Young Art Dealers from the Millennial and Gen Z Generations Aim to 'Revamp Achievement', Hauser & Wirth to Debut New Gallery in Palo Alto: Daily Connections for July 30, 2025
In the dynamic world of art, change is a constant. The current trend in the industry, particularly among baby-boomer gallerists, is one of collaboration and transparency as they navigate succession plans.
For over 30 years, the Wixáritari, one of Mexico's 70 Indigenous groups, have been advocating for the recognition of the Wixárika pilgrimage route. Their journey, spanning roughly 310 miles across five states and ending in Wirikuta, San Luis Potosí, marks a significant cultural tradition that is now part of Mexico's 36th UNESCO World Heritage site. This inscription, the first of a living Indigenous tradition under the 1972 World Heritage Convention, underscores the importance of preserving cultural heritage.
Meanwhile, in the contemporary art scene, Gen Z gallerists are focusing on collaboration, greater transparency, and avoiding burnout. Bridget Donahue, a Gen Z gallerist, has committed to five shows a year and one or two art fairs to protect herself and her artists from burnout. Matthew Brown, another Gen Z gallerist, is interested in transparency, experimentation, and building platforms that reflect the present.
This shift towards collaboration is not only seen among Gen Z gallerists but also among baby-boomer gallery owners. Marc Speigler, the former global director of Art Basel, sees a new model emerging in the art world, where gallerists are trying to build communities instead of empires.
The Financial Times reports that many baby-boomer gallerists are feeling the heat of the art market's ongoing contraction, and their potential successors, Gen Zers, are working to redefine success in the field. Family offices and high-net-worth individuals driving art market transactions now emphasize bespoke succession solutions and education strategies tailored to the next generation, promoting collaboration and shared governance to preserve wealth, purpose, and creative energy across generations.
Hauser & Wirth, a mega-gallery, is also embracing this trend. The gallery has revealed plans to open a new gallery in Palo Alto, California, in spring 2026. This will be the gallery's third location in California, aiming to energize the area with programming, books, and activations alongside the art.
The rise of digital tools and intellectual property management practices, including licensing and royalties, supports this push towards long-term legacy-building rather than short-term career hustle. Younger dealers and operators are encouraged to build scalable business models with clear contracts, automated renewals, and strategic collaborations that preserve both financial viability and creative control.
This more transparent and collaborative approach is essential to nurture the emerging generations in the art market and mitigate burnout while sustaining gallery operations beyond the baby-boomer generation. While direct detailed case studies specifically about galleries' succession among baby-boomer gallerists may be scarce, the underlying themes from family offices, estate planning experts, and art licensing authorities indicate a clear trend: increased emphasis on structured, transparent, collaborative succession planning, leveraging intergenerational cooperation to ensure legacy, financial security, and healthier working conditions for younger generations in the art world.
Elsewhere in the art world, "Intersect" art fair returns to the Aspen Ice Garden for its 15th year, with its largest number of exhibitors to date from July 29 to August 3. EVA International, Ireland's Biennial of Contemporary Art, has announced the program for its 41st edition, titled "It Takes a Village," focusing on ideas of collaborative partnership, social justice, and historical repair.
Art Collaboration Kyoto, a hybrid event, is a way for Japan-based dealers to minimize costs while maximizing networking opportunities abroad. The US Marshals Service is auctioning four artworks by Pablo Picasso, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Diane Arbus online, which were surrendered to the US Department of Justice in connection with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
Collector Komal Shah believes that the new Hauser & Wirth gallery in the Bay Area "makes a lot of sense" and is confident that the gallery will energize the area with programming, books, and activations alongside the art.
In the heart of the Wixárika pilgrimage route, around 60,000 Wixáritari still speak the Wixárika language, maintaining traditions through geographic isolation and resilience. The pilgrimage involves chants, dances, and offerings, and is central to the Wixárika ritual calendar, lasting about a month. Only designated shamans (mara'akate) undertake the journey from the Sierra Madre to ensure the success of the agricultural cycle and the spiritual health of their communities.
These diverse developments in the art world underscore the importance of collaboration, transparency, and legacy-building in the face of change. Whether it's the Wixárika pilgrimage route or the contemporary art scene, the shared goal is to preserve and nurture cultural heritage for future generations.
- In the contemporary art scene, Gen Z gallerists prioritize collaboration, transparency, and the prevention of burnout.
- Bridget Donahue, a Gen Z gallerist, has committed to five shows a year and one or two art fairs to protect herself and her artists from burnout.
- Matthew Brown, another Gen Z gallerist, focuses on transparency, experimentation, and building platforms that reflect the present.
- The trend of collaboration is also noticeable among baby-boomer gallery owners, fostering a new model in the art world where gallerists aim to build communities instead of empires.
- Marc Speigler, the former global director of Art Basel, observes this new model emerging in the art world.
- The Financial Times reports that many baby-boomer gallerists are feeling the impact of the art market's ongoing contraction, and their potential successors, Gen Zers, are working to redefine success in the field.
- Hauser & Wirth, a mega-gallery, is embracing this trend, planning to open a new gallery in Palo Alto, California, in spring 2026, emphasizing programming, books, and activations alongside the art.
- The rise of digital tools and intellectual property management practices, including licensing and royalties, support the push towards long-term legacy-building in the art world, encouraging younger dealers and operators to build scalable business models focused on collaboration and shared governance.
