Comic book gallery rents space in Chelsea

Development of Douglaston announced that it has brokered a deal with Art9 Comics, LLC to open a unique European comic art gallery in West Chelsea this month.

Galerie Philippe Labaune will occupy the 1,250 square foot ground floor of the retail space at 555 West 23rd Street in Douglaston (the retailer has an address at 534 West 24th Street), replacing the Victoria Miro Art Gallery.

Joshua Young, vice president of market rate operations at Clinton Management, Douglaston’s property management arm, represented the landlord in the two-year lease. Art9 Comics, LLC represented itself in the transaction. The asking rent was $9,000 per month.

“The addition of the Philippe Labaune Gallery in West Chelsea is not only the start of the reopening of galleries, but continues to anchor Douglaston’s long history of facilitating and supporting artistic opportunities in the gallery district,” Young said.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has posed heightened difficulties and challenges for the arts industry as a whole and we are focused and determined to help revive the sector by focusing on even more unique and creative avenues to bring gallery spaces in the neighborhood We want nothing more than to see galleries and artists succeed, so we invite all new or established artists or galleries to partner with us to make that happen.

When it opens this month, the Philippe Labaune Gallery will present original European art through periodic exhibitions and programming at the 15-story, 336-unit luxury residential condominium building in Douglaston. at 555 West 23rd Street.

This will be the first permanent space for Philippe Labaune, the founder of Art9 Comics, who for nearly two decades has built his personal collection of original comics spanning the past 70 years through auction houses, galleries and collectors. This space will serve as the only true gallery in the United States dedicated solely to original comic book art.

“It was so wonderful that I was able to share the works of more than 50 of the most renowned comic artists from around the world, such as Hergé, Moebius and Enki Bilal, during an exhibition in Chelsea last year, but with my gallery, I’ll be able to do that on a regular basis,” Labaune said. “And my new space is conveniently located, tucked away in the gallery district.”