The Man Who Makes the Art World Go-Go The mega-dealer Larry Gagosian has an empire that spans the planet, something like a billion dollars in annual sales, and, at 74, absolutely no interest in slowing down. A rare conversation with the gallerist at the center of the global art game. By Bill Powers September 12, 2019 A 2013 portrait of Larry Gagosian by David Hockney.© David Hockney; photograph by Richard Schmidt A legendary New York gallerist once complimented a friend of mine by noting that she'd make an amazing art dealer. Flattered, my friend wondered if it was because people admired her taste. “No,” said the gallerist, “it's because people want to be you.” It's a curious predictor of success, but not without precedent. Case in point: Larry Gagosian. At 74, with 17 outposts in seven countries, Gagosian might be the closest thing the art world has to a Caesar. “More like Caesar salad,” he jokes. The self-deprecation is emblematic of a quick wit, which I've been privy to since first encountering him, a decade ago, through the artist Richard Prince, a mutual friend. Not long ago, we met at his favorite corner table inside Kappo Masa, the Japanese restaurant below his global headquarters on Madison Avenue—a restaurant that he co-owns. Although Gagosian is coy about the specifics of his personal wealth, Forbes reported annual sales at his eponymous gallery of $925 million in 2012 alone, which just might make him the first billion-dollar dealer. He's also very likely the only septuagenarian name-checked in a Watch the Throne lyric. But for all the achievements, one gets the sense that Gagosian still enjoys the hustle. He's certainly in no rush to retire. He's still signing new artists, still staging exhibitions, still offering the kinds of insights that only a lifetime spent at the highest echelon of the art world can produce. https://www.gq.com/story/larry-gagosian-art-interview