Artist absent at gallery opening

[QT Luong]

Have you often seen/had gallery openings for one-person shows where the artist did not attend ? Is it bad ?

[Kirk Gittings]

I once didn't show up for a group show opening and it adversely set the tone for me with the gallery owner that has shaded our relationship to this day. I still kick mtyself for it though it was pretty much unavoidable. Is the potential audience relationship of some long term value to you or the gallery owner?

[Brian Vuillemenot]

An artist not showing up for the opening of his solo show? Isn't that kind of like the groom not showing up for his wedding?

[Merg Ross]

I have never been a fan of openings, even my own, but do attend. It is a poor time to view what is on the walls, however an important part of promotion for the artist, gallery or museum. Perhaps with some artists there could be a conflict of simultaneous openings in different hemishperes, but probably not often. I think the public expects the artist to be present.

Imogen Cunningham and Ruth Bernhard were in attendance at their shows past the age of 90. No excuses from them!

[Greg Lockrey]

I don't know how it is in the big cities, but it's not good around here. The galleries here even have a 25 mile rule where any of your work better not be displayed anywhere near 25 miles to the showing gallery.

[Ash]

My only experience is,

I attended the opening of my group show in the foyer of a performing arts theatre. Pretty big group of us in terms of shows, but small in terms of class size. Of the 8(?) of us, only one person didn't turn up at all.

She had been slacking off and skipping lessons, her images were terrible, but they were still displayed as it was a group exhibition.

The impression she gave everyone was not dissimilar to the way I felt about her photo's.

[IanG]

While it's normal to be at your own exhibition opening there are times when that may not be possible. I've certainly been to openings where the photographer hasn't been present, but that's been because the Photographers have been working abroad, and the show has been curated by the gallery, or is touring/on loan from another gallery or organisation.

It wouldn't be possible for some photographers to attend every opening of an exhibition touring, particularly when it be being shown in different countries. But in those cases the photographer will be represented by someone else at the opening and no-one minds his.her absence.

Ian

[adrian tyler]

depends how "big" you are, and dependes how "good" your gallery is.

araki not showing up for a show in madrid would be water off a ducks back...

[BradS]

Having been to many openings and never having hung a show of my own, I can say that for me, if the artist is there, and I get to chat for even the most basic pleasantries, I see it as just Icing on the cake - so to speak. That is, to me, it doesn't really matter if the artist isn't there. I don't really expect the artist to be there and I certainly do not expect to meet him/her.

The work usually stands on its own (or not) regardless.

[Louie Powell]

While it's normal to be at your own exhibition opening there are times when that may not be possible.

There are probably a dozen or more shows of Ansel Adams work in North America each year, and sadly, he can't make it to any of them.