Sloan Fine Art, a gallery at 128 Rivington Street on the Lower East Side, is closing to the public on Saturday, the New York Observer reported, amidst speculation that it’s been pushed out by high rents. Owner Alix Sloan, who announced the closure in an email to subscribers today, said the gallery is not closing permanently and will open in a new space in 2012.
“It sounds crazy,” Sloan told the Observer, “but one of the things I’ve learned is I really don’t need the amount of space that I have. I was paying money for space I didn’t need, and in these times, that just doesn’t make sense.”
Sloan said she has begun looking around for a more practical, affordable place and has found some promising options. She also explained the late notice that the gallery was temporarily shutting.
“I wanted to make sure to tell all my artists and my collectors before sending out a big email blast. I wanted to make sure that they weren’t nervous and that they knew we weren’t closing.” [NYO]