In the story of art history—the art and artists, movements and trends—a select number of galleries have played a defining role in the evolution and trajectory of art itself. Among them, the Mayor Gallery in London is surely one, as it has maintained a position fostering and promoting some of the most significant developments in art for an astounding 100 years. Presently, the gallery is in the midst of a three-part exhibition series that revisits the storied history of the gallery, which ultimately parallels and reflects art history of the past century.
Installation view of “Celebrating 100 years – Part 2: European Art” (2026). Courtesy of the Mayor Gallery.
On view through February 20, 2026, “Celebrating 100 years – Part 2: European Art” showcases post-war European artists who reinvented technical and thematic approaches to artmaking through interrogations of medium, form, and perception. With movements like ZERO, Arte Povera, and Concrete art represented, and including work by over a dozen artists like Armando, Lucio Fontana, François Morellet, Man Ray, and more, the show offers a comprehensive glimpse into the dramatically shifting art world in the shadow of World War II.
Established in 1925 by Fred Mayor, the Mayor Gallery was one of the first to introduce the European avant-garde and international Modernists to the United Kingdom. Staging some of the first exhibitions in England of Alexander Calder, Paul Klee, and Joan Miró, just to name a few, the Mayor Gallery quickly established itself at the forefront of Modern art.
Left: Fred Mayor (1926). Right: James Mayor (1974) in front of Andy Warhol, Double Elvis. Courtesy of the Mayor Gallery.
In 1973, following the death of Fred Mayor, his son James Mayor took the helm of the Mayor Gallery and the mantel of its mission. In 2020, the gallery published a multi-part editorial “Stories from the Mayor Gallery,” wherein James recounts the major moments from each year between 1973 and 1990. A valuable archival resource and complement to the current exhibition series, James describes taking over the gallery following his tenure at Sotheby’s New York, where he established the post-war and contemporary art department. The transition gave him the opportunity to survey the art scene of London—and home in on what was missing.
“When I took over in 1973, I saw a huge gap to be filled in London. Leo Castelli was enormously helpful. He introduced me to all his artists.” The professional relationship with Castelli, another one such gallerist who played an outsized role in defining art history of the 20th century, led to the gallery’s first show under James, presenting the Mao screen prints by Andy Warhol.
Andy Warhol with James Mayor in Kuwait (1977). Courtesy of the Mayor Gallery.
The show received massive publicity as the gallery also debuted the book by David Bailey on the Warhol documentary film Trash (1970), which caused an uproar. “The Court of Appeal banned the film from television. Briefly, we were a number one news item. We even made the front page of The Sun!” wrote James.
The first year under James also saw the gallery participate in its first art fair, Art Basel, which was then still only a few years old. “Towards the end of March, a fellow dealer suggested that we apply for the Basel art fair at the end of June. Not only were we accepted, but the British government gave us a grant towards our costs. On both counts, a very different picture today,” James detailed. The Mayor Gallery ultimately presented work by Twombly, Robert Rauschenberg, and a Double Elvis (1963) by Warhol.
Installation view of “Celebrating 100 years – Part 2: European Art” (2026). Courtesy of the Mayor Gallery.
In the decades following, the Mayor Gallery and James himself became a potent conduit for contemporary art and led to relationships with artists like Warhol, Tom Wesselmann, Christo, and a host of other pivotal 20th-century artists. The current show series offers an important look back at the last century of art—and the critical role the Mayor Gallery played in making it all happen.