Berlin's Heidi Gallery Relocates To London's Maddox Street

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Heidi, a Berlin-based gallery, has completed its move to London, establishing a new space on Maddox Street. While gallerist Pauline Seguin cited London's“thriving scene of younger galleries” as a significant draw, her departure from Berlin also reflects increasing challenges for art businesses in the German capital.

Heidi initially opened in 2021 near Berlin's Postdamerstrasse, known for its gallery concentration and red-light district. The gallery's previous street-level space was expansive and had a dilapidated appearance, aligning with Berlin's quintessential art scene aesthetic. Its exhibition program often featured cerebral and disquieting works, attracting artists, critics, and curators.

The gallery's roster of seven international artists has a strong US focus, partly influenced by Seguin's previous work with gallerist Gavin Brown in New York. Notable artists include Kandis Williams, whose research-based art examines critical theories on race, and filmmaker Jordan Strafer, who gained recognition at the 2026 Whitney Biennial for a pastiche of an American daytime talk show.

Despite what appeared to be a promising model, Seguin noted that Berlin's advantages for dealers are diminishing. The city's historic appeal of inexpensive rent and artist proximity is becoming less sustainable. She stated that shrinking cultural budgets and a real estate crisis mean“less and less experimental art is being shown there.” Additionally, a crackdown on dissent, particularly following the October 7 Hamas attacks, has caused hesitation among artists and curators regarding working in Berlin.

The global art market's ongoing sobriety further complicates matters. Seguin explained,“Buyer footfall matters much more now, unfortunately. Not many people actually travel to Berlin. And these days, if you never see a collector in person, you might struggle to survive. Having a gallery has become a lot harder.”

In London, Seguin chose an environment described as“the complete opposite” of Berlin's grunge aesthetic. She secured a five-year lease for a smaller, third-floor walk-up space on Maddox Street, an area close to institutions like Hauser & Wirth and luxury fashion outlets on Bond Street.“We wanted to be central and take advantage of the density of collectors London offers,” Seguin said.

Heidi is scheduled to open its London space this Thursday, September 24, ahead of Frieze Week. The inaugural exhibition will feature a painting show by Brook Hsu, a painter based in New York and Wyoming. Her first solo exhibition with the gallery, titled Trout Fishing in America, will run until November 7. The show centers on a postcard reproduction of Courbet's The Trout (1873), on which Hsu wrote a letter to her partner. During Frieze London, Heidi will also participate in the Focus section, presenting a solo show by fashion designer and installation artist Akeem Smith.

Seguin, who is French, also considered Paris for the relocation but ultimately chose London. She observed that“In Paris tastes are still a little conservative. London has an appetite for the experimental and the subcultural, which really supports contemporary art here.” Seguin sees London as a resilient emerging gallery scene, defying earlier“existential fears sparked by Brexit.” She commented,“London was supposed to fall off a cliff after 2016, but it's not like everywhere else rose around it, everywhere went to shit.”

Looking ahead, Heidi's second exhibition will feature new video works by Jordan Strafer. Seguin noted the challenge and excitement of“Figuring out how it will work in the new space, with all its divisions, will be tricky, but that's also the exciting part.”

We previously reported:

Manhattan's gallery scene is actively evolving with new openings and relocations in Soho, Tribeca, and Chelsea, reshaping the city's art market landscape.

Source: The Art Newspaper

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