Gallerist Margo Leavin
In October 2021, Los Angeles gallerist Margo Leavin passed away at the age of 85. With 43 years as a gallery owner and more than 500 exhibitions, Margot is not only a mainstay of los Angeles' art scene, but also the city of angels that has become one of the most dynamic art centers of its time. Today, Harper's Bazaar Art takes you closer to the artistic life of this legendary woman.
From scratch
In 1989, Margot hung up the phone and felt ethereal, having just sold a $1.6 million William de Kooning painting. Today, that number may seem like nothing, but it was in the spotlight in the 1980s , when female gallerists sold the most expensive paintings. For Margot, it was a career highlight and one that turned the eye of the art world. By this time, she had been in the art market for 20 years.
Solo exhibition by Margo Levine Gallery for Abstract Expressionist artist Willem de Kooning, 1987
In 1970, Margot opened her first gallery on Robertson Avenue in West Hollywood, northeast of the mansion-studded Beverly Hills. Although it is quite an exaggeration to meet celebrities on the go, it is a coincidence that the two galleries that Levine has founded in Los Angeles were originally the assets of Hollywood actresses.
Los Angeles Beverly Hills
The film industry was thriving, adding to the desolation of the los Angeles contemporary art ecosystem at the time: the Paul Getty Museum of Art and the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art (MOCA) were founded in 1974 and 1979, respectively; the Hammer Museum was located here in 1990; and even the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), founded in 1961, was not yet ten years old. Los Angeles is undoubtedly a young city, full of sunshine and vitality, attracting people to expand their territory.
Paul Getty Museum of Art (J. Paul Getty Museum) aerial view
Los Angeles County Museum of Modern Art (MOCA)
But "it's hard for a woman to cook without rice," margo Levine thought of a bold and logical way to work with galleries in New York to bring avant-garde art there to the West Coast. In 1970, the gallery's inaugural exhibition, Pace in Los Angeles, featured works by artists such as Louise Nevelson, represented by the New York gallery.
Marcel Duchamp solo exhibition at marcel Duchamp gallery in Margot Levin Gallery, 1973
Louise Nevelson, Big Black, painted wood, 274.9×319.5×30.5cm, 1963, now in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
The following year, she held a solo exhibition for the influential sculptor Claes Oldenburg and wrote a catalogue of prints for him, Claes Oldenburg: Works in Edition, which was a huge success — not only did collectors fly to the exhibition and buy 19 works in one fell swoop, but the exhibition later toured the John Berggruen Gallery in San Francisco.
Margo Levine Gallery's solo exhibition "Knife Slicing Through Wall" for Kleas Oldenburg, installation site, 1989
A catalogue of works written by Margo Levine for Oldenburg
Artist Oldenburg recalls: "At that time, the Irving Blum Gallery was closed and Los Angeles was empty until Margot appeared. This statement may be exaggerated, but Margo Levine was undoubtedly one of the top figures in the Los Angeles art market at that time. She and Oldenburg also began a cooperation for more than 20 years, which shows the depth of their friendship.
But here's a little episode: In 1992, Pace "slashed for love" and began representing Oldenburg and other important artists, so much so that Margot looked complicated every time she mentioned her gallery debut title, "Pace in Los Angeles"...
Margo Levine Gallery's first solo exhibition "The Alphabet in LA" for Kleis Oldenburg, 1975
After firing the first shot, Margot quickly gained a foothold in pop art, minimalism and conceptual art, collaborating with top New York gallerists such as Leo Castelli and Paula Cooper to present exhibitions for and many other Artists in New York, including Andy Warhol, Jasper Jones and Dan Fléven. At the same time, as her collector and artist resources have grown, she has not forgotten to discover new local art stars, such as Alexis Smith and John Baldessari.
Margo Levine Gallery's solo exhibition "Jasper Johns: Drawings 1970-1980" for Jasper Jones, 1981
Margo Levine Gallery for artist Alexis Smith's solo exhibition "Jane", 1985
Solo exhibition by Margo Levine Gallery for artist John Baldessari, 1984
During her more than 40-year career as a gallery owner, Margot has presented more than 500 exhibitions, including around 400 solo exhibitions. Most of the artists in the American art world who you can call famous have exhibited in her gallery. And whenever the interviewer began to read the names of the artists he had worked with, Margot would proudly joke, "I'm almost asleep!" "The length of the list is conceivable. From scratch, she not only established her own gallery territory, but also became an important promoter of the formation of the art ecology in Los Angeles. However, behind the shining resume is the hardships of starting from scratch...
