Hauser & Wirth Cleared in UK Russia Sanctions Case
Southwark Crown Court dismissed charges against the gallery's UK subsidiary and art shipper Artay Rauchwerger Solomons after finding insufficient evidence that a collector was connected to Russia under the relevant sanctions rules
Hauser & Wirth gallery in London, pictured here in 2013. The specific exhibition or artists shown are not implicit in the sanctions allegations. Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons.
A London court has dismissed sanctions charges against the UK subsidiary of Hauser & Wirth and the art shipping company Artay Rauchwerger Solomons, bringing to a close a case relating to the sale of a work by George Condo.
The companies were charged last November following an investigation by the UK tax authority. Prosecutors alleged that Hauser & Wirth's London gallery had made Condo's Escape from Humanity (2021), a work on paper, available to collector Alexander Popov, who was alleged to be a person "connected with Russia", in breach of UK sanctions prohibiting the export of luxury goods to the country.
At a hearing on 9 July, Southwark Crown Court dismissed the case after finding there was insufficient evidence to establish that Popov was resident in Russia at the time of the transaction, an element central to the prosecution's case.
In a statement following the ruling, Hauser & Wirth said: "We are delighted that the court has dismissed the case against our UK gallery in its entirety. From the outset, we strongly contested these proceedings and denied any wrongdoing. We continue to be fully committed to complying with all our legal obligations including with respect to sanctions. We are pleased that this matter is now closed."
The case was one of the first high-profile prosecutions involving the UK art market under sanctions introduced after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Its dismissal leaves unresolved broader questions about how sanctions compliance is interpreted and enforced in cross-border art transactions.
Related content
News
Gwangju Biennale accused of censoring pavilion title
The Taiwanese participants as well as Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture have called the naming change an act of ‘political censorship’
Park Seo-Bo Museum Opens in Seoul
The museum of Dansaekhwa master Park Seo-bo (1931–2023) is set to open to the public on 21 August, the artist's foundation has announced
Brett Littman named director of MCA San Diego
Littman was formerly deputy director of MoMA PS1, executive director at the Drawing Center and director of the Noguchi Museum
V&A Workers Set to Strike Despite Hydration Break Concession
Staff at the museum’s new East Storehouse have attacked museum management about access to water and toilets during shifts, while a wider dispute over pay and working conditions looks set to roll on through the summer
.jpg%3F2026-08-14T11%3A19%3A23.683Z&w=3840&q=100)
ICOM-US Backs Smithsonian Against Trump Pressure
ICOM-US has joined the American Alliance of Museums in defending the Smithsonian, weeks after its parent body strengthened its rules on museum independence
Aperture Reveals Programme for New Permanent New York Home
The photography publisher will open its 10,000 sq ft Upper West Side headquarters in September, four years after announcing plans for the permanent space
Elvira Dyangani Ose to Lead Zeitz MOCAA After Koyo Kouoh
The former MACBA director will take charge of the Cape Town museum’s artistic programme as it enters its first new chapter since the death of Koyo Kouoh
Sid Motion Gallery to Close After Ten Years in London
The South Bermondsey gallery will close this autumn, with founder Sid Motion saying its financial position no longer allows it to support its artists
Valerie Hillings to Lead Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
The North Carolina Museum of Art director returns to the project she helped shape for almost a decade ahead of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's opening in December
Francisco Correa Cordero, Founder of Lubov, Dies
The Mexico City-born dealer founded New York gallery Lubov in 2016, building a reputation for championing emerging artists and experimental practices
Basquiat Works at Centre of Vancouver Fraud Lawsuit
A multimillion-dollar art collection including works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Javier Calleja is at the centre of an ongoing lawsuit linked to the collapse of Vancouver property developer Coromandel Properties
Campaigners Fight to Keep CCA Archive Intact
Creative Scotland is exploring ways to preserve the archive of Glasgow's former Centre for Contemporary Arts after campaigners warned the collection should not be treated as a liquidatable asset
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter
Intel on the art market. Straight to your inbox.
