Perrotin has announced the appointment of Rowena Chiu as the gallery director of its new London operation.
Chiu’s last art world post was director of museum and institutional relations at Stephen Friedman Gallery in London. She worked there for four years, overseeing institutional strategy and development and forging relationships with artists including Izumi Kato and Yinka Shonibare. She also managed institutional and private sales. Before that, Chiu spent six years with Hauser & Wirth in London, Zurich, and New York.
Emmanuel Perrotin, who owns the eponymous gallery, also has spaces in Paris, Hong Kong, New York, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Los Angeles. The new, 3,800-square-foot space in London, which opened in March, is located in Claridge’s, the iconic five-star hotel in the heart of Mayfair, a relative stone’s throw from the gallery’s flagship in Paris across the Channel. Perrotin revealed on Instagram last October that he was setting up shop in the UK capital. “It’s important to have a gallery in the British capital,” he wrote. “We have a long-standing relationship with the UK art scene and collectors. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to set up the gallery under the right conditions. I’m delighted to offer our artists a new exhibition platform and new projects in such a prestigious environment.”
In a recent statement, the French gallerist said: “We are thrilled to welcome Rowena to the Perrotin team. Over the course of her career, she has established herself as a trusted interlocutor for artists, galleries, and leading institutions alike. Bringing with her two decades of experience, her appointment will give a fresh impetus to our London gallery.”
Chui’s first show at the helm will be a solo exhibition by Laurent Grasso, winner of the 2008 Marcel Duchamp Prize, which opens on October 14.
“I have long admired Perrotin’s dynamic programme and global perspective and having had the pleasure of collaborating with the gallery over a number of years, I am thrilled to now join its talented team,” she said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing Perrotin’s unparalleled service to its artists and to expanding our artists’ presence with institutions and collections, particularly within the UK.”
