Artists often ask me whether or not it is worth it to rent gallery space or pay to have their work exhibited in a gallery in another city, like New York. I discourage the idea.
Conventional galleries represent the artist. The gallery assumes all costs and responsibility for advertising, exhibition announcements, installation and promotion, in exchange for 50% of the sales price of your work. Hopefully this investment will pay off. This tried and tested formula ensures that a gallery and artist have a mutual interest in and benefit from establishing long-term relationships. To succeed private commercial galleries have to work hard to promote an artist’s work and attract collectors and critics.
Vanity Galleries have no interest in selling or promoting an artists work. They have already made their money. Paying a gallery a lot of money to hang your work is a huge risk and likely not a good way to enhance your reputation. There is a stigma attached to these galleries as buyers know that the artists have paid to hang their work.
James Robinson,
References:
1. Care of: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_gallery.
“A vanity gallery is an art gallery that charges artists fees in order to exhibit their work. Some charge a lump sum to arrange an exhibition, while others ask artists to pay regular membership fees and then promise to organise an exhibition within a certain period. Some consider galleries that ask artists to contribute to expenses, e.g. by arranging for announcements of the exhibition themselves, to fall into the same category.
Many professional artists recommend new artists avoid exhibiting work in them, primarily because professional critics and reviewers tend to avoid them. The shows are not legitimately curated and will include as many artists as possible.”
2. Robert Genn Twice Weekly Newsletter:
Throw it in water? The value of showing in the right kind of places, please go to: http://clicks.robertgenn.com/context.php
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