Tim Blum Closes BLUM Gallery After 31 Years, Citing Systemic Frustrations
Tim Blum will be shutting down the BLUM Gallery locations in Tokyo and Los Angeles following their summer exhibitions, and he has also decided against pursuing a space in Tribeca. This decision has resulted in most staff being laid off, marking the end of the gallery's 31-year physical existence. Established in 1994 alongside Jeff Poe, the gallery was instrumental in showcasing Japanese and Korean artists such as Yoshitomo Nara and Takashi Murakami, significantly impacting the Los Angeles art community. After Poe's departure in 2023, the gallery underwent a rebranding. Blum, who represents over 60 artists including Mark Grotjahn and Henry Taylor, cited frustrations with the art system as the reason for the closure, rather than market declines. Stella Wu covered this story for ArtAsiaPacific.
Key facts
- Tim Blum is closing BLUM Gallery's Tokyo and Los Angeles spaces after summer exhibitions.
- Plans for a new Tribeca, New York, location have been shelved.
- Most staff have been laid off, ending 31 years of brick-and-mortar operations.
- Blum co-founded Blum & Poe with Jeff Poe in 1994, rebranding to BLUM in 2023 after Poe's departure.
- The gallery advanced careers of artists like Yoshitomo Nara, Takashi Murakami, Nobuo Sekine, and Yun Hyongkeun.
- BLUM represents over 60 artists, including Mark Grotjahn, Henry Taylor, Caroll Dunham, and Lynda Benglis.
- Blum cited frustrations with the art system's growth focus, not market downturn, as the reason for closure.
- He is developing a 'slower engagement' project with his wife, emphasizing healing and intentionality.
Entities
Artists
- Tim Blum
- Jeff Poe
- Yoshitomo Nara
- Takashi Murakami
- Nobuo Sekine
- Yun Hyongkeun
- Mark Grotjahn
- Henry Taylor
- Caroll Dunham
- Lynda Benglis
- Stella Wu
Institutions
- BLUM Gallery
- Blum & Poe
- ARTnews
- Art Basel
- The Art Newspaper
- ArtAsiaPacific
Locations
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Tribeca
- New York