Bergamot Station: LA's Art Hub Faces Uncertain Future as Trains Return
The Bergamot Station arts complex in Santa Monica, California, founded by gallerist Wayne Blank in 1994, has become a key cultural hub in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Housed in a former railway station, it includes galleries, design studios, and the Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA), which moved there in 1998. The upcoming extension of the Expo Line light rail, which will bring trains back to the station after 50 years, has sparked both excitement and concern. Gallerist Om Bleicher of bG Gallery organized an 'Expo-sé' party to celebrate, but worries about development plans that include a parking structure threatening gallery businesses. A feud erupted between Blank and SMMoA over competing development proposals; Blank tripled the museum's rent, leading SMMoA to leave Bergamot Station and open offices in Century City, embarking on a nomadic 'unbound' phase. Meanwhile, LA's art scene is in flux, with galleries and artists moving from New York due to high costs, drawn by the new Broad Museum, the revitalized Arts District, and affordable studio spaces in East LA and North Hollywood. Institutions like UCLA and CalArts are eyeing Bergamot for future projects. The success of the April photography month, with exhibitions at Robert Berman Gallery, Rose Gallery, and bG Gallery, hints at the area's potential. Art is mobile in LA, and Bergamot Station remains a key destination.
Key facts
- Bergamot Station arts complex founded in 1994 by gallerist Wayne Blank in Santa Monica, California.
- Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA) moved to Bergamot Station in 1998.
- Expo Line light rail extension will bring trains back to the station after 50 years.
- Gallerist Om Bleicher of bG Gallery organized an 'Expo-sé' party to celebrate the train's return.
- Development plans include a parking structure that threatens gallery businesses.
- Wayne Blank tripled SMMoA's rent after a feud over development proposals.
- SMMoA left Bergamot Station and opened offices in Century City, entering an 'unbound' phase.
- Galleries and artists are moving from New York to LA due to high costs.
- New Broad Museum, funded by Eli and Edith Broad, is a major draw.
- UCLA and California Institute of Arts are considering Bergamot for future projects.
Entities
Artists
- Ed Ruscha
- Julius Schulman
- Frank Gehry
- Richard Neutra
- John Lautner
- Peter Sellars
- Danielle Acoff
Institutions
- Bergamot Station
- Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA)
- bG Gallery
- Robert Berman Gallery
- Rose Gallery
- Maccarone
- The Broad Museum
- Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
- UCLA (University of California Los Angeles)
- California Institute of Arts (CalArts)
- The Reef
- Artribune
Locations
- Santa Monica
- California
- United States
- Los Angeles
- Downtown Los Angeles
- Century City
- Venice
- East Los Angeles
- North Hollywood
- Little Tokyo
- Chinatown
- Pacific Ocean