PPD lecture: ian monroe - the artist and the gallery

The lecture that Ian Monroe gave was very engaging and useful. The artist and the gallery is a subject that seems very daunting and this lecture made it a lot more clear on what's to come in the future.

galleries are not the national gallery (that is a museum)
project galleries, south London gallery (no collection)
commercial galleries!
without artists the art critics curators etc don’t have jobs (need our unique artworks)
no galleries without museums project spaces magazines etc
build value (not price yet) of your work (multi values) you can work on it .
art school —- project spaces —— critic ——
having a studio is important (might want to see it)
London is expensive but much more than US
collectors —-galleries —— doesn’t always work in order

he worked in a small bad gallery after graduation. taught him a lot . hate it, get a little window. should do it. learning to be professional, deadlines.
lived in truck and did weird labour jobs. gap year. lived in studio of artist from the gallery he worked in. studio manager. learnt u could survive off art.
working with artists learn a lot. good for a little while.
told him to go to a residency at the bemis centre.
went to goldsmiths, MA in 9 months insane.
MA show got bought. not success, do not judge yourself by selling right away.

targeting galleries. does your work fit in? is it too similar? (need something similar but not too similar)
what other galleries do they work with? (network, ring the connected gallery to greet)
do their artists get museum and curated shows ? (CVs)
do they do group shows you could fit in? (what would it be like with those gallery artists?)
are their artists regularly showing ? (usually every two years..) (solo shows usually take 6 months)

enticing galleries
curate a show with some of gallery artists
ask a curator to invite them to your show
Ask your collector to promote your work
Go to their events , know their programme
be positive, let them know you are interested

galleries can close on you. you can survive . asked the artists in group show to do one. ask who they work with. easier for curators to approach galleries. Worth knowing curators. if have a collector, probably happy to promote your work.
opening nights are important. just by being there you jog peoples memories. and get approached
they need you to know as much about them as possible eg the last show.
just be direct. ‘I need a gallery’ be nice. avoided that conversation so nothing happened.
galleries could email you.

gallery first steps: may approach you via website or other person
The studio visit: keep it simple, let them look
they put your work in a group show
Take your work to an art fair (if asking money from you, travel etc. in the West just say no) Test the market to see if it sells. a buildup into finding your way in how to work with this gallery.
Discuss representation after these steps (solid business relationship) (one in each city)
Check and judge you, don’t talk too much academic speech. what’s your work about? keep it simple and confident and excited about what you’re doing.
some serious work, some fun work projects
sometimes even people around u don’t have the confidence

remember it’s a business relationship (don’t be an asshole, be aware) (need a meeting)
you are still the best promoter of your work. (they still don’t understand everything) (Just have to go to the openings) (whatever way suits you)
you are of if many, they won’t always have time (be demanding but also understand when they can’t, some galleries have more than 15) (don’t be passive aggressive. just be direct)
if you have a problem, set up a meeting
be professional with records money and images (take pictures as best you can with everything) (have an inventory)

just keep and track your inventory (artwork, sizes, where, medium)
understand your costs
don’t plant seeds of doubt (with gallerists) (eg you saying I don’t really like this painting etc. just say that ones amazing) (you’re not the best judge of your artwork anyway)
again make sure everything is photographed
set up meetings to discuss the future. (In two years time, who to talk to etc. Have a chat.

things they should do

pay for shipment of work go anywhere from the studio
discuss the long term goals for your practice
control the increase of your prices
Promote the work to curators and publications
In theory works never go down in value/sale.. but the more expensive the smaller the market ?
help with logistics (fabrication, assistants, crates, photography, big storage areas)
when people don’t understand the change in your work/ sometimes have to push the galleries into what you’re thinking/ they can’t see that

love, tolerance, irritance (making more)
they take 50% bc they have connections and expensive fairs and housing artworks
galleries will close you should have more than one. you will survive them all
find out who owns your work, they are important , you need to control it as well. eg bridget riley left it all to dealer and he withdrew them from her
again, they can’t promote your work as well as you !

when sold nothing for a year, he used art skills to build kitchens. public commissions. with architecture. In public spaces. shortlist to like 5 and present ideas. win the project. building VALUE in your work. Need to save money and be careful. all u want to do is make the next art (protect the risk)
gallery code words.
small ones help when big ones don’t sell.
videos : sell stills as photographs. props as sculptures.
being ALONE suddenly after graduation. teaching, get a lot of ideas and talking. diversifying what you do.
sometimes you have to push the boat. eg when costs don’t cover. find a way out of it see an opportunity and work hard to win. eg he built a model of case
fail a lot, apply a lot. do residencies, maybe not make the best work but will make connections. write about art, curate shows, learn new making SKILLS, apply for competitions, apply for public arts projects, LEARN how to make walls, drill, relying on others to build stuff.. making own panels, stretchers
a successful practice... financially viable (had to to public commissions to survive) newness is still a thing. can sustainably evolve. creatively satisfying
can remake old works.

never : pay to do a show somewhere, (different in Asia)
rely on gallery for the critique / affirmations (specific agenda of making money , don’t take personally) (get friends in and chat)
overcommit and have to back out. health and compromises the work (can’t work right now, but can do it in 6 months) (commit when time is right) (reputation of pulling out)
think that gallery is keeping records for you
Over conceptualising the press release
not getting high quality images of shows
Moving on from a gallery at the right time (never work with a gallery for more than 10 years ..)
working too much (if you tell a gallery you need a month, they think u can do it in a week) (when artists get big sometimes they get worse bc they overproduce. The same thing, 6 or 7 solo shows)
Etc