The Tamesis
Morán Morán Co-founder Mills Morán will no longer be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Los Angeles gallery he co-founded with his brother Al Morán.
Mills Morán said he will focus his attention on Felix Art Fair, the fair he co-founded with Al and collector Dean Valentine in 2018, which runs alongside Frieze Los Angeles and is one of the main stops during the city’s art fair week each February. The show has been held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for its eighth edition since its inception.
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“Nearly 20 years after founding Morán with my brother, I have made the emotional and difficult decision to step back from the day-to-day operations of the gallery,” Mills Morán wrote in a statement shared with artists and colleagues on Monday. “The gallery has always been a central and defining part of my life, but I believe now is the right time to step away from daily responsibilities and make room for new perspectives and continued growth.”
Founded in 2008 as OHWOW and eventually renamed Morán Morán in 2018, the gallery is known for combining emerging and mid-career artists with historical materials, while cultivating a loosely experimental program featuring performances, events, and curator-led projects. Over the years the gallery has worked with artists such as Ryan Trecartin, SoiL Thornton, Keltie Ferris, Eve Fowler, Jacolby Satterwhite, Cauleen Smith, Michael Genovese and the estates of Dash Snow and Robert Mapplethorpe.
talking art newsMoran sees the decision as less a business strategy than a personal realignment after nearly two decades working in the art world’s non-stop travel and social circles.
“Without going into too much detail, the process of building this gallery and my career in the art world required me to make significant personal sacrifices that I am not willing to make again,” he said, adding that after rebalancing his priorities, “it has become critical for me to be there for those who care about me and who need me in their lives.”
Moran added that he saw Felix as a way to support the wider arts ecosystem at a time when many small and medium-sized galleries are facing increasing financial pressure.
“I have spent nearly 20 years supporting artists’ careers, attending every museum and gallery exhibition, traveling the world with this circus, providing emotional and financial support and significant opportunities to my roster of artists,” he said. Felix’s focus is on the exhibitors exhibiting at the show, “I can focus my energy on supporting the gallery and its survival, and indirectly influencing and helping the wider international community of artists.”
“I’m also excited to think about other opportunities that will arise over time,” he added.
Moran said he would stay connected with the gallery and “invest in its future” while Al Moran continues to lead the gallery’s operations.
