Lehmann Maupin is launching a new pop-up space in Milan this month, strategically timed to coincide with spring art fairs and the Venice Biennale. The pop-up will be hosted at Circolo, a non-profit art platform located in the city’s fashionable Via della Spiga.
The gallery’s pop-up show at Circolo, founded by Nicole Saikalis Bay, will span three rooms, aiming to spotlight both emerging and established artists while fostering engagement with the art community. The exhibition will feature solo displays by Nari Ward and Todd Gray, alongside new works by artists such as Billy Childish and Alex Prager.
While some artists like Gray and Ward have strong presence in Italy, the show also seeks to elevate regional profiles of artists with limited exposure in the country, including Lee Bul and newcomer Loriel Beltrán.
Founded in New York in 1996 by David Maupin and Rachel Lehmann, Lehmann Maupin has expanded globally with permanent locations in New York, Seoul, and London. It has previously operated seasonal spaces in Aspen, Beijing, Palm Beach, and Taipei.
The gallery’s adoption of the pop-up model has significantly expanded its reach without the commitment of long-term leases in new locations. It prioritizes creativity when deciding where to place temporary spaces, taking into account factors like artists, clients, staff, and partner museum locations. Operational benefits come second. The aim is to offer fresh contexts for audiences to interact with artists’ work, driven by artists’ desire to explore new geographies and respond to diverse spaces and audiences.
A retrospective on the work of Ward, a key figure in the gallery’s program, has premiered at HangarBicocca and will continue until July 28. The Venice Biennale, featuring Lehmann Maupin artist Kim Yun Shin, opens on April 20, making Milan a likely stop for many visitors due to its proximity.
Milan’s emergence as a prominent European hub for contemporary art is evident through recent developments such as the opening of major non-profit exhibition spaces like Pirelli HangarBicocca and Fondazione Prada.
On the commercial front, respected Italian dealerships like Cardi Gallery, Kaufmann Repetto, and Massimo De Carlo have established their presence in Milan, alongside international galleries like Lisson and Cadogan, which have launched local branches.
