Imagine building a legacy, a landmark in the art world, only to see it crumble amidst accusations of betrayal and financial mismanagement. That's the shocking reality unfolding at Sperone Westwater, a gallery closing its doors after an incredible 50-year run, but not before a bitter legal battle erupted between its founders.
Just three months before the announcement of the gallery's impending closure, Gian Enzo Sperone, one of the founding partners, filed a lawsuit against his co-founder, Angela Westwater. Sperone's claim? That Westwater had essentially locked him out, creating a "parasitic deadlock" by seizing control of a corporation holding a significant 50% stake in the gallery. This is where it gets controversial... The lawsuit paints a picture of a fractured partnership, alleging mishandling of gallery funds, a deliberate withholding of crucial financial records from Sperone and other stockholders, and mismanagement of rent payments. The relationship, according to legal documents, has deteriorated to the point where the two principals "do not even speak directly to one another." It's a stunning fall from grace for a gallery that once stood as a beacon of artistic innovation.
Sperone Westwater, originally established in 1975 as Sperone Westwater Fischer (Konrad Fischer left in 1982), boasts an impressive history of showcasing influential artists. Names like Bruce Nauman, Francesco Clemente, Susan Rothenberg, Enzo Cucchi, David Lynch, and Mario Merz have graced its walls. The gallery's final exhibition, featuring the work of Richard Long, another long-time artist of the gallery, is scheduled to run until its final day this December. The closure, first hinted at in a report by Katya Kazakina at Artnet News, sent ripples through the art world. And this is the part most people miss... The initial report, based on anonymous sources, echoed some of the allegations later detailed in the lawsuit, but crucially, it didn't reveal the existence of the legal action itself, which had been quietly filed in August with the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
The lawsuit was initiated by Sperone, alongside Sandstown Trade Ltd., which, like Westwater, holds a 50% stake in Sperone Westwater. Sperone had served as a director of Sandstown until 2024, when he was replaced by Filippo Pistone, described in the suit as a "trusted family friend who is a successful businessperson and located in the New York area.” Pistone appears to be the founder of Bacchanal Wine Imports, a company based in Port Chester, New York. But here's where the plot thickens... An email included in the lawsuit reveals Westwater's concerns about Pistone, alleging that he was "bullying me with false claims that I and the Gallery have engaged in unlawful misconduct and also his bullying the Gallery’s staff with unduly burdensome demands, many of which have never been requested before.” Westwater also claimed that Pistone had “misled and baited and goaded” her into committing to a $300,000 rent payment, and that he pressured her to sever ties with her lawyer, Melvyn Leventhal. Despite these allegations, the lawsuit describes Westwater's meeting with Pistone as "cordial."
The issue of rent payments became a central point of contention. The lawsuit details that the gallery's stockholders had invested $10 million in Sperone Westwater's iconic Norman Foster-designed building, with the understanding that the gallery would pay $1.8 million in rent annually. However, Westwater allegedly sought to renegotiate these terms, arguing that "the Gallery’s program and revenues were in decline such that it cannot afford to pay the agreed rent and, from the limited information shared with Petitioners, is unprofitable and, unfortunately, no longer a leading gallery of contemporary art.” Sperone and Sandstown allege that Westwater even stated she could close Sperone Westwater “at any time.”
Further accusations include Westwater's alleged attempt to use "one very high value asset, the Foster Building, to subsidize the other unprofitable asset, the Gallery, including a salary to her and compensation of some kind to her daughter.” Sperone and Sandstown also claim that Westwater unilaterally increased her own salary without the approval of the other stockholder, and that she acted “reckless[ly]” with consigned artworks and the funds generated from their sale. It's a complex web of accusations, raising serious questions about the gallery's final years.
Attempts to reach Gian Enzo Sperone for comment were unsuccessful. Lawyers Luke Nikas and Kathryn Bonacorsi, representing Angela Westwater, provided ARTnews with the official statement announcing the gallery's closure: “After 50 successful years, Sperone Westwater Gallery will be closing on December 31, as co-founders Angela Westwater and Gian Enzo Sperone have decided to pursue separate endeavors. They appreciate everyone who contributed to the Gallery’s success and accomplishments.” This carefully worded statement, however, says nothing about the lawsuit or the deeply personal conflict at the heart of this closure.
This situation raises a number of important questions. Was the closure truly driven by financial difficulties, or were there other factors at play? Were Westwater's actions justified in light of the gallery's declining revenues, or did she overstep her authority? And perhaps most importantly, what does this saga say about the pressures and challenges facing even the most established institutions in the contemporary art world today? We invite you share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below. Do you believe the lawsuit reveals a deeper issue within the art market? What responsibility, if any, do founders have to each other when facing business challenges? Let's discuss!
