Gallery Clearing in New York to Close after 14 Years of Operations
Clearing Gallery Closes After 14-Year Run Amid Economic Challenges
New York-based art gallery Clearing, known for nurturing emerging talent and serving as a tastemaker for new artists, has announced its closure following a 14-year run. The decision was primarily due to financial difficulties and the inability to sustain the traditional gallery model amid challenging market conditions following the Covid-19 pandemic and economic downturn.
Founder Olivier Babin stated that there was "no viable path forward" to operate the gallery at the standards they upheld for their artists, teams, and community. The closure is emblematic of economic pressures reshaping galleries' viability and their role in the art ecosystem.
The gallery's rapid expansion, including opening locations in Brussels (2012), Los Angeles (2020), and a new, more expensive space in New York's Bowery in 2024, led to overexposure and financial strain. By mid-2025, the gallery's Manhattan space had shifted away from its original gallery function to a fashion showroom, reflecting struggles to maintain its art market edge.
Artists associated with Clearing have reported unpaid balances, suggesting financial distress culminating in liquidation filings. Babin expressed regret but pointed to the broader difficulties affecting many galleries and the art community at large, indicating systemic pressures and economic challenges.
Clearing's final programming included solo exhibitions by artists Coco Young in New York and Henry Curchod in Los Angeles, and a pop-up group show in Basel, Switzerland, which doubled as a bittersweet farewell rather than participation in major art fairs.
Notable artists who have showcased their work at Clearing include Korakrit Arunanondchai, Harold Ancart, and Marguerite Humeau. Ancart, who had 10 solo shows with Clearing, has since defected to David Zwirner and is now on the roster of Gagosian.
Signs of a potential behind-the-scenes shake-up emerged in 2024 when Babin and Lodovico Corsini, who helped run the Brussels space, did not see eye to eye on the direction of Clearing's European operations. Corsini subsequently took charge of the Brussels space and now operates it under his name. The American and European entities of the gallery went separate ways in 2024.
Other galleries that have closed their New York presence over the past year include Blum, Venus Over Manhattan, and Kasmin. Kasmin announced plans to wind up operations and transition into a new entity known as Olney Gleason. David Lewis, a namesake dealer, joined Hauser & Wirth as a senior director.
The closure of Clearing has had a marked impact on the art community, as it was known for nurturing emerging artists who later became significant market names. The shutdown removes a platform for such artists and diminishes diversity in gallery representation, contributing to a wave of U.S. gallery closures this summer that reflect wider instability in the art market.
- The closing of Clearing Gallery, a renowned institution known for fostering new talents and shaping the art world, marks a significant shift in the art ecosystem, following a 14-year run.
- The economic challenges, particularly those spurred by the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn, contributed to the gallery's decision to liquidate.
- Artists associated with Clearing, such as Coco Young, Henry Curchod, Korakrit Arunanondchai, and Harold Ancart, have showcased their work in the gallery's spaces, with Ancart now representing David Zwirner and Gagosian.
- The gallery's closure signifies a loss for the art community, as it was a hub for nurturing emerging artists, and its shutdown may contribute to a diminished diversity in gallery representation.
- The gallery's financial difficulties were likely exacerbated by its rapid expansion to multiple locations, resulting in overexposure and financial strain.
- Lodovico Corsini, who managed Clearing's Brussels space, and founder Olivier Babin had disagreements on the European operations, leading to Corsini's departure and the eventual separation of the American and European entities of the gallery.
