Why the Art World Is Migrating to Palm Beach This Winter
With seasonal homes becoming full-time residences, New York galleries are opening outposts to be closer to their collectors. Here, we share what to see in the resort town
With major art fairs being canceled and rescheduled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the jet-setting ways of collectors traversing the globe in search of their latest art acquisition came to a grinding halt. And while there have been a proliferation of online viewing rooms and digital experiences, most dealers agree that seeing art in person cannot be replaced, and in turn are coming up with new methods to engage collectors.
This summer, a slew of New York auction houses and galleries signed leases in the Hamptons, catering to those clients who had turned their holiday homes into permanent residences for the season. Now as the weather cools, collectors are migrating south to Palm Beach, and a host of blue-chip galleries including Acquavella, Sotheby’s, Pace, Paula Cooper, and Lehmann Maupin, are following suit. A number of notable art world luminaries who have property in Palm Beach include major collectors, such as Ken Griffin, Peter Brant, Amy and John Phelan, and Ann Tenenbaum.
“The success of our East Hampton space far exceeded our expectations, so we thought, ‘How can we continue this model in a location appropriate for the season?’” said Adam Sheffer, vice president of Pace, which was the first gallery along with Sotheby’s and Acquavella to announce plans for a temporary outpost in Florida. All three businesses have set up shop in the Royal Poinciana, the resort town’s luxury shopping destination, which was built in the 1950s by John L. Volk. “Palm Beach has always been a winter destination for our clients. There is such a strong collector base here and also great museums, so it felt like the right choice. And when clients can view art in a more intimate, casual setting, it can lead to a more in-depth engagement with the works,” he tells Galerie. Since then, Paula Cooper and Lehmann Maupin have also revealed plans to open around Worth Avenue, transforming Palm Beach into a buzzy cultural hub.
Below, discover the must-see exhibitions.
Lehmann Maupin
Lehmann Maupin, which has outposts in New York, Seoul, Hong Kong, and recently London, has inaugurated its new temporary space at the corner of Worth Avenue and South County Road with a group exhibition. Run by gallery partners Carla Camacho and Jessica Kreps, the gallery’s features work by McArthur Binion, Liza Lou, Marilyn Minter, Angel Otero, Teresita Fernández, Catherine Opie, John Baldessari, and Mickalene Thomas. 440 S. County Road, Palm Beach
Paula Cooper
Opening December 5, just in time to participate in the second edition of the New Wave Art Weekend, Paula Cooper’s inaugural show will feature drawings and sculpture by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen with a focus on images of food, sport, music, and other symbols of pleasure. Future shows will present work by key artists in their roster including emerging artists like Eric N. Mack and established names, such as Cecily Brown, Sol LeWitt, and Joel Shapiro. 243 Worth Avenue, Palm Beach
Acquavella
The esteemed gallery’s new Palm Beach outpost marks their first physical space outside of New York in its 99-year history. The inaugural exhibition is a version of the “Masterworks from Cézanne to Thiebaud” show that recently closed in New York. Open through December 18, the museum-quality presentation features masterpieces by the likes of Ellsworth Kelly, Jean Dubuffet, and Henri Matisse. The Royal Poinciana Plaza, 340 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach
Pace Gallery
Kicking off the Palm Beach gallery’s exhibitions is a presentation featuring two unique aperture wall installations by California-based artist James Turrell, whose work explores light and how it transforms our understanding of space. The show is on view through December 5. The Royal Poinciana Plaza, 340 Royal Poinciana Way
Sotheby’s
This month’s programme at Sotheby’s launches with a selection of contemporary paintings by George Condo, Ed Ruscha, Helen Frankenthaler, Yayoi Kusama, and Philip Guston; 20th Century design and furniture by Jean Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand, and the Haas Brothers; and timepieces by Rolex and Patek Philippe. The gallery will also exhibit a selection of upcoming auction highlights and host monthly selling exhibitions of contemporary jewelers, debuting with a curated selection of works by David Michael Jewels, the brother duo from Australia, who are known for their artful high jewelry. The Royal Poinciana Plaza, 340 Royal Poinciana Way, Suite M333
Norton Museum of Art
Rising star María Berrío’s dreamy, layered works on paper are filled with powerful women and a harmonious, symbiotic relationship with the natural environment. In January, she is having her first museum solo show at the Norton Museum. Titled María Berrío: Esperando mientras la noche florece (Waiting for the Night to Bloom) it features nearly 20 pieces created from 2013 to today, including a handful of works on public display for the first time. Don’t miss a visit to the sculpture garden, a 37,200-square-foot subtropical paradise featuring monumental works by the likes of Keith Haring, Antony Gormley, and Jenny Holzer. 1450 S Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach