New York billionaire Ron Perelman is filing for “divorce” from his art mentor/dealer Larry Gagosian and the two A-listers are battling over three art works worth over $25 million.
Not to be outdone, Gagosian is also filing against his mentee, and, The Daily News notes, the two lawsuits were filed only hours apart.
Perelman is crying over a supposed secret deal with Jeff Koons, whose granite Popeye sculpture is one of the works in question, that would impact the work’s resale value. On the other hand, Gagosian:
… claims Perelman agreed to pay $12.6 million cash for an unidentified sculpture (not “Popeye”) and $10.5 million for an unidentified painting.
Instead, the gallery said, Perelman paid $4.7 million cash on the sculpture and $250,000 toward the painting but insisted on giving the gallery other art in barter payment for the balance.
It is a little know (and unconfirmed) fact that when billionaires file lawsuits over Popeye sculptures, Jeff Koons gets sexually excited and eats spinach.
they deserve each other 🙂