FEBRUARY 2017

AN ATTITUDE, NOT AN ADDRESS Art the “mother of American modernism,” O’Keeffe was based in the Southwest but had done very few exhibitions on the West Coast. “I thought only in my THE wildest dreams could I do a Georgia O’Keeffe show,” Berggruen says. Not only was the artist elusive, but pur- chasing her work was prohibitive to the young collector at the time. So he took BERGGRUEN the idea to a group of art collectors who worked with his father and convinced them to invest. Soon he was on the phone with O’Keeffe’s agent arranging the sale of three pieces, including Black Cross with Stars and Blue, shown at the GALLERY gallery in the fall of 1977. In 1973 Berggruen visited a then-emerging artist named in his Los Angeles studio. Struck by his vivid style, Berggruen OVER THE offered to represent him. “Ruscha is now internationally known, but at the time we didn’t know how to in- troduce his work,” Berggruen says. “He said to me, ‘I have an idea,’ and YEARS hands me his business card. It said, Edward Ruscha, Young Artist. It was one of my first exhibitions of a BY HEATHER WOOD RUDULPH living artist on the West Coast.” That relationship has lasted John Berggruen was only 27 years old when he decades, with Berggruen buying and selling several prominent opened his namesake gallery on Grant Avenue pieces, such as Juice, which was in 1970. It was a move many leaders in the acquired by -based art collectors Harry W. and global arts community—including his father, Mary Margaret Anderson, famed German arts dealer and patron Heinz known in the industry as Hunk and Moo. Berggruen—thought risky. By the turn of the Berggruen often formed close 20th century, San Francisco had become an relationships with the artists he worked with—from Ruscha epicenter for counterculture, but it hadn’t yet and to Robert built a reputation for fine art. Since the gallery’s Motherwell and Helen Fran- kenthaler. By the mid-1980s opening, the city has gone through multiple he had also established lasting cultural evolutions—from the rise of jazz fusion relationships with collectors, and earned the respect of and protest rock in the 1970s to the tech boom the press, which for years of the 1990s. All the while, Berggruen has been incorrectly assumed that he was riding the coattails of slowly building one of the most prominent art his father. But Berggruen dealerships in the world. didn’t realize his prom- inence in the art scene until William Lieber- It’s a legacy Berggruen had to lery has solidified its place man, then curator of the build from scratch, despite the fact in the center of the Bay Metropolitan Museum of that his father was one of the most Area’s artistic renaissance. Art in New York, visited influential figures in the art world. The inaugural exhibit in the the gallery in 1983 and Over the course of his 70-year career, new space, “The Human purchased several pieces the elder Berggruen worked his way Form” (January 13–March to add to the Met’s up from assistant to the director at 4), celebrates Berggruen’s collection, including the San Francisco Museum of Mod- nearly five decades collect- paintings by San Francisco ern Art to having an art collection ing and selling art. Here, we artists and valued at more than $450 million look back on some of his most . in 2001. In 1996, he had a museum memorable moments: “That completely shocked named for him in his native . Like a first love, a collector’s me,” Berggruen says. “Here was a It would have been easy for Heinz initial acquisition is seared into powerful force in the art world, and Berggruen to give his son a huge memory. For Berggruen, it was I was just this young regional art jump-start on his gallery, but instead, Spanish painter Joan Miró’s dealer making sales to one of the he insisted that he work for his own Equinox, a piece he acquired most major museums in the world. reputation, just as he had himself. around 1971. Prior to this pur- It was a real feather in my cap.” Berggruen the Younger didn’t chase, the gallery’s shows fea- Berggruen and his father disappoint. Over 47 years, Berggruen tured lithographs Berggruen both had an intimate relation- has had more than 700 shows at his bought on consignment from ship with Picasso. Heinz was a gallery featuring some of the world’s his father and colleagues in the friend of the famed artist, ac- most iconic artists—Pablo Picas- art world. “It was the first time quiring 80-plus pieces over his so, Henri Matisse and Willem de I made a commitment of a lot lifetime, many of which have Kooning—as well as contemporary of money—maybe $10,000,” been donated to museums artists Berggruen discovered early says Berggruen, noting that around the world. Berggruen in their careers—, this purchase kicked off his Edward Ruscha and David Bates. collecting career. In the mid-1970s, Berg- With a new location in the This 2005 sculpture by artist Nick DoReMi Arts District, directly across gruen became interested Cave is called Soundscape, and the street from the refurbished in the work of Georgia resembles a besequined surfboard SFMOMA, The John Berggruen Gal- O’Keeffe. Credited as with arms and legs.

