Coles sadie

portrait by JUERGEN TELLER
interview by OLIVIER ZAHM

leading the london art scene
the mind of a powerful gallerist
discerning and discreet

OLIVIER ZAHM — You’re one of the most prominent contemporary art galleries. I rarely publish an issue of Purple without finding at least one of your artists in the magazine. How do you decide to represent an artist?

SADIE COLES — Choosing artists is a completely irrational, instinctive decision. Something about the work just hooks itself into me. Like a puzzling addiction you didn’t see coming. It isn’t a rational decision about form or medium (painting, sculpture, film, or performance, for instance) or a strategic choice concerning gender, geographic spread, or age. Sometimes I am conscious about whether there are missing elements in my program, and about the need to remain open to new developments and different voices. I am looking for something disruptive that will change an…