The owner of the exhibition, Larry Gagosian, in the world of “blood sport” for art

On any night, he can have artistic holes in Paris, in London, or at his main exhibition in New York. With 18 exhibitions around the world, Larry Gagosian has more exhibition space than most museums. Its annual revenues are estimated at more than one billion dollars, which (As said New YorkerIt may make Gagosian “the largest art dealer in the history of the world.”

In 2022, when the movie Andy Warhol “Shot Blue Marilyn” scored a record at the auction of the twentieth century artist in Christie’s, the winning bidder Lari Gagosian was. Final price with fees: 195 million dollars.

I asked, “You should be a crazy moment?”

“When you advance this level, your adrenaline is very exciting,” said Gagosian.

“It is a brutal work.”

“It is a blood sport.”

“What do you like this more?” I asked.

“I love the challenge,” Gagosi smiled. “I love winning.”

Gagosian represents more than 100 artists, and shows the works of Picasso, Warhol, and De Koning. Among its customers are huge billionaire complexes such as the owner of New York Mets Steve Cohen and Music David Jeffen and Leonard Lauder’s cosmetic heir. “For this reason, New York is a great city for an artistic confrontation, because you have all these super wealthy men trying (as you know, in a certain way),” I got one. “Oh, I got one better,” Gagosian said.

Gagosian, who grew up in an Armenian family in Los Angeles, did not receive any official technical training. In the 1970s, he was working as a parking host. Then he saw someone selling stickers on the street. “I saw that and said,“ Jiz, I can do that. ”Thus, I mainly bought the same stickers, I literally pushed the dollar for the dollar, then put a small aluminum frame on it and put it on a binding plate and tried to approach twenty dollars as much as possible, which is a Very good profit margin.

He built it in work, and began to show offers. In 1981, a young artist in New York: Jean -Michel Baskiyat. Gagosian bought three of his paintings immediately. Unfortunately, I sold them all. I wish I was still owning them! “

Basquital was giving his first western coast exhibition, which was placed on the Gagosian Gallery on the map. “It was big He said: “A deal in Los Angeles, we made the show and it was like, liked.

But Gagosian knew that New York was the center of the art world, and in 1985, he moved.

How did you receive in the art world in New York? He said: “They didn’t like them.” “I think they thought I would know, as you know, for some troubles.”

“Well, I did somewhat!” I said.

“I prefer not to enter that paper, but I was by competitors, I am very unfairly thinking.”

He won the title, “Gogo”, who says he already started when he was young. “When I was a child, my friends have difficulty pronouncing my name, Jagosian. This is where he really started. But then he became, people link him to something else.”

But Jagosian made an important ally, the respected agent, Liu Castelli. One day, Castelli stopped a man who was not described on the street: “So I said, well, who was that? “Oh, this is Newhaus.” I will never forget his same words: “He can buy anything.”

Niehaus, who had the Empire of Conde Nast magazine, will become the first great agent in Gagosian. At the 1988 Sothheby auction for Jasper Johns “False Start”, they sat side by side: “He didn’t want to see bids,” said Gagosian. “So, he was driving me literally when he wanted to give bidding. I think, I think it was $ 17 million. He got the painting.”

It was a record of a living artist at the time. “It was, as you know, like, dropping the jaw,” said Gagosian.

But this price seems almost strange today.

I asked, “Do you think there is a billion dollar plate there?”

“Maybe I do not see why not,” Gagosi answered. “A young artist, if he is really talented, can sell a million dollars.”

Gagosian asked about the comments of one of his former competitors, Arne Glimcher of Pace Gallery, who said five years ago, “This market has nothing to do with art. It is all about the speed that one can earn money.”

Jagusi said: “You know, there is a certain truth of what he says, but I do not think that it is about money at all. I do not think, if people do not love art, as you know, I think they will not buy it at this level.

“Do you in no way think that ordinary people are loved art?”

“No. I think it makes art look more interesting. amazing! Someone spent x an amount of money for the board? Wow, this is great! “

Gagosian-who had some prominent romances, is celibate, and has no children-is still active by crowds. “I think somewhat to flourish,” he said. “He gives you something to go to.”

“Why are you thrived?”

“Because I am stubborn. Because I love winning.”

“What is the victory for you?”

“Winning is to continue with it. Winning is to stay at the top. There is no real final line.”

But there, of course. Gagosian is 80 in April. And the man who GQ Magazine It is called “the closest to the art world of Caesar”, still has any plans to succeed his empire.

Therefore, can there be Gagosi without Gagosi? “I don’t know, this is the question,” he said. “I don’t want to think it’s impossible. I think it is a dangerous challenge. But I am not ready to pass matters. I enjoy it a lot.”

I asked, “Will you ever be, do you think?”

“no.”

“Well, this means that, like, never rest.”

“Well, there is no time to rest, it is really exaggerated!” He laughed.

For more information:

• Gagosian.com
• Photo © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed from Artestar, New York
• Pictures from the gagosian courtesy
• © Jean Pigzzi, from the door of courtesy
• © Cy Twombly Foundation, Compliment Gagosian

A story produced by Jolly Krakow. Editor: Stephen Tyler.