Leila Taghinia-Milani Heller received a B.A. from Brown University, and a Masters degree from the
Sotheby’s Institute in London, and a second Masters degree in Art History and Museum
Management from George Washington University. During her Masters in Washington D.C, she
worked at the Hirshhorn Museum until she moved to New York to work at the Guggenheim
Museum. She has written numerous articles and frequently gives lectures at the Guggenheim, MFA
Houston, Brown University, MOCA LA, art fairs and other art institutions around the world. She also
has given educational lectures at many universities, including yearly invites to speak at several
seminars at Brown University on the subject of Middle Eastern Art. Leila Heller has been interviewed
for publications including, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Canvas Magazine, Art News, Art and
America, Barrons, Forbes, The Financial among others.
In 1982, she opened Leila Taghinia-Milani Gallery on the Upper East Side of New York, exhibiting
established Western artists, while giving exposure to emerging artists from the Middle East. In the
90’s, Heller shifted her focus solely to the secondary market placing major modern and
contemporary masters in top collections worldwide and participating international art fairs. In 2003,
Heller re-opened her gallery presenting an active exhibition schedule, and inviting a range of
respected international curators to organize shows pairing emerging artists with Modern and
Contemporary Masters.
In 2011, she expanded her gallery under the name Leila Heller Gallery, to a ground floor space in
Chelsea. The gallery is dedicated to promoting emerging and established artists from America,
Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. The gallery continues to focus on dealing in contemporary
and modern masters.
In addition to presenting a dynamic exhibition schedule, the gallery actively organizes shows with
world-renowned curators, hosts educational panels and film screenings, and produces catalogues
and books with scholarly essays. Each year the gallery participates in major international art fairs and
stages off-site projects as a platform for exploring new conversations within a wider context of
galleries, artists and institutions. Gallery artists have consistently participated in international
museum exhibitions and biennials and are included in leading institutional collections worldwide.
In November 2015, Leila Heller Gallery opened its first international location on Dubai’s Alserkal
Avenue. At 14,000 square feet, the art gallery features three exhibition spaces, making it the largest
gallery in the UAE. Showcasing leading regional and international artists, many of whom will be
presenting their work in the Middle East for the first time, the gallery is dedicated to supporting the
evolving practice of established artists. The gallery has strong innovative curatorial and educational
programs with an emphasis on promoting a dialogue between Western and Middle Eastern artists.