Gazelli Art House Expands to New York

Gazelli Art House, founded by Mila Askarova, has opened a new two‑story gallery on West 25th Street in New York after acquiring the former Marlborough Gallery space. The move strengthens the gallery’s tri‑city strategy across London, Baku, and New York, while underscoring the value of in‑person art…

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:40:24 GMT

On September 22, just before the Armory Show, London‑ and Baku‑based Gazelli Art House announced the opening of a new two‑story gallery on West 25th Street in New York. The space, formerly home to Marlborough Gallery, had been vacant since its 2024 closure. Gazelli purchased the building for $7.5 million, a price well below the $10.9 million listing by Brown Harris Stevens in 2025.

Why a New York Presence Matters

For founder Mila Askarova, the expansion is a statement that, even in an increasingly digital world, experiencing art face‑to‑face remains vital. "With all the closures and everything going on in the market, it felt like we needed some positive news," she told Observer. "I hope our opening sends a positive message that it’s still not only possible but necessary for a gallery to have a physical space." The move also positions Gazelli to deepen its international platform, linking London, New York, and Baku—Azerbaijan’s rapidly growing capital where the gallery first opened in 2012.

A Legacy Rooted in Culture and Commerce

Gazelli Art House’s name derives from the ghazal, an Eastern poetic form associated with love and spiritual beauty. The gallery’s roots trace back to the Gazelli Group, founded 25 years ago by Askarova’s mother, Dr. Zarifa Hamzayeva, the first national cosmetics producer in the Caucasus. Dr. Hamzayeva also pioneered the arts within the company, supporting local artists in Baku and Istanbul long before a physical gallery existed.

Askarova reflects on her mother’s philosophy: "Her philosophy was that one needs to work on internal wellbeing as much as external." She added that building on her mother’s foundation felt natural when she decided to launch the gallery in 2002 and later expand into London and New York.

From Digital Innovation to Historical Curatorship

Gazelli has been a pioneer in the digital art space through its GAZELL. iO residency program. In 2024, the London venue hosted "Subject to Change," a group show featuring nine artists who work critically with algorithms, datasets, and machine learning. The gallery’s program remains deliberately diverse, spanning contemporary and historical art, and has included exhibitions on overlooked Azerbaijani pioneers, British Pop, Light and Space, and female Abstract Expressionism.

In 2015, the gallery launched GAZELL. iO to explore how a commercial gallery could support artists working with AI, VR, and AR. The residency has evolved from an open one‑month online format to a structured program that has hosted over 120 artists, creating a substantial archive of emerging digital practices worldwide. The gallery has also translated some of this digital activity into physical exhibitions, such as the "Enter Through the Headset" VR shows and the permanent VR Library.

Bridging Past and Future: The Harold Cohen Connection

A watershed moment came when Gazelli began working with the estate of Harold Cohen, the British pioneer of computer‑generated art. In June, the gallery presented Cohen’s work at Art Basel’s Swiss edition, juxtaposing his early abstract painting "All Four" (1964) with later machine‑generated pieces. This dialogue highlighted the continuity between painterly practice and computational systems, reinforcing Gazelli’s commitment to both historical and forward‑looking art.

Askarova notes that New York will allow the gallery to bring in artists beyond digital practices while preserving technology as a central strand. "We’re curious to find interesting voices that go beyond digital. We don’t necessarily need to hone in exclusively on the digital side of the programming, but we’re still very keen on maintaining that digital strand," she says.

Future Directions and Unresolved Challenges

Gazelli’s expansion into New York opens opportunities for new exhibitions, talks, and community events. The gallery plans a regular program of monthly talks to deepen dialogue around shows and practices, with recordings archived online for ongoing accessibility.

In Baku, the gallery continues to champion contemporary artists and overlooked modern masters. Current exhibitions, such as the survey of Mikayil Abdullayev, aim to bring Azerbaijani art to a broader international stage. However, Askarova acknowledges that scholarship remains a barrier; archives and information need to be located, translated, and developed into rigorous scholarly material before institutions and curators can fully engage with these artists.

Overall, Gazelli Art House’s new New York space signals a resilient commitment to physical art experiences and a strategic expansion that bridges three cultural hubs, while continuing to push the boundaries of digital and historical art programming.

Key facts

Gazelli Art House opens a two‑story gallery on West 25th Street in New York
The purchase price was $7.5 million, below the $10.9 million listing
Founder Mila Askarova emphasizes the importance of physical art spaces
The gallery blends digital innovation with historical exhibitions
Expansion strengthens ties between London, Baku, and New York
Ongoing challenges include developing scholarship on Azerbaijani artists

Why it matters

Gazelli’s move to New York underscores the enduring relevance of in‑person galleries amid a wave of closures, and it expands a unique tri‑city platform that blends digital innovation with historical curatorship.

Frequently asked questions

What is the significance of Gazelli Art House’s new New York location?

It demonstrates that physical galleries can thrive even as many close, and it expands the gallery’s international reach across three major cities.

How does Gazelli balance digital and traditional art?

Through programs like GAZELL. iO and exhibitions that juxtapose digital works with historical pieces, the gallery maintains a dual focus on technology and legacy.