Gagosian’s Chief Operating Officer Andrew Fabricant Departs

Andrew Fabricant, who served as the chief operating officer of Gagosian for the past five years, has left the gallery along with his wife, Laura Paulson, who had led the gallery’s art advisory business since 2019.

The news was first reported by Bloomberg reporter James Tarmy and confirmed by Larry Gagosian. In a statement emailed to Artnet News, Gagosian wrote: “At this moment in the gallery’s evolution, we arrived at the point where I decided it was time for us to part ways. We are grateful for their contributions over the past several years and wish them well.”

Neither Fabricant nor Paulson could be reached for comment.

The news comes amid ongoing discussions about Gagosian’s succession plans. For many years, rumors have circulated that Fabricant might be the one to take the reins. Fabricant worked at the gallery for 15 years, starting in its early days in Los Angeles in 1983 and continuing through the 1990s, before ultimately returning in 2019. In the interim, he spent 22 years at Richard Gray Gallery, where he gained a reputation as a market dynamo with expertise in moving blue-chip art.

Gagosian’s statement continued: “The gallery is fortunate to have an outstanding depth of talent and leadership in place—a strong operational infrastructure complemented by the most talented and experienced team of directors in the industry.”

One of those directors is Brooke Lampley, who was recently added to the gallery after departing her role as global chairman and head of global fine art at Sotheby’s. She is due to start at the gallery later this year, per Gagosian’s announcement.

According to a gallery spokesperson, Gagosian will continue its advisory services with some changes: “GAA was organized into two distinct businesses—appraisals and transactions, the latter of which is led by Bernie Lagrange. Bernie, together with Michael Walker and Sophia Penske, will take our advisory business forward.”

Follow Artnet News on Facebook:

Want to stay ahead of the art world? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the breaking news, eye-opening interviews, and incisive critical takes that drive the conversation forward.