Adam Lindemann, the founder of New York gallery Venus Over Manhattan, was apprehended by East Hampton police in Montauk on July 5 after allegedly entering The Ranch, the horse farm–cum–art gallery owned by the former Marlborough Gallery president Max Levai, and shoving the dealer. According to the police blotter in the July 13 edition of the East Hampton Press, Lindemann “entered a private property — through an open driveway gate with a ‘No Trespassing’ sign on it — and went into a building used as an art gallery without permission,” where he “pushed another man in the chest with both hands.” Charged with third-degree criminal trespass and second-degree harassment, Lindemann was issued a desk appearance ticket.
Lindemann’s lawyer, Edward Burke Jr., appeared in court today in his client’s place, Artnet News reports. Burke requested the trial be moved and affirmed that Lindemann planned to plead innocent. “These charges are absurd,” Burke said. “My client has been to The Ranch many times since the opening three years ago.”
Levai, the son of former Marlborough Gallery director Pierre Levai, opened The Ranch in 2021, after he and his father were accused of mismanaging Marlborough and subsequently forced out of the family business. Lindemann, the scion of the late billionaire financier and collector George Lindemann, has since 2015 owned Eothen, Andy Warhol’s former oceanfront summer home, which abuts the horse farm. (Interestingly, ahead of The Ranch’s launch, Lindemann disavowed the notion that he was a neighbor of Levai’s.)
According to Burke, who identified Levai as the victim of the shove, the dispute between the two men stems from “several issues [Levai has] with the town of East Hampton related to violations of the zoning code. [Levai’s] frustrations should be addressed to the town, and not my client,” said Burke. “I’m very confident that these charges will be dropped.”
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