[LAUIL602] Considerations, Concerns and Reflections of Professionally Exhibiting

(I didn't follow up with any messages or video chat as I wanted to investigate this opportunity).

I was recently approached by the Van Gogh Art Gallery in Madrid, through my art Instagram, to potentially exhibit my work with them. I was initially very skeptical, as I often am, and did some research into the gallery itself and the requirements they were asking for this exhibition. They had got my name wrong in one of our correspondence which seemed like a bit of red flag and also made me feel like I was one of many they were contacting, rather than taking the time to proof read and be attentive to the artists they are communicating with. 

The gallery space as I can find it on Google:

From Facebook: "Our contemporary and modern art gallery is a platform that allows visitors and artists to interact If you're interested in the art world, don't stop visiting us. On the street, in full artistic heart of Madrid awaits you VAN GOGH Art Gallery. Come see us and you're sure to come across a modernist art show you'll be passionate about."

Online Links:

• Website: http://www.vangoghartgallery.es (ETA: no longer live?)

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vangoghartgallery.es/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vangoghartgallery/

Information from the PDF:

• The requirements included that I send 3 specific sized canvases, shipped to Madrid, for the gallery to sell. It was not specified whether they would cover shipping costs or not.

• The participation fee seemed alarmingly expensive at €1000.

My immediate thought was to reach out to tutors, who pointed me in the direction of support from the Fine Art department. 

Summary of information from conversations:

• Jamie agreed to be wary. Participation fees exist for some exhibitions but not all and €1000 is incredibly high when the gallery would be making money from my paintings too. Plus, it wasn't specified if they would be contributing to shipping costs. 

• Jamie suggesting partaking in exhibitions where a participation fee was significantly lower and something that I really wanted to engage with.

• Amy reached out to Rob Anderson in the Fine Art Department for some feedback: "€1000 is a lot of money - what exactly are they providing for this? Is this purely to take part? Are they purchasing her work as well? Will she also be paying for shipping costs of the work? Will they represent her formally from now on? I would be extremely sceptical about any gallery who approached me immediately asking for money but also for the following reasons:

Normally a good commercial gallery will not ask the artist for money up-front. This is because they usually make their money 'in spades' from commission sales (sometimes anywhere from 30% upwards of the sale price for your artwork)."

• "Open calls / submissions often incur a fee (this helps organisations cover costs) but the fee is usually nominal and more of an 'administration' charge (and shouldn't really exceed £100). Good examples include The Jerwood who regularly host drawing, painting, photography prizes etc. However, artists willingly pay the submission fee for a chance at the things on offer - commission/production fee, exhibition, profile/marketing, prestige, publication, mentoring etc. or also, in the case of the Jerwood, a shot at the cash prize!"

• Van Gogh Art Gallery in Madrid seems legit though it isn't hard to fake a website. The press is underwhelming but they represent artists and regularly run exhibitions. They appear to be canvasing for money after the pandemic. 

• Opportunities can be found much close to home including from https://jerwoodarts.org/opportunities/jerwood-photoworks-awards/

Reflection of Experience:

This was certainly a learning experience for me, happened at a good time in my practice where I'm still learning and don't have to feel pressured into anything, and it raised a lot of questions for me. Am I too early in my practice to consider exhibiting? Do I want to exhibit at this time? The answer is no. I feel like I don't have a big enough body of work and I still work relatively small. The canvases I paint don't tend to exceed A4 or A3 rectangular canvases (and everywhere in between) and smaller shaped canvases (square, circle, triangle and hexagon).

 I'm still very much emerging, figuring out my painterly tone of voice and use of visual language with line and mark-making, and getting used to materials and what they can do.

I think it was important and served me well to remain skeptical, critical and vigilant as we don't know who is trying to scam and make money through social media platforms - especially one as accessible as instagram where many emerging artists sit within. Not long after this, I was sent another invitation to exhibit at another Spanish gallery (https://galeriaazur.es) I thanked them for approaching me, for the opportunity to exhibit with them, but that I am unavailable at this time. I wanted to remain professional to stay respected but this is not an avenue that I will go down at this time - especially in terms of sending work abroad.

It was insightful to learn about participation fees, shipping costs when sending larger paintings and whose responsibility it should be to pay for that, and how much a gallery makes on artists' work (upwards of 30% of the sale price). Fees usually aren't usually more than £100 to participate in an exhibition.

This experience has been insightful and educational. I would like to continue building on the foundations of my practice.