Emmanuel Perrotin: The Self-Made Gallerist Expanding Empire

At 45, Emmanuel Perrotin celebrates 25 years of his gallery with a new New York space, an expansion in Paris, and a retrospective at Tripostal in Lille titled 'Happy Birthday'. A self-taught dropout without a baccalaureate, Perrotin started in the art world at 17 through nightlife. He opened his first gallery in 1997 in Paris's 13th arrondissement, moved to the Marais in 2005, and added 700 m² in a townhouse in October 2013. After a failed Miami venture (2005–2010), he opened in Hong Kong in 2011 and New York in 2013 on Madison Avenue. He was an early supporter of Maurizio Cattelan, Takashi Murakami, and Damien Hirst (later lost to Jay Jopling). His roster includes Elmgreen & Dragset, Sophie Calle, Bernard Frize, Jean-Michel Othoniel, and Xavier Veilhan. Perrotin benefits from networks with François Pinault and Cattelan. He is known for producing works for lesser-known artists and modernizing the gallerist image. Despite rumors of Pinault's financial interest (denied), Perrotin's trajectory is marked by strong intuitions and hard work.