22 FEBRUARY 2017 | NOB HILL GAZETTE BERGGRUEN TRIED TO BUY A RARE PICASSO SKETCHBOOK FROM HIS FATHER, BUT HIS FATHER REFUSED.

always admired his father’s collection. He several of his own Picassos, including Le tried to buy one particular sketchbook that Nu Jaune and The Weeping Woman, which his father owned many times over the years, are featured in “The Human Form.” The but his father refused. It was a collection of exhibit draws from some of Berggruen’s 26 erotic drawings that Picasso composed most important relationships with artists in 1970, two and a half years before his over the years, serving as a retrospective death. Finally, Berggruen’s father agreed, that celebrates a new beginning. NHG and the drawings were turned into the exhibit “Picasso: The Berggruen Album,” When John met Gretchen: Read Janet featured at the gallery in the spring of 2004. Reilly’s interview with the art power couple At left: George Condo’s The Pilot (2012). Above: Milton Since then, Berggruen has purchased on page 48. Avery’s Girl With Folded Arms (1944).

NOB HILL GAZETTE | FEBRUARY 2017 23 Party Pages

EMILY WHEELER AND LEXIE GEORGE

FRISH BRANDT AND RICH SILVERSTEIN

JENNIFER WEISS, WITH JOHN AND GRETCHEN BERGGRUEN EMILY HOLT, JESSICA SILVERMAN AND NINA HOLLEIN

JANUARY 12 LINDSAY BOLTON CHARLIE SPALDING THE JOHN BERGGRUEN GALLERY REOPENS ALEXANDER BERGGRUEN, ISKA GREENFIELD SANDERS AND JOHN BERGGRUEN PHOTOS BY: DREW ALTIZER The go-to modern art dealer and wife Gretchen unveiled their sleek new location at 10 Hawthorne Street near SFMOMA. The first big exhibit, titled “The Human Form,” showcases works by Picasso, de Kooning and more. JOHN AND PHYLLIS WALKER

ELIZABETH DYE

JUSTINE THIEROT AND DEBORAH HARLAN

DORIS FISHER WITH PAM AND DICK KRAMLICH

CHARLES AND HELEN SCHWAB

RANDI AND BOB FISHER

KAREN DIEFENBACH, LISA PRITZKER AND CARLA EMIL

NEAL BENEZRA AND MAX HOLLEIN

SUSAN DUNLEVY AND NION MCEVOY

SUSAN GREENLEAF AND SARAH WENDELL LYDIA SHORENSTEIN, TOM KELLEY AND SUSAN OBERNDORF MATT AND AMY ROGERS

NOB HILL GAZETTE | FEBRUARY 2017 37 TheWITH JANET Interview REILLY When John met Gretchen … Witnessing John and Gretchen Berggruen interact is like watching a romantic comedy from another era. The married gallery owners—who just so happen to be among the most prominent art dealers in San Francisco—banter like Harry and Sally. Married more than 30 years, the Berggruens have set up shop near the newly renovated SFMOMA after closing their longtime Grant Avenue digs. They invited me to their showroom, then empty and under construction, on a chilly afternoon in late December, two weeks before opening day. Cue the witty repartee.

First of all, congratulations on your soon-to- be-opened gallery. John, I’ll begin with you: In a recent Wall Street Journal article, you were asked why you’re moving South of Market. You said, “I walked into Grant Avenue after 45 years and said, ‘I’m tired of this. I want to be energized.’” So, are you energized? John Berggruen: I wasn’t that tired. I was a little tired of the experience of being on Grant Avenue. Also just the idea of being in a new envi- ronment. We have a young, bright and very com- mitted staff and an interesting program planned for the future. And you cannot underestimate the importance of SFMOMA, which is across the street. That’s a wonderful incentive to want to move to this neighborhood.

“Between my cautionary voice and John’s impulsiveness, it has worked out in a way that most people probably wouldn’t have predicted”

Your father, the renowned art dealer , cautioned you against opening a gallery in San Francisco. Why was he so pessimistic? John: First of all, he had lived in San Francisco from the late ’30s, early -’40s and married my mother. That was not a success. That was a rather unfortunate situation. He was here from Germa- ny as a German refugee and, eventually, became an American citizen and was drafted into the United States Army. He worked at SFMOMA as one of their first curators, if not the first curator. He also worked for the San Francisco Chronicle, munity was somewhat of a backwater in regard to gallery on Grant, I asked him if he would lend which is a local newspaper that still exists. … He what he was doing in his business as an art dealer me some money—and he ended up lending me really had a lot of contempt for San Francisco in in . $5,000, which was payable within the year. I terms of going forward with his career as an art Gretchen: Well, compared to what he was doing paid him, I think, 11 months later. It was a good dealer and his experience with collectors and all in Paris... learning curve for me. Thank God Gretchen that. John: He felt I had very little experience. My ac- came along. Gretchen Berggruen: Well, I don’t think that’s ademic training, or my education, was not about quite true. … Not that it was a happy time for him, art history but political science so it didn’t mean Well, you two have been very successful but there was a cultural life here. People forget as much. In any case, he felt maybe I was a little in a very difficult business. What do you that there were so many people coming out of young. Maybe naïve. attribute your success to, both personally Europe. Writers, photographers, musicians. All Gretchen: You were young. and professionally? the universities in the Bay Area were hiring those John: My father, he was always very hands-off. Gretchen: Professionally, the experience of not people, and it was a very rich time. He didn’t say, “I know you’ll do well. I’m going being afraid of hard work. We were always open to work with you.” Right before we opened the six days a week when all the other galleries were

