Larry Gagosian talks personal taste: Part One
Gallerist Larry Gagosian oversees a global art empire with 12 exhibition spaces in eight cities, including New York, London and Hong Kong
Larry Gagosian at his home in Easthampton | Image: Dylan Coutler
My personal style signifier is a pair of Levi’s 501 jeans and one of the 500 or so T-shirts that I collect from wherever I go. I’m a casual guy and rarely wear a tie, so this is my uniform of choice. I also keep my hair in a crew cut for ease. I think it suits me. From £70; www.levi.com.
The last thing I bought and loved was a Wilson Pro Staff tennis racket. I’m not great at tennis, but I love it and play four or five times a week during the summer. I’m hoping this racket will improve my game. From £170; www.wilson.com.
And the thing I’m eyeing next is a special-edition Leica M9 Titanium camera by Walter de Silva. He is a car designer and his Audi design team has reinterpreted this classic camera in titanium and given it a leather trim. It is a beautiful – and compact – collaboration, perfect for my travels. £19,800; www.leica-camera.com.
A recent “find” is Sushi Sasabune in Los Angeles. It serves A-plus omakase sushi and, while it is literally a hole in the wall, the food is just unbelievable. LA does unassuming sushi bars in shopping malls very well, but this one is above and beyond. 11917 Wilshire Boulevard, West Los Angeles (+1310-478 3596).
The last music I downloaded was John Coltrane’s My Favorite Things. I am a huge fan of jazz from the 1960s and John Coltrane and Miles Davis are hard to beat. This particular album features jazz versions of pop favourites. I also recently added two classics to my collection: Bob Dylan’s Tempest and Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation by the great alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman.
In my fridge you’ll always find non-fat Greek yoghurt and fresh pomegranate seeds. This fruit is part of my Armenian heritage and I eat the seeds on my yoghurt every morning. You’ll also find a bottle of champagne – most likely Dom Pérignon – as well as eggs, cheese and all the staples. I have a very well-stocked fridge.
My Favorite Things by John Coltrane
The last item I added to my wardrobe was a pair of green lizard Gucci loafers. I got them in Beverly Hills and I’m trying to figure out when I’m going to wear them. I’m not sure there’s an occasion for this particular pair of shoes. From £1,130; 347 North Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (+1310-278 3451; www.gucci.com).
The one artist whose work I would collect if I could is Henri Rousseau. His paintings are extremely seductive and strange – his work stands apart from the rest of art history. His jungle paintings in particular are just amazing. The Beyeler Foundation has one of my favourites and the Museum of Modern Art has some great ones, too – but his work is incredibly rare and virtually impossible to get hold of. www.fondationbeyeler.ch. www.moma.org.
The rose-gold vintage Rolex Gagosian bought at Christie’s | Image: © Christie’s Images
The best gift I’ve given recently was a beautiful vintage Rolex watch to my girlfriend. This rose-gold GMT model is very rare and I bought it at auction at Christie’s. It is an oversize watch that is substantial yet elegant at the same time. www.christies.com. www.rolex.com.
And the best one I’ve received recently was a drawing that the American painter John Currin gave me for my birthday. It’s a small picture of a woman in the colours of Picasso’s Rose Period and it hangs in my bedroom in Amagansett, Long Island. www.gagosian.com/artists/john-currin.
The Dream, c1910, by Henri Rousseau | Image: Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images
The people I rely on for personal grooming and wellbeing are Enzo and Ken, the barbers at The Dorchester. I travel so frequently that I am reliant on haircutters away from New York to keep my crew cut in shape. Park Lane, London W1 (020-7499 0759; www.thedorchester.com).
The site that inspires me is the ocean near my home in Amagansett. I love the coastline at any time of the day or night, but I particularly like to swim in the sea in the afternoon. Away from the pace of the city, this peaceful landscape just charges me up.
My favourite websites are few and far between. I like Artsy because it makes more than 50,000 pieces of art, from institutions from the Guggenheim to the British Museum, accessible to people all over the world. I’m also an Amazon fan – I’m a book junkie and when I find a title that intrigues me I want it straight away; this provides almost instant gratification. www.amazon.com. www.artsy.net.