Margo Levine Gallery's solo exhibition "Fluorescent Circles and Strips Cornered" for minimalist artist Dan Flavin, 1986
Through the waves
Born in 1936 to a middle-class new York family, Margot moved to Los Angeles at the age of 14 for war reasons and graduated in psychology from UCLA in 1958. After several years of social welfare and advertising-related work, she realized she wanted a more creative job and began working as a private art dealer. At the time, she was 31 years old.
Margo Levine Gallery for solo exhibition by sculptor Tony Smith, 1985
There is no doubt that as a woman, Margot chose an unusual path when her peers were getting married and having children. Recalling the beginning of her career, she did not deny that she was initially treated and despised by her male peers, but she did not choose to back down. When asked how she could do it all, her answer was always twofold: one was to work hard, and the other was to go the extra mile.
It wasn't a nine-to-five job, similar to today's "007", because she couldn't hire an assistant at a limited cost, so she went to the gallery at seven o'clock in the morning and left at midnight. Similar to the company, many galleries have sponsors, but Margot has never accepted sponsorship.
Margo Levine Gallery's solo exhibition "The Concorde Series & Painted Wall Sculptures" for minimalist artist Ellsworth Kelly, 1982
Solo exhibition by Margo Levine Gallery for artist Julian Schnabel, 1982
In the 1980s, the American art market was very hot, and Margot benefited a lot. Not only did she expand the original exhibition hall area, but she also opened another gallery space in the local area. Everything was going well, but it didn't last long. The financial crisis of the 1990s hit the art market hard, with many galleries in Los Angeles closing and lending collaborations with places like New York falling sharply. Many of the top artists began to flow to more well-funded galleries, which was a big shock for Margot, who had no sponsors.
Margo Levine Gallery for solo exhibition by artist Donald Judd, 1989
In the face of difficulties, she is more active in identifying fledgling artists with market potential, and has also established contacts with European galleries in Milan and other places, exhibiting works in genres such as Arte Povera. In 1990, Wendy Brandow became a partner, helping to expand young artists and organize exhibitions.
Solo exhibition by Margo Levine Gallery for artist Roni Horn, 1993
Solo exhibition by Margo Levine Gallery for artist Sherrie Levine, 1996
Solo exhibition by Margo Levine Gallery for artist Allen Ruppersberg, 1998
After such a long time, when asked the secret of success in 2020, Margot couldn't help but laugh: "I don't know if there is a secret." I'm just very, very hard working, and very responsible, and I'm the first to pay my artists, the first to pay all the bills, and I don't believe in any debt. In this way, I feel free and have nothing to worry about. ”
Installation by artist Sol LeWitt, Margo Levine Gallery, 2001
Giving back to Los Angeles
In 2013, Margot chose to close the gallery of the same name, which she had founded for nearly half a century, but did not fully "retire.". She said the closure of the gallery space was due to a change in the art market — collectors no longer relied on traditional art spaces, began to buy through online channels, and could no longer appreciate the gallery's "thoughtful, fully expressed" artist exhibitions. Looking back on what she said now, one can't help but sigh at her forward-looking gaze.
Installation by artist John Baldessari, Margo Levine Gallery, 2010
Shortly after the closure of the physical space, all of the gallery's archival materials were acquired by the Getty Library. In 2019, Margot donated $20 million to her alma mater, UCLA, to create the Margo Levine Graduate Art Studio at the nation's second-largest art school, the largest art donation the school has ever received.
Margo Levine Graduate Art Studio
"Without the artists who chose to work with me, I wouldn't have had everything I have today. So I want to give it back to the next generation. Margo's choice was not surprising. In the face of market ups and downs, she has always been rooted in Los Angeles and has never left – even as many blue-chip galleries have gone international and expanded.
Now, with the rise of new LACMA buildings and the opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and the opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in 2023, the sunshine in Los Angeles is still the same, but the art ecology is no longer what it used to be. Margot has undoubtedly witnessed her rise as "a mainstay of the Los Angeles art scene," as Mr. Hammer Curator Ann Philbin describes.
Margo Levine (left) with partner Wendy Brandow, 1995
Back in 1970, Margot originally did not want to start a gallery, but perhaps because the private business was too good and the traffic was quite disturbing, the home office was complained and reported by neighbors, and had to stop working or create a physical gallery within 30 days. Inadvertently, she started her exciting career as a painter and left a strong mark on the los Angeles contemporary art scene.
Editor, Wen Zhang Jianlei
This article is original by Harper's Bazaar Art Department and may not be reproduced without permission