Republican lawmakers want to hear from SoHo gallery owner Georges Berges on whether one of his artists is selling political influence to the presidency. That artist is Hunter Biden.

In an exclusive interview with NY1, Berges spoke about the investigations and why he believes Biden is being treated unfairly.

“All he wants to do is be an artist,” Berges said.

His latest exhibition, “Bridging the Abstract,” features works from trailblazing artists Elaine de Kooning and Helen Frankenthaler, and three paintings from Biden – an artist well-known for reasons outside the art world, whose negative headlines have been larger than the canvass his art is painted on.

“There’s a level of authenticity that I don’t find in a lot of artists, and he doesn’t know a lot of the rules of art, which is why he can break them. The people that come and change the art world are normally not from the art world,” Berges said.

Berges said Biden began his art career before his father ran for president, but the White House casts a long shadow over sales.

“I have people come and look at his work and say, ‘Wow. I love this piece. When I tell them who it is, they change. It changes their whole perception,” Berges said.

The House Committee on Oversight and Accountability perceives Biden's art sales as "concerning."

It launched an inquiry wanting Berges to testify, on the record, about who’s buying Biden’s art and how much they're paying for it.

"Your arrangement with Hunter Biden raises serious ethics concerns and calls into question whether the Biden family is again selling access and influence,” Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky) wrote in a letter to Berges.

“There’s absolutely, completely, a legitimate concern about whether these art sales are a way to channel money to the Biden family, to Hunter Biden specifically, and doing so, in a way, that evades transparency,” said law professor and ethics expert Kathleen Clark.

Clark said the American people deserve transparency.

“That concern about who’s paying Hunter Biden could arise no matter what kind of professional endeavor he engages in,” Clark said.

Biden is a lawyer and lobbyist who has faced scrutiny over international business relationships and taxes.

With no formal training or experience in the art world, Biden’s paintings reportedly sell for as much as $225,000.

When asked if an unknown name would sell for as much as Biden, Berges said, "You know, I don’t know. I’ve bought pieces that say David Bowie. Did I buy it because it said David Bowie? The name is his legacy.”

But could this art hurt the legacy of President Biden?

The House committee has yet to issue a subpoena to question Berges, but the gallery owner anticipates one will come soon.

“I’ve deferred everything to my attorney, and he’s working with the committee to a meeting of the minds to see how to move forward,” Berges said.

Berges declined to answer how much he sells the paintings for, to whom or how many they've sold.

The White House didn't respond to NY1's questions, but did refer reporters to a 2021 press briefing.

In that briefing, the White House said Hunter Biden’s representatives made an arrangement that Berges and the buyers would be the only people who know who is paying for each work. The White House also referred NY1 to Hunter Biden’s representatives.

NY1 asked Berges to pass along questions to Biden, but did not hear back.

NY1 also asked Berges if he understands why there could be a perception of impropriety.

"People can think anything and it's really disingenuous," Berges said.

Some apparently do think the worst. Berges said even though he's just selling art, he's received deaths threats.

“I could not live with myself if I turned my back on a friend like that,” Berges said.

The two have been friends for several years Berges said, since he started selling his art.

Friendship aside, Berges maintains Biden deserves to hang next to greats, hoping the political scrutiny dies down and artistic acclaim abounds.

“If you sit in front of one of his paintings and you just allow yourself to see, feel, what that painting is doing, you’re not going to regret it. You’re going to see what I see,” Berges said.