Getting into the big galleries?

[David Higgs]

I've got my first show on in a small local government sponsored gallery. Its actually going well with lots of positive comments and sales.

I have 6 weeks left on this run, but want to move into the larger galleries, that have better lighting, ambiance, and are situated in nicer areas with higher footfall and customers with more money etc. I have September filled with some local shows but after that - nothing so far.

I've taken the opportunity to mail the right places and have some rebutals, along the lines of 'we find you and not the other way around', and some silence. Is it not the done thing to 'pimp yourself'? I was hoping that I could convince some of the galleries to come along to the present show - I strongly feel you need to see LF prints to appreciate them.

There must be lots of people who have been in this situation - any advice? I'm based in the SE England, we don't enjoy the popularity of photography as an art form as much as the USA or Australia.

[MMELVIS]

I have no association with this site but have found some very useful information from this person http://speiderschneider.blogspot.com/ . Here is an older article of his that has some very good general ideas http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010...dream-clients/

[Sean Galbraith]

My suggestion is to keep doing the small shows and the big ones will come to you. Besides, small shows = small commissions.

Galleries are a mix of "we'll find you" and "looking for emerging artists". In a small market, it can be tough. Before submitting materials, you might want to find out if they accept unsolicited submissions... no point submitting to the ones who don't.

[John Kasaian]

Try getting some of your images published as well as the small exhibitions so you'll have something substantial to add to your resume, then I'd request a portfolio review.

Schmoozing never hurts. I went to a gallery and remarked that I take photos (the curator rolled her eyes of course) then I asked her what subjects tend to sell?That opened the doors and she was very sympathetic from there on in!

[paulr]

I'd suggest thinking about who your market is ... who is most likely to buy your work? And look at the kinds of venues that serve people with those inclinations. "Big Gallery" really isn't a category. There are galleries in a range of sizes in each market segment.

The higher end galleries, whether large or small, operate primarily as private dealerships for collectors; this is the engine of their business. The physical gallery space, while it makes up most of their real estate and public face, isn't the core of their business. The people who run these galleries know their buyers very well; they can tell at a glance if they think they can sell your work. In many cases, even if they could sell it, they would only be interested if they were actively taking on more artists.

Lower end galleries generally supplement their art business with framing and poster sales. Or more accurately, they supplement their poster and framing business with art sales. Getting into these galleries is obviously easier.

Then there are all the non-profit spaces, like libraries, arts organizations, museums, historical societies, cooperative galeries, etc... These run the range from high sensibilities to no sensibiilities. You can show work in these spaces, get exposure, even significant feathers in your cap, but sales aren't so likely. You won't have the benefit of a sales force that has a stable of collectors in the rolodex. These institutions show work, but do not represent artists.

Museums collect work ... a process that's only loosely to the exhibitions they mount. Unless you're a big shot, or the museum is especially well endowed, they won't have any of their own money to offer you. You'll have to donate, or in some cases work with them to find a donor.

[John Koehrer]

In addition to the above, you need to learn "artspeak" which to my mind is the ability to sound like you know what you're talking about while saying absolutely nothing. Be sure to refer to the deeper, personal, psychological meanings of your work. The inner turmoil of the creative process.

This isn't meant as sarcasm, Consider some of the more successful photographers and galleries. Some are not that good but they have big egos and can baffle 'em with bullshit.

BTW, there's no successful gallery owner that's going to tell you something is a "pretty picture" when they're asking a thousand bucks for it. It has to be rationalized

[bob carnie]

Pretty hard to add to Paul's post as it makes sense to me. but here goes.

Moving your work around and having it seen in different locals has a snowball effect of building your CV as well more people get to know your work.
Having a complete crated show of your work ready at a moments notice with all the info of what's in the crates is very attractive to gallery's who may have a chance opening in their space. By being prepared there is a good chance of moving your work into a market that may not be available if you still need to print the show.
This also means being prepared to ship to the location if needed.
Some of the gallery's that are mentioned by Paul, have zero interest in helping you financially getting your work together, they are looking for the full package so to speak. Being prepared to speak about your work, having the goods prepared will go a long way of opening doors for you.

Speaking about your work also has a huge influence in opening doors , these speaking engagements do open doors for you, and helps you learn the art speak that is relevant to your work.

I'd suggest thinking about who your market is ... who is most likely to buy your work? And look at the kinds of venues that serve people with those inclinations. "Big Gallery" really isn't a category. There are galleries in a range of sizes in each market segment.

The higher end galleries, whether large or small, operate primarily as private dealerships for collectors; this is the engine of their business. The physical gallery space, while it makes up most of their real estate and public face, isn't the core of their business. The people who run these galleries know their buyers very well; they can tell at a glance if they think they can sell your work. In many cases, even if they could sell it, they would only be interested if they were actively taking on more artists.

Lower end galleries generally supplement their art business with framing and poster sales. Or more accurately, they supplement their poster and framing business with art sales. Getting into these galleries is obviously easier.

Then there are all the non-profit spaces, like libraries, arts organizations, museums, historical societies, cooperative galeries, etc... These run the range from high sensibilities to no sensibiilities. You can show work in these spaces, get exposure, even significant feathers in your cap, but sales aren't so likely. You won't have the benefit of a sales force that has a stable of collectors in the rolodex. These institutions show work, but do not represent artists.

Museums collect work ... a process that's only loosely to the exhibitions they mount. Unless you're a big shot, or the museum is especially well endowed, they won't have any of their own money to offer you. You'll have to donate, or in some cases work with them to find a donor.

[paulr]

Re: artspeak, I don't think there's a non-sarcastic way to use use the term.

It may help if you can speak intelligently about your work ... but probably only if your work is in some basic way unfamiliar to the dealer and they need help putting it in some kind of context (if this is the case, it will help only if it's a dealer who's interested in pushing the boundaries of the kinds of work they show). In most cases, the work will matter a lot more than the talk.

And I'd urge you to avoid the Artspeak of the B.S. variety. Anyone who plays a real part in the commercial art world is going to have a good B.S. detector. Even if you happen to think they're full of it themselves. Most of them are not in fact con artists, and if they are, it's not so easy to con a con man.

[John Koehrer]

WRT paul, He's correct.
Don't try to baffle the BS'er it won't work. You do have to learn to speak the language of the gallery operator though. Visit a few galleries or new exhibits and listen to what's said, listen to the operators speak to their marks(I mean clients) It is a different language than English, actually different than any language on the planet.
Get involved with some local artists(deviant art. com) and pick up some language there.
Once you become fluent, you can do this............boyofblueindustries.com (org?)

[John Brady]

I was told by a curator earlier this week that the tags he was attaching to the back of my pieces going into an exhibit should be left on after the exhibit because it would "add to the provenance". He was a nice guy and it sounded cool and everything but I just hope some of these pieces are purchased.

I wouldn't make a very good curator because I would probably say something like "if the dogs eat it, it's good dog food".

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