets.
The purpose of joint administration is often to streamline the insolvency process, reduce costs, and maximize the efficiency of the administration proceedings. By pooling resources and consolidating administrative functions, the joint administration process can provide a coordinated approach to addressing the financial challenges faced by the involved companies.
During joint administration, the administrator assess the financial situation of each company, develop a strategy for restructuring or realizing assets, and work towards achieving the best possible outcome for all stakeholders involved. This may involve negotiating with creditors, selling assets, restructuring debts, or implementing other measures to improve the financial position of the companies. It’s important to note that the specifics of joint administration can vary depending on the circumstances and the applicable insolvency laws.
Simon Lee Gallery’s exhibitions explored and reflected on contemporary issues, pushing boundaries and challenging traditional notions of art. The gallery was known for its commitment to presenting innovative and thought-provoking artworks, contributing to the global discourse on contemporary art. Both the London and Hong Kong locations of the Gallery provided spaces for exhibitions, artist projects, and public programs. The gallery aimed to foster dialogue and engagement with contemporary art, hosting regular exhibitions, talks, and events that were open to the public.
Simon Lee Gallery was also a regular at the big art fairs liker Art Basel and Frieze. They were known for presenting artists of diverse generations whose practices shared broad interests and exploration. They aimed to provide significant international audience for its artists. The gallery also regularly punctuated its programme with historical exhibitions and curated group shows, which presented shifts in contemporary art practice and thought, whilst broadening the dialogue with artists outside of the gallery’s core programme. In addition to its UK activity. In 2012 the gallery opened a space in Hong Kong, which introduced its artists to a wider public in Asia, with a fully independent programme.
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