The world’s richest living artist, Damien Hirst and the most powerful art dealer on the planet, Larry Gagosian, are back in business together again. (Yes, I know, it's a ram. I'm Aries.)
Hirst split with the mega-dealer, who oversees a global empire with some sixteen locations in cities from New York to Hong Kong, just days after Art Basel Miami Beach in 2012.
The breakup with Gagosian came four years after the artist took the ballsy, unprecedented move of organizing an auction of his own work at Sotheby’s London. The sale was held just days before the big crash of ’08 and made Hirst over $150 million.
Neither party has ever spoken publicly about the reasons for the split, and it seems that neither will say why they are back together? (The photo of the two of them here was taken after the split and it seems Larry & Damien have remained friendly.)
Gagosian marked the reconciliation by devoting his entire booth to Hirst at Frieze New Yorklast week (pics of installation by me, shown below here). In 2012, all of Gagosian’s locations worldwide (eleven at the time) showcased Hirst’s spot paintings.
With Gagosian’s 16 galleries worldwide and Hirst’s billion dollar fortune, the sky is the limit. What’s next?
