Pace Gallery and Galerie Judin are opening a new shared gallery space in Berlin’s Schöneberg neighborhood on May 1st. Housed in a restored 1950s gas station, the space will feature exhibition areas, offices, a café, and a bookshop operated by the publishing group Die Zeit. It will be located at Bülowstraße 18, just a few blocks from the Mercator Höfe courtyard on Potsdamer Straße, home to leading galleries Esther Schipper and Galerie Max Hetzler, as well as Judin’s own primary space.
The new gallery will launch during Berlin Gallery Weekend with a joint group exhibition by Galerie Judin and Pace, details of which will be announced closer to the opening. After the inaugural event, the galleries will alternate exhibition schedules, with Pace mounting two shows per year and Galerie Judin hosting three.
“The evolution of this once mundane property bears witness to the constant change in this captivating city, and we are delighted to share the Tankstelle’s genius loci with Pace Gallery and ZEIT,” said Pay Matthis Karstens, co-owner of Galerie Judin. “In our wish to contribute to the Berlin art scene while expanding the gallery’s program and international outreach, we couldn’t think of a better partner and second space for the gallery.”
The building was originally constructed in 1954 during Berlin’s postwar reconstruction. Abandoned in 1986, the gas station remained empty until Galerie Judin founder Juerg Judin and architect Thomas Brakel oversaw renovation in 2005. After finishing construction, the building was honored with the Architekturpreis Berlin award. From 2022 to 2024, the space was home to a museum dedicated to German artist George Grosz.
As the city faces challenges in its local art scene, the role of galleries in Berlin has become more crucial than ever. No other mega-gallery has a permanent foothold in the German capital. Pace, which operates eight locations globally, established its Berlin office in 2023 under the direction of senior director Laura Attanasio. The gallery has hosted notable events, including participation in collaborative gallery event Suite Berlin. In April 2024, the gallery hosted a pop-up in Berlin, a solo show of Los Angeles–based artist Maysha Mohamedi. This, the artist’s first German exhibition, was also hosted at Mercator Höfe, in a space that has now been taken over by Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery.
“The opening of this new exhibition space in Berlin is so exciting, not only for Pace and Galerie Judin, but, more importantly, for the local arts community,” said Attanasio. “Pace has a deep commitment to Berlin and its thriving creative community, and we feel so honored to bring our artists’ work to this very special building in the city. We look forward to strengthening our connection to Berlin, its people, and its artists with our programming at this historic site.”
