Templon Gallery Closes Chelsea Outpost After Rent Hike

Templon Gallery has shut down its Chelsea location in New York, joining other international dealers reevaluating their operations in the city due to a market decline. Established in Paris in 1966 by Daniel Templon, the gallery showcased artists like Will Cotton, Kehinde Wiley, and Jim Dine. In 2022, it opened a 6,500-square-foot venue on Tenth Avenue and West 27th Street, previously the site of the Kasmin gallery. Mathieu Templon, the founder's son, indicated that the closure was prompted by the landlord's demand for a significant rent hike as the lease neared renewal. By the end of April, the gallery was paying $55,000 monthly. Although two of four full-time staff remain, director Monica King has moved to Richard Saltoun Gallery. Mathieu Templon plans to relocate to Paris but intends to return frequently, seeking a smaller venue in Tribeca or the Upper East Side. Templon’s exit aligns with similar closures by London’s Stephen Friedman and Timothy Taylor galleries, which ceased New York operations after expanding between 2021 and 2023. The gallery is not entirely leaving New York; it has works displayed in a Midtown design studio and will use a SoHo rental as a private showroom, with plans to resume exhibitions once a new space is found.