John: He felt that San Francisco as an art com- SEAN PEDRUCO BY PHOTO

48 FEBRUARY 2017 | NOB HILL GAZETTE only open five. Instead of opening at 10:30 or 11, by pushing myself these last few years, particu- we opened at 9:30. It sounds silly but it’s true— THE LIGHTNING ROUND larly, to be looking at more emerging artists. Not that really might have made a difference. I have just out of college—not that kind of emerging— I’ve always desperately wanted to… a list of clients who stopped by the gallery early but with some track record. … There are artists Monday morning on their way out of town or on John: Travel to certain places. Gretchen: that I will buy something of and John will go, I would have bet 100 dollars he would the way to the airport. They would look in the have said, “Travel more!” “Why did you do that?” gallery guide and we were the only gallery open. John: Where are you going to put it, Gretchen? I feel happiest when… … John told the story about someone tapping on Gretchen: Well, that’s the issue. the window and coming in one Monday morning, John: I get a good night’s sleep. Janet: Space. Gretchen: I’m with my new little and buying a wonderful Henry Moore sculpture. grandson. Gretchen: I don’t want another building or Another thing is John and I are a good apartment or house to take care of. I just want Gretchen, what’s the biggest balance—one against the other—in that John is a more walls. misconception about John? That he’s little more impulsive. When he sees a work of art, brusque. for instance, he’ll be the one very often to say, “I Janet: What makes your marriage work? John, what about Gretchen? I don’t think don’t care. I really like it. I’m going to buy it.” I’ll people realize how important Gretchen Gretchen: I’m a saint. say, “No, wait a minute.” I’ll be trying to think, is to the business and how much she’s John: That’s true. More people say, “John, well, who would we offer this to or how much is devoted her lifetime to helping me. you’re so lucky.” And then they say, “Gretchen, that? I actually tend to overthink things a little What I love most about the other … you poor thing.” bit. Between my cautionary voice and John’s Gretchen: His sense of adventure and Gretchen: Why does it work? I don’t know. I impulsiveness, it has worked out in a way that wanting to make a plan to do stuff think we had a good working relationship for most people probably wouldn’t have predicted— together. John: The dowry. many years before we were married. We had un- including his father. named roles that I would work with the difficult people and he would work with the easy-peasy Last May, Christie’s had its first billion- how many artists are married, who are supporting people. dollar week. A Mark Rothko sold for $82 mil- John: Also, we have a lot of fun together. children. Supporting children in college, support- lion. A Lucien Freud and an Andy Warhol both Gretchen: We do have a lot of fun. ing buying a home, having a real life. People forget went for $56 million. What’s your reaction to John: We like to travel together. We like to eat that that wasn’t a given for everybody. That’s the these prices? dinner together. other role the dealer plays. We support those John: Not sure it’s always a good thing, because Gretchen: Every night. people. you limit your market. A lot of those paintings, John: We have three great kids—children who those prices, are certainly inaccessible. are not children anymore. We have offices on Janet: You’re obviously both collectors as Gretchen: Yes, but it could be a good thing too. separate floors. well. Do you share similar taste? It’s always a double-edged sword. Those who Gretchen: Mandatory. We always have. I think John: No. My taste is much more evolved. have been collecting with us in a very methodical it works, though, because we have a good sense Gretchen: Of course. way, in a long-term way, look at us with tremen- of humor. dous gratitude. Rarely is it the case that someone John: We don’t share every artist in terms of John: That’s important. comes back to us and they’ve been embarrassed agreement or enthusiasm—but mostly yes. We Gretchen. We get grumpy with each other. We have works by [Wayne] Thiebaud and [Richard] and say, “Boy, I really shouldn’t have bought this.” call ourselves The Bickersons. NHG A critic here used to always take a dig at the Diebenkorn in our house. expense of art. I would think, Well, yeah, but look Gretchen: I’ve been trying to keep myself fresh This interview has been edited and condensed.

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