Exhibition Space
As Artists we
need space to exhibit our work. Tempting offers come everyday through our email
connections to the Art World promising you the best deal for your work. Most of
these are never opened and I would take them with the same questioning of
purpose as I do with those wondrous offers coming from South Africa
Back in the Day
when I was exhibiting with Galleries, I had an experience which I will share
with you.
The Gallery an
Internationally known name in the Art World had two of my bronze sculptures on
Commission. The Contract which I had with them had the provision that I would
be reimbursed the full retail price of the sculptures if they were damaged or
stolen.
My
work was on display during the Christmas Season, and I felt that the timing was
right for my commitment to this Gallery.
The
Day after Christmas I received a phone call from the Director of the Gallery
and was told that my sculptures had been stolen. They were both Artist Proofs
and were very valuable for that reason. To make a long story short, it took my
attorney several hours of time, but ultimately when he sent a letter of pending
legal action they paid off. Contracts Matter.
Exhibiting your
work is putting a light on your talent, your original visions and most of all
your integrity as an Artist. The many hours spent, the framing, the travel are
all expenses which when added up there is no way you that can combine these
factors into a realistic pricing for the Gallery you wish to commit your works
to. The best we can hope for is for a price structure that will be fair to the
potential client, the gallery, and you as an Artist.
Putting aside
your time, talent, and the originality of your work, perhaps the cost of
producing your work is a better way to go when you are in the starting phases
of your career. Even in the mid range sometimes negotiations are necessary to
bring the sale to a close. Selling your work is an emotional experience.
Especially if the work is a unique piece and there are no expectations of
producing an edition.
When choosing a
Gallery some things to consider should be:
- Does your work have a complimentary
fit with what other art works being exhibited?
- How many works can you have exhibited?
- What kind of frames is expected on
the Art Works?
- Is there a good potential of foot
traffic in the area?
- Does the Gallery have a time frame of
how long you can exhibit?
- How many other Artists does the
Gallery have on the exhibition roster?
- What is the percentage that the
Gallery will collect on the sale of your Work?
- Does the Gallery have insurance to
cover your work in its entirety? (retail price)
- How many days does the Gallery take
to payout your Commission?
- You should sign a contract, with the owner
of the Gallery to protect your art. Handshakes do no Work.
- Do you have an understanding in your contract that you retain all of your Artists Rights under the VARA act? http://www.artuntitled.com/pgextra/al_vara.html
- What is the History of the Exhibition
Space? How long has it been there?
- Does the Owner of the Exhibition
Space want money to show your work?
- This usually does not work out for
the Artist very well, but is great for the Owner of the Gallery Space.
- What kind of promotion does the Gallery offer? Are there openings on a regular basis? Do they have a legitimate web site? Do they protect your images on the Site with a water mark? Are the jpg images small enough that they cannot be reproduced and downloaded by the entire world?
We Do need Spaces
to show our Work, we do need the sharing experience of having our works “out
there”, and we do need to make at least our expenses. Remember that your work
is your truest self, and that self is not for the giving away. We should always
be aware that our visions are unique and that the worth is not in the monetary reward
and fame, but in the true quest of a having the home of your work a place where
it will be protected, revered, and loved.
