I’ve got no kick against commercial galleries, they have a place. They distribute art after a fashion, with a stable of emotionally vulnerable, economically disgruntled artists on one side and a carefully cultivated stringer of discretionary spending clients on the other. From these two pots they matchmake, it’s like an art. Do they, themselves, care passionately about art -- can’t afford to. They’re too busy trying to fan the passion in the client and attach it to an artist on retainer, also called paying that uptown rent. This isn’t funny.
When the artist approaches a gallery at ten thirty thursday morning, portfolio clutched under the arm, ‘can I speak to the director, please?’ the desk sitter’s eyes roll, and from the back office comes the fatal question -- ‘where else do you show?‘ a phrase that directly means ‘name a gallery that impresses me.’ No one wants to look at the work, wouldn’t know if it was good or not, aren't interested. Emotionally vulnerable artists find this tiresome. Clients are taken advantage of while being given special insider deals, played to perfection. The gallery system hasn’t been good for art.
This whole business structure is a bottleneck restriction, the narrow part of the river that feeds the crocodiles, and could turn out to be the main reason there’s such a dearth of original art in all those fine houses, pools and tennis courts. An alternative exists, but it isn’t for the faint of heart, those who require professional reassurance, or the exceptionally lazy. These should wander into a reputable gallery and express an interest, good bye. Other art is out there, in fact it’s everywhere these days, in restaurants, offices, and salons, but no one is at your elbow telling you about the artist and their reputation. You’ll need to use your own eyes. Some of it isn’t very good, but you won’t know that until you’ve seen something better, and that goes for everyone else as well. Slowly it will all get better, in waiting rooms, in professional offices, anywhere people sit with time to think, and before long some of them will want to take some home and see it everyday.
I wouldn’t say avoid commercial galleries, but there’s a better deal to be had, more organic and closer to the farm. Businesses facing the public make a different bargain with the artist, ‘keep the walls interesting and our interior fresh in the minds of customers, and you can sell your art directly,’ a more democratic approach all around. If in the course of events someone buys the first piece from a restaurant wall, maybe you, the process turns over, a key turns in a lock, and our town is on its way to a renaissance of visual expression -- it’s due.
When the artist approaches a gallery at ten thirty thursday morning, portfolio clutched under the arm, ‘can I speak to the director, please?’ the desk sitter’s eyes roll, and from the back office comes the fatal question -- ‘where else do you show?‘ a phrase that directly means ‘name a gallery that impresses me.’ No one wants to look at the work, wouldn’t know if it was good or not, aren't interested. Emotionally vulnerable artists find this tiresome. Clients are taken advantage of while being given special insider deals, played to perfection. The gallery system hasn’t been good for art.
This whole business structure is a bottleneck restriction, the narrow part of the river that feeds the crocodiles, and could turn out to be the main reason there’s such a dearth of original art in all those fine houses, pools and tennis courts. An alternative exists, but it isn’t for the faint of heart, those who require professional reassurance, or the exceptionally lazy. These should wander into a reputable gallery and express an interest, good bye. Other art is out there, in fact it’s everywhere these days, in restaurants, offices, and salons, but no one is at your elbow telling you about the artist and their reputation. You’ll need to use your own eyes. Some of it isn’t very good, but you won’t know that until you’ve seen something better, and that goes for everyone else as well. Slowly it will all get better, in waiting rooms, in professional offices, anywhere people sit with time to think, and before long some of them will want to take some home and see it everyday.
I wouldn’t say avoid commercial galleries, but there’s a better deal to be had, more organic and closer to the farm. Businesses facing the public make a different bargain with the artist, ‘keep the walls interesting and our interior fresh in the minds of customers, and you can sell your art directly,’ a more democratic approach all around. If in the course of events someone buys the first piece from a restaurant wall, maybe you, the process turns over, a key turns in a lock, and our town is on its way to a renaissance of visual expression -- it’s due